Birthday Greetings
Northern Ballet Theatre alumni send their best for our 40th anniversary.
My outstanding memory of NBT is a performance I saw of Christopher Gable's production of Romeo and Juliet. I vividly remember its vitality and freshness alongside the passionate commitment of the dancers and felt certain that a successful future was guaranteed for this unique dance theatre company. It has proved to be so – many congratulations and Happy 40th Birthday!
Dame Monica Mason, Director – The Royal Ballet
Congratulations on your landmark anniversary! Northern Ballet Theatre's productions always give audiences an evening to remember, and its dancers the opportunities to challenge themselves as artists. Here's to the next 40 years!
Bruce Sansom, Director – Central School of Ballet
A huge congratulations to a unique and much loved company! What a fantastic achievement, 40 years, and such a journey, from city to city, from modest beginnings to international acclaim and large luscious productions. The passion and love for the company, for dance and for theatre has always been the driving force and still emanates from the beautiful productions. A rich history to be proud of and with all your investment in young people – no doubt a rich future ahead!
Wieke Eringa, Director – Yorkshire Dance
I have worked with many dance companies in my career but NBT must be one of my favourites on and off stage. Wishing the Company very many more happy and successful years.
Heather Knight, Arts Manager
My first memory of NBT is actually the television performance of A Simple Man so I am very happy that this is being revived for the 40th year celebrations of the Company.
The second is the Swan Lake poster with the kissogramme girl which I thought was so tasteless until I saw the ballet and was completely bowled over by the production. I then wrote to Christopher [Gable] asking if I could work with the Company.
Another is a very late night conversation with Christopher during a long lighting session for Dracula when I said that the critics couldn't possibly give the production bad reviews at which Christopher wryly smiled and said he could write them there and then. Sure enough he was right – ”This ballet is a bloody mess“ from The Guardian. And another, ”Streetcar off the rails“ in The Observer for my own production of A Streetcar named Desire and ”This swan is a dead duck“ from The Guardian once again. We don't forget! Thankfully our audiences seem to enjoy our productions rather more than the critics.
I remember being on the edge of my seat in Cinderella when the ladder began to fall – it was so unexpected. And the production of Giselle set in the Second World War – so brave and completely successful.
Some of the improvisation the company has done while preparing the productions – utter hysteria during A Midsummer Night's Dream as the company became, for the purposes of improvisation, a post war ballet company. And a chilling hour as they improvised the Paris railway station with gypsies, Jews and the SS. And seeing this transformed by the amazing David Nixon into that scene in the ballet.
David choreographing the tap dancing sequence in A Midsummer Night's Dream when he was so brilliant and inventive.
Two appalling sessions as we prepared the torture scene and the rape in the recent Hamlet and being stunned by how far the dancers and choreographer were prepared to go for realism.
Real stage fright while waiting in the wings at the West Yorkshire Playhouse to go on for the first night in Dangerous Liaisons! Never again!
My first sight and meeting with David Nixon as new Artistic Director! I could never have believed that we would subsequently work together as we do and become such good friends and colleagues.
And throughout all this I have the memories of all the Northern Ballet Theatre dancers I have had the great good fortune to work with over many years, past and present, and to be continually amazed at their commitment, passion, good humour, courage and talent. Happy, happy birthday NBT and I look forward to the truly exciting move into the new buildings and a new phase for this wonderful company. I hope to be a part of them for a while yet.
Patricia Doyle, NBT Associate Artist
I can only write amazing things about NBT. Congratulations to David Nixon and everyone who works in Northern Ballet Theatre.
Daniel Fajardo, Ex NBT dancer
Happy 40th Birthday NBT – Looking better than ever at 40 – rather like myself! Very proud to have been part of the Christopher Gable years and all the way through to David Nixon's wonderful directorship – 13 memorable years. Onwards and Upwards.
John Duncan, Ex Company Manager
Happy 40th Birthday NBT! Congratulations on this milestone to a great and wonderful company, with lots of love…
Sarah Kundi, Ex NBT dancer
Happy Birthday NBT!!! This year we shall both be celebrating our 40th together! Some of my favourite memories are from the time I worked with NBT as both dancer and then designer. I feel privileged to have been a part of their ever-growing success and I look forward to more fantastic productions. Best wishes for the next 40 years and beyond!
Chris Giles, Ex NBT dancer
