NORTHERN NOMINEES IN NATIONAL DANCE AWARDS

5th November 2003.

Leeds-based Northern Ballet Theatre, renowned for captivating new audiences with a distinctive blend of classical dance and theatre, has received three nominations in this year’s prestigious National Dance Awards; David Nixon for Best Choreography – A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Pippa Moore for Outstanding Female Artist (Classical) and Northern Ballet Theatre for Outstanding Repertoire.

Impressively, Northern Ballet Theatre is the only company and David Nixon, the only Artistic Director to have received nominations for Best Choreography and Outstanding Repertoire three years in a row.

The awards are a celebration of dance and dancers in Britain and are the only professional awards in the country dedicated specifically to the art of dance. The fifth annual awards are hosted by the dance section of the Critics’ Circle, which brings together over 50 of the UK’s most celebrated and experienced dance writers.

The glittering event takes place at the Royal Opera House, London on Thursday 20 January 2005 and will be hosted by TV personality Angela Rippon, OBE. Thirty-nine finalists will compete for 13 prestigious awards, celebrating the successes of the classical and contemporary dance world over the past twelve months.

Since joining Northern Ballet Theatre as Artistic Director in 2001, Canadian-born David Nixon has made a major impact on the company – adding nine new productions to the company’s repertoire and increasing box office sales to an all-time high. Nixon’s magical version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which is set in the 1940s and follows a touring ballet company, had its World Première at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds in September 2003 where it received both audience and critical acclaim and played to sell-out audiences. Soloist Pippa Moore, who joined Northern Ballet Theatre in 1996, stole the show as the feisty Helena, displaying a unique talent for combining athletic and accomplished dancing with perfect comedy timing.

As part of the National Dance Awards, audiences will also have the chance to vote for their favourite dance company in the special Audience Award. To vote for Northern Ballet Theatre in the National Dance Awards Audience Award, simply text 'Northern Ballet Theatre' to 07946 702 700* by 31 December 2004. (*normal tariff for your network applies)

The company’s next major production will be a spectacular ballet version of Peter Pan – complete with flying dancers, puppets, pirates and fairies. The production features a dazzling and accomplished creative team including Oscar-winning composer Stephen Warbeck (Shakespeare in Love), Olivier award-winning set and lighting designer Peter Mumford, co-director Patricia Doyle and choreography and direction by David Nixon. National Dance Award nominee Pippa Moore will perform the role of Wendy. The World Première will take place at the Grand Theatre & Opera House, Leeds from Sat 18 – Sat 31 December 2004.

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Notes to editors:
For more information/photography or to arrange interviews contact our Media and PR department via email: media@northernballettheatre.co.uk.

To read David Nixon’s and Pippa Moore’s biographies go to: www.northernballettheatre.co.uk/artisticdirector.html
www.northernballettheatre.co.uk/pippaMoore.html

For more information about the National Dance Awards visit: www.nationaldanceawards.com

To book tickets for Peter Pan call the Leeds Grand Theatre box office on tel: 0113 222 6 222