Northern Ballet is a registered charity and one of the UK's busiest touring ballet companies, based in Leeds. It offers professional performances, vocational training through its Academy, and extensive community outreach, focusing on inclusive practice and accessible world-class ballet for all.
Northern Ballet is a registered charity and ballet company based in Leeds, England. It creates narrative ballets and tours extensively across the UK. The company describes its mission as breaking down barriers to ballet and making dance accessible and enjoyable for all. Its dancers have been described by Dance Europe as “the best dance-actors in the world.” Current and recent productions include Gentleman Jack, Cinderella, Wuthering Heights, and Three Short Ballets. The company performs in cities including Bradford, Edinburgh, London, Newcastle upon Tyne, Norwich, Nottingham, Oxford, Salford, and Sheffield. It offers accessible performances including audio-described and relaxed performances.
Northern Ballet also operates the Academy of Northern Ballet, which provides vocational training. The Academy offers an MA in Classical Ballet Performance, a Centre for Advanced Training for students aged 10–16, and an Associate Division with weekly classes. The Centre for Advanced Training is the only programme of its kind in classical ballet in the UK. The company’s Learning team delivers workshops and classes in schools, nurseries, community centres, and theatres, reaching nearly 10,000 people through almost 500 sessions in 2024/2025.
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Northern Ballet is a professional ballet company and registered charity based in Leeds that creates and tours ballet performances across the UK. It operates the Academy of Northern Ballet, offering vocational training programs including MA Classical Ballet Performance, Centre for Advanced Training, and Associate Division. The company focuses on inclusive practice and making dance accessible to all, with a mission to break down barriers to world-class ballet. It is led by Artistic Director Federico Bonelli and has a royal patron, HRH Duke of Edinburgh.
Northern Ballet is located at 2 St Cecilia Street, Quarry Hill, Leeds, LS2 7PA, in the cultural quarter of central Leeds. The facility is a purpose-built, six-storey building that houses both the company and the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre.
Northern Ballet offers professional ballet performances and tours across the UK, digital dance content including full-length ballets and short films, accessible performances with audio descriptions and relaxed performances, vocational training through its Academy, learning and outreach workshops in schools and community settings, supporter events, talks, dancer meet-and-greets, and corporate partnership opportunities.
Anyone can attend Northern Ballet performances and events. The Academy programs serve students with professional aspirations aged 10-16 through the Centre for Advanced Training, dance school students through the Associate Division, and postgraduate students through the MA Classical Ballet Performance program. Learning and outreach programs serve people of all ages and abilities, including schools, nurseries, community groups, wheelchair users, adults with learning disabilities, and visually impaired patrons.
Northern Ballet caters to all ages and abilities. The Centre for Advanced Training serves students aged 10-16, the Associate programme offers weekly classes for various age levels including Junior, Intermediate Foundation, Intermediate, and Senior Associates, and the Learning team works with people of all ages and abilities across nearly 10,000 participants annually.
Northern Ballet employs professional dancers including Principal Dancers, First Soloists, and Soloists. The Academy offers vocational training pathways for aspiring professional dancers through its MA Classical Ballet Performance, Centre for Advanced Training for ages 10-16, and Associate Division programs. The company tours extensively across the UK, and auditions are held for Academy programs with some means-tested free audition opportunities available for the Centre for Advanced Training.
Northern Ballet follows classical ballet training methods. The Centre for Advanced Training focuses on classical ballet to equip students for professional vocational dance training. The Associate programme offers weekly classical ballet classes in the facilities used by professional dancers. Senior Associate recalls include ballet class with pointe work and contemporary class. The Learning team delivers repertoire learning, workshops, and differentiated instruction across various settings.
Northern Ballet offers extensive touring ballet performances across the UK in cities including Bradford, Edinburgh, Leeds, London, Newcastle upon Tyne, Norwich, Nottingham, Oxford, Salford, and Sheffield. Productions include full-length story ballets and shorter works. The company also offers supporter events, talks, dancer meet-and-greets, pop-up ballet experiences, and Insight Events through the Academy.
Contact Northern Ballet by phone at 0113 220 8000 or email info@northernballet.com. For box office inquiries, call 0113 220 8008 during opening hours Monday-Friday 9am-7pm and Saturday 9am-5pm. For Academy audition inquiries, email academy@northernballet.com. The address is 2 St Cecilia Street, Quarry Hill, Leeds, LS2 7PA.