Emma Maguire is a Soloist of The Royal Ballet. She lost her mother, Ann, a teacher, when she was stabbed to death in front of her class by a 15-year-old pupil at Corpus Christi Catholic College in Leeds. Her murder, which shocked the entire UK, was in 2014.

Emma and her family have admirably turned this horrific happening into something positive by creating the Ann Maguire Arts Education Fund, in memory of her life, and her passion for helping children by providing bursaries and funding for the enhancement and personal development of young people under 18 years old. It was designed to cover all aspects of the arts but the main areas of focus are dance, music, language and drama.

The fund was set up in May 2014 and has so far raised £74,000. In 2015 a sold-out dance gala with Emma’s colleagues was held at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London.

On Sunday 3 September there will be a second gala with many of The Royal Ballet’s top dancers at the Leeds Grand Theatre.

Emma Maguire says,

It is so fitting to hold this special Gala performance at the Leeds Grand Theatre where my mum took my sister and I to see our first ballet. It will be a night to honour and remember Ann Maguire in her home town.All monies raised on the night will be going to the Ann Maguire Arts Education Fund to continue the life’s work of my mum in inspiring and educating young people in Leeds.

The line-up includes dancers from The Royal Ballet performing pieces from the classical ballet repertory including works by Frederick Ashton, Christopher Wheeldon and Liam Scarlett. Will Tuckett will present the world premiere of Quizás and there will also be the world premiere of a new work by the BalletBoyz. The evening will also include performances by Northern Ballet’s Dreda Blow and Giuliano Contadini, dancing a duet from Jonathan Watkins’ award-winning ballet 1984.

Previous grant recipients from the Ann Maguire Arts Education fund will also perform at the Gala.

Royal Ballet Principals Steven McRae and Edward Watson will dance two special solos; McRae’s knockout tap solo Czardas will be accompanied by violinist Vasko Vassilev and Watson will perform the UK premiere of Clair de lune by Alastair Marriott set to Debussy’s music.

The Gala will include a selection of pas de deux from a variety of ballets including Le Corsaire and Swan Lake, Ashton’s Voices of Spring and Thaïs, Christopher Wheeldon’s Aeternum,and Liam Scarlett’s Asphodel Meadows.

The incredible lineup of artists from The Royal Ballet appearing include Sarah Lamb, Laura Morera, Akane Takada, Ryoichi Hirano, Steven McRae, Edward Watson, Beatriz Stix Brunell, Claire Calvert, Yuhui Choe, Itziar Mendizabal, Reece Clarke, Ricardo Cervera, Nicol Edmonds, Fumi Kameko and Marcelino Sambé. Royal Ballet pianists Kate Shipway and Robert Clark will accompany the evening.

The Ann Maguire Arts Education Fund

The foundation is open for applications. For details on how to apply visit: http://www.leedscf.org.uk/ann-maguire-arts-education-fund

The Ann Maguire Gala

Ticket from £24 – £64

Box office: +44 0844 848 2700

www.leedsgrandtheatre.com

Concerto pas de deux
Choreography by Kenneth MacMillan
Sarah Lamb and Ryoichi Hirano

Clair de lune – UK Premiere
Choreography by Alastair Marriott
Edward Watson

White Swan pas de deux from Swan Lake
Choreography by Marius Petipa
Fumi Kaneko and Nicol Edmonds

Artists of BalletBoyz
World Premiere

Asphodel Meadows – pas de deux
Choreography by Liam Scarlett
Laura Morera and Ryoichi Hirano

1984
Choreography by Jonathan Watkins
Dreda Blow and Giuliano Contadini

Voices of Spring
Choreography by Frederick Ashton
Yuhui Choe and Alexander Campbell

Aeternum – pas de deux
Choreography by Christopher Wheeldon
Claire Calvert and Reece Clarke

Quizás – UK Premiere
Will Tuckett
Laura Morera and Ricardo Cervera

ThaÏs – pas de deux
Choreography by Frederick Ashton
Itziar Mendizabal and Nicol Edmonds

Czardas
Choreography by Steven McRae
Steven McRae

Le Corsaire
Choreography by Marius Petipa
Akane Takada and Marcelino Sambé

Additional programming to be confirmed.