Central School Of Ballet Presents Choreography Showcase

Central School of Ballet, one of the world's leading centres for professional dance training, will present an evening to showcase a selection of new works by choreographers Jenna Lee and Sophie Laplane at Jackson's Lane Theatre on 19th June. Four new pieces will be presented at Jackson's Lane, all created as part of Central's MA Choreography programme. The evening will feature performances by Ballet Central and guest dancers from world-renowned companies English National Ballet and Scottish Ballet.

Tickets are £15 and available directly from the theatre: https://www.jacksonslane.org.uk/whats-on/ma-choreographic-showcase. The performance commences at 7.30pm, more information is available here: https://www.facebook.com/events/712782982452954/

Sophie and Jenna commenced Central's MA programme in January last year. Taking an average of 18 months to complete, the MA provides the opportunity for professional choreographers to hone their skills, engage in research and develop their practice at the highest level. The showcase allows Sophie and Jenna, due to graduate at the end of this academic year, to present the culmination of their studies to a public audience.

Jenna Lee presents two pieces:

• Summer Movement 3 from The Four Seasons
• Vivaldi's The Four Seasons dynamically recomposed by Max Richter forms the musical foundation for choreographer Jenna Lee's bold, stylish ballet, skilfully offset by dazzling costume designs representing each season.
• In 2018 Jenna was commissioned to create the whole ballet of The Four Seasons for The New English Ballet Theatre.

To be performed by: Barry Drummond, First Artist with English National Ballet

Nancy Osbaldeston, company member of Opera Ballet Vlaanderen (The Royal Ballet of Flanders) in Antwerp, Belgium

• BLACK SWAN Pas de Deux and Little Swans
• Pas de Deux will be performed by 2018 Central graduates, Aitor Vsiacarolasaga-Lopez, currently dancing with English National Ballet in their version of Cinderella and Ayca Anil, currently company member at Northern Ballet.
• BLACK SWAN was part of the repertoire of the Ballet Central 2018 tour. The ballet is based on the infamous classical ballet Swan Lake and the controversial film BLACK SWAN.

The performers will be dancers from Central (The Little Swans) and from English National Ballet: Jhia Zang, First Artist William Simmons, Artist of the Company

Jenna trained in classical ballet before dancing professionally as a soloist with English National Ballet for a period of 12 years. An established choreographer, this year Jenna is working with Northern Ballet on a production of Puss in Boots that she has directed and choreographed, currently touring the UK and soon to be broadcast on CBBC. Jenna has created BLACK SWAN and excerpts from Romeo & Juliet for Ballet Central.

Sophie Laplane presents two pieces:

• Sibilo
• Sophie originally created this piece in 2016 and revisited and developed this work during her MA. The piece has been performed at the Ballet West Choreographic Festival and in Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center in Salt Lake City, USA.
• This work is a celebration of the power and versatility of dancers' bodies and of movement in all its forms. Sophie Laplane collaborated with Scottish electronic DJ and music producer and DJ Alex Menzies (aka Alex Smoke) to create an original musical composition for Sibilo.
• Dextera
• This piece was created this year as part of Spring! a double bill alongside Elite Syncopation for Scottish Ballet 50th Anniversary.
• Sophie's trademark quirky style promises a tour de force of creative ideas, set to the music of Mozart.

The performers will be dancers from Central and Scottish Ballet (subject to change), to include: Principal Dancer: Constance Devernay, Soloist Dancers: Claire Souet, Thomas Edwards (a Central alumnus), Nicholas Shoesmith, Artist Dancer: Anna Williams

Sophie was appointed as Artist in Residence at Scottish Ballet in June 2017 and has continued in this role through the MA programme at Central. Sophie joined Scottish Ballet in 2004 and was promoted to First Artist in July 2011. She has choreographed a number of works for the company and has created a number of independent pieces, including works for The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Project Y Scotland Persist!, and the National Youth Ballet UK.

Central launched an MA in choreography in 2011 and rapidly became a recognised way for professional choreographers to develop their skills and advance their careers. One of its first graduates was Christopher Marney, the current Artistic Director of Ballet Central.

Louise Ainley, who has led the postgraduate programme for the past eight years, commented: "Central continues to celebrate valuable links with the dance profession. We are proud to be supporting the career development of talented choreographers who have ambitions to develop their practice at the highest level."

Central's MA programme has ballet as its principal focus and provides a bespoke approach to developing expertise. At its core the MA celebrates the importance of communication in dance and each choreographer is encouraged to explore and refine their individual choreographic voice. The postgraduate degree complements Central's core BA (Hons) Professional Dance and Performance degree, both courses validated by the University of Kent.

Both Sophie and Jenna are kindly supported by The Leverhulme Trust through their Arts Scholarships initiative. Central is particularly grateful to The Levehulme Trust for supporting emerging choreographers, allowing them to continue to train, to develop as artists, and influence the dance industry with new ideas and skills.

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