London Children’s Ballet presents The Secret Garden at London’s Peacock Theatre from 4 July
London Children’s Ballet 2024 show is a revival of its production of The Secret Garden, last seen in 2013. 50 young dancers, aged 9-16, will take to the stage of London’s Peacock Theatre for six performances from 4 July.
600 children audition for London Children’s Ballet each year, and the 50 who go on to be cast in the company’s production are given 100 hours of free ballet training culminating in the chance to perform in a professionally created ballet on a West End stage. This is offered free of charge, making LCB unique in the ballet world. The company says, “At auditions, the organisation does not discriminate on grounds of height, body shape or income and dancers are selected purely on their ability and star quality.” LCB dancers rehearse on Sundays from January to July, with an intensive period of daily rehearsals over the February half term, the Easter holidays and the Summer half term.
The ballet is based on Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic novel for children – “its timeless themes, precisely drawn characters, and taut narrative offer a tale of redemption, rich with symbolism and mythical associations” – and 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the author’s death.
Artem Vassiliev’s original score was developed in parallel with the 2013 scenario for the 80-minute ballet, and the original choreographer Erico Montes – currently Ballet Master at Ballet de L’Opera National du Capitole – has revived and revised his choreography. Carrie-Ann Stein (winner of the Linbury Prize for Stage Design, the Costume Society Award, and the Royal Opera House Costume Prize) is reworking Neil Irish’s sets and costumes. This year, the choreographer Jenna Lee, a former English National Ballet soloist, heads the artistic team while the company’s artistic director, Ruth Brill, is on maternity leave.
The Secret Garden gives the audience a chance to catch some of the stars of tomorrow as LCB alumni include Anna Rose O’Sullivan (Principal with the Royal Ballet), James Streeter (First Soloist with English National Ballet), choreographers Jenna Lee, Charlotte Edmonds and Arielle Smith who is currently choreographing a new Nutcracker for ENB and West End star Lucy St Louis. LCB’s working associates include choreographers Cathy Marston, Ruth Brill and Irek Mukhamedov and composers Artem Vasiliev and Ben Foskett.
The premiere is at 7 pm on Thursday 4 July 2024
https://londonchildrensballet.formstack.com/forms/2024premiereperformance
Further performances run from:
Friday 5 July at 7 pm
Saturday 6 July at 1.30 pm and 5.30 pm
Sunday 7 July at 12.30 pm and 4.30 pm
Box Office:
https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/london-childrens-ballet-the-secret-garden/
Ticket prices from £18 – £55
Demand for London Children’s Ballet places has remained so high that a second branch of the company, LCB Tour was created in 2004 to increase the number of children able to participate and to broaden the outreach the organisation is able to achieve. Four times a year 48 additional LCB touring company dancers perform an abridged version of one of LCB’s ballets in residential homes, hospices, day centres and special educational needs schools, taking ballet out into the community and ensuring an enriching experience for all involved. LCB also runs the popular ‘Ballet for a £’ programme which reaches 2,000 primary school children and the elderly. As well as attending the annual production, all the primary schools taking part receive a 2-hour workshop either before or after the performance, led by LCB teachers and accompanied by live music.
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
