Young dancers from across the North West will be sharing the stage of Manchester’s Palace Theatre with professionals for a performance of Swan Lake as the English Youth Ballet makes its debut at the theatre.
It’s a fabulous opportunity for talented youngsters to experience what being part of a major production is actually like - and it’s all down to the passion for dance of Dame Janet Lewis, who founded EYB some 27 years ago after a stellar career of her own which saw her performing with the Royal Ballet and the London Festival Ballet.
“I was determined to do this for young people in the regions,” she said. “There Is so much in London and I think there should be more opportunities for young dancers elsewhere and that’s why I do it.”
This year English Youth Ballet will be putting on seven different ballets around the country. Auditions are held in the area close to the theatres and all those chosen, aged from eight to 18, are involved in an intensive rehearsal process.
“The youngsters do surprise me,” said Dame Janet. “They have to work very quickly I and think that is a bit of a shock initially but they do absorb everything and I’m always surprised how good they are at picking it up.
“I think performance is very important; you go out there and give yourself outwards and the spirit of the music can inspire you. I think this experience is very important for young people to perform and not to just do class work and exam work but what it’s leading to which is performance.”
Although the majority of dancers will be new to it, an EYB performance is a massive undertaking with around 90 dancers taking to the stage.
“We certainly don’t skimp on anything,” said Dame Janet. “Everything is designed specifically for the production - the costumes, the scenery. We use top designers who work with major ballet companies and I have to say it does look quite a spectacle on stage.
“We do adapt the choreography but it still does have the shape and formations or what you would expect. For the famous Swan scene the steps are probably a little bit simpler so that it looks good but there are some surprises along the way.
“For this production for instance, for the famous cygnet dance I’ve chosen nine and 10-year-olds to do it who are really talented and they are really cute; we have eight linked together and it’s very appealing. I think there should be the 'aah' factor in every production.”
Professional dancers take the lead roles and also help in rehearsals to develop their young co-stars.
“The performing pros do gain a lot of experience,” said Dame Janet. “They help put the production together and learn how to teach as they go along; a lot of them who have been with me over the years have taken teaching exams and gone on to a career in teaching.”
Some of the youngsters who first experienced what it was like to be part of a major production have found their way back to the company as professional dancers.
“One of the pro dancers was in a show in Cardiff with us when she was 11 and another was nine when she was in a performance in Newcastle. It’s amazing to see things going full circle.”
Although a number of youngsters who get their first break via English Youth ballet go on to a carerer in dance, that, for Dame Janet, is not the prime motivation.
“Whatever level they come in at, they go out with more,” she said. “They have renewed confidence, their ballet technique is better. But it doesn’t matter if they take it up professionally, they have had a really good experience.”
So how would a young Janet Lewis have gone on auditioning for the EYB.
“I like to think that I might have got in,” she laughed.
Swan Lake performed by the English Youth Ballet, Palace Theatre Manchester, tonight and Saturday. Details from www.atgtickets.com
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