ABOUT THE ANGLIAN BALLET

ABC was founded in 1997 by Neil Runswick but was well and truly launched in 2000 as part of the Millenium Festival.  We invite anyone who is interested in becoming involved with any of the many aspects of a ballet company, whether it be performing, admin., wardrobe, lighting, sound, design or photography. We have held many workshops in Ballet, Pilates, mask making and decorating, Mime, Salsa, Choreography, Floor and Centre Barre and Contemporary Dance.

We took performances to rural village halls, town halls, museums and even corporate events. We have built our following in the regions smaller theatres. Having gone from strength to strength we aim to encourage access to, and participate in, a wide range of Dance forms.

Thanks to a grant from the European Social Fund, since 2005 our educational programme has worked with groups, particularly with learning difficulties or disabilities. Programmes are devised which both bring groups in to our St Johns Centre, and have us go to work in their daily environment. This work is ongoing and in the summer of 2007 was further financially supported by The Havebury Housing Partnership and the Suffolk Foundation.

DANCE FOR ALL

REMEMBER-DANCE HAS NO BARRIERS

DANCE DOES NOT RECOGNISE RACE

ABC’s community dance programme has produced six waves of workshops since 2000. We put together a diverse and exciting range of dance and associated activities to encourage as many people from the local based community to get involved. It is for you. You don’t need to be an expert or even think that you are any good to attend. Just the willingness and enthusiasm to come and have a go!!  All our workshops and events are led by established, experienced artists with excellent teaching skills and are suitable for absolute beginners as well as those with previous knowledge of the art form. We aim for a relaxed , informal and fun working environment at all times where everyone feels welcome and everyone’s work is valued.

                                PERFORMANCE AND REPERTOIRE

Our repertoire is built upon new works, created for the company, with the one exception of Samuel Beckett’s ballet “Quadrate I + II “, which was created for the Stuttgart Ballet School and produced for us by Hannes Schweiger, in 2002.

The majority of the rep is created by Director Neil Runswick ( 14 pieces ), and Associate Choreographer Dominic Marshall (5 pieces ), who is also the Assistant Artistic Director of the English Youth Ballet.

The opportunity to choreograph has been encouraged within the company and original pieces have also been created by Rebecca Tullis, Pippa Stanford, Erika Kelly and Pam Leah.

We now have regular theatres in which we perform in the Eastern region and past Tour titles have included “Dances of Innocence and Experience”, “Chance and Necessity” and “Pictures At An Exhibition”.