The Ball2002-05

The Ball is a one-hour performance work that is inspired by a myriad of social dances including the waltz, the slow foxtrot, the jive and the tango. These dance styles and many more are re-interpreted by original choreography to draw out the very human narrative of couple dancing. All the poetic vulnerabilities contained in couple dancing - falling in love, being romanced, being the wallflower and dancing wild are within The Ball. The performance is followed by an open ball, where the audience take to the floor with their partners, family and friends or have a unique opportunity to partner with one of balletLORENT's ten professional dancers. The Ball received an award for "Best Performance" at the Creative North East Awards in September 2003.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the magic that you wore, for the romance of partner dancing and the deep generosity of spirit in sharing it all with us.
Sally Goldsmith, audience member

"Inspired, impassioned and intense, balletLORENT led and twirled us through a fairytale experience"
Emma Hampley, Bury Free Press

"The dancing was spectacular, the atmosphere electric and the night still young"... "Did the audience enjoy it"? Well, by the way they carried on dancing long after the performance had ended I must say, totally.
Mark Kindred, Dance Today

Performed

The Ball has toured to regional, national and international venues to great acclaim as follows:

Middlesbrough Town Hall
The Dome, Whitley Bay
Live Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne
The Royal Hotel, Hexham
Central Square, Newcatle upon Tyne
Tanzhaus, GERMANY
The Old Assembly Rooms, Newcastle upon Tyne
The Civic Hall, Leeds
Trafalgar Square, London
The Gala Theatre, Durham
Greenwich Borough Hall, Greenwich, London
DanceXchange, Birmingham
Thoresby Riding Stables, Ollerton, Nottinghamshire
Pavillion Ballroom, Bournemouth
The Guildhall, Chard
Cheltenham Town Hall, Cheltenham
The Atlantic Hotel, Newquay
The Pavillion, Exmouth
Athenaeum, Bury St Edmunds
City Hall, Salisbury
Willis Building, Ipswich
Stockton Riverside Festival, Stockton on Tees
Vinopolis, London
Island Arts Centre, Lisburn IRELAND
The Junction, Cambridge
Koninklijke Stadsschouwburg, Brugge, BELGIUM

Funded by

Arts Council of England, North East and National Touring Programme
Newcastle City Council
Middlesbrough Council
Yorkshire Dance
Dance City

Dancers

Gwen Berwick
Gavin Coward
Jane Mason
Iain Payne
Debbi Purtill
Mariusz Raczynski
Davie Rae
Caroline Reece
Raymond Roa
Pete Russell
Kelly Wilson