Benchmarking Ballet training courses

We offer businesses unique training experiences based on our work. These courses, entitled Benchmarking Ballet, can be tailored to meet your particular requirements in terms of learning objectives, time constraints and budgets.

The ballet production process is one of co-operation, collaboration and cross team communication. In turn, Benchmarking Ballet training courses focus on team-building, creativity and leadership skills.

Possible key challenges to explore through this innovative training may be:

· How to enable staff to think differently about current challenges and changes
· How to sustain the effects of innovative thinking and good practice across the business
· Creating and adding value to a team vision
· Effective integrated communication

Courses last one or two days, plus pre course work and post course follow up three months later to ensure that the learning outcomes have been absorbed by the delegates.

Delegates will work with our dancers, artistic and backstage staff in a highly stimulating and passionate environment to experience for themselves the balance of creative and technical issues with the core physical and human elements of stage production.

‘I very much enjoyed the experience – it was liberating. The two days were well structured. I loved every aspect of it and felt that we were heightening the awareness of our senses allowing us to dust off the creative parts of our minds – it was a lot of fun. I do believe that the skills and ideas can be transferred to the work environment – a reminder to think differently.’ Fiona Taylor, Ernst and Young.

Benchmarking Ballet courses have been created for a variety of companies, including Ernst and Young, HBOS and Polar Motor Ford Group.

To learn more, please contact Jon Ingham on 0113 274 5355 or email jon.ingham@northernballettheatre.co.uk

Case Studies

"This was a most fantastic opportunity to work with individuals from a theatrical background … a must experience for all."
Patricia Ryan, Senior Manager – HR, Ernst & Young

Global accountancy firm, Ernst & Young is the first company to take part in an innovative learning programme developed in partnership with Arts & Business Yorkshire and Northern Ballet Theatre. The project called “Stepping Bravely…” is the culmination of Ernst & Young’s Accelerated Development Programme, a two-year learner-driven series of activities to develop their key staff of the future. Twenty-five high flyers from Ernst & Young took part in a two-day workshop focussing on leadership, creativity and teamwork. The project made participants think again about their own working practices by experiencing the passion, energy and rigour that is involved in creating a new ballet.

The two-day project, led by regular Northern Ballet Theatre Dramaturge Patricia Doyle, and facilitated by Arts & Business Yorkshire, was held at the company’s headquarters at West Park, Leeds. The delegates were given the daunting brief to design their own versions of Dracula and present them to our Artistic Director, David Nixon, and our Chief Executive, Mark Skipper in front of their fellow delegates and twelve of Ernst & Young’s Senior Partners in just 48 hours.

Between now and September, the participants will be working with Arts & Business Yorkshire to embed the learning from this creative and challenging experience into their day-to-day working lives.

The project will be brought to a fitting conclusion when all the participants come back to Leeds to see David Nixon’s new production of Dracula on 8 September at the West Yorkshire Playhouse.

November 2003

Participants from the managerial team spent time with Northern Ballet Theatre to compare working practices and discover new ways of working. They took part in practical sessions with company members, went on a backstage tour, and watched a performance at the theatre.

The feedback from all the delegates was very positive, and here's a sample of some of their comments :-

"...without exception I enjoyed every session and feel privileged to have met some key players at Northern Ballet Theatre."

"A completely satisfying and positive experience."