London Children’s Ballet – Peacock Theatre

From Thursday, July 4, to Sunday, July 7, 2024, London Children’s Ballet presents a revival of the much-loved classic The Secret Garden. With a cast of 50 talented young dancers aged 9 – 16, this timeless children’s story is brought to life after months of rehearsals.

While The Secret Garden is an exquisite children’s story, its timeless themes, precisely drawn characters, and taut narrative offer a tale of redemption, rich with symbolism and mythical associations. Mary Lennox has no one left in the world when she arrives at Misselthwaite Manor, her mysterious uncle’s enormous, drafty mansion looming on the edge of the moors. A cholera epidemic has ravaged the Indian village in which she was born, killing both her parents and the “Ayah,” who cared for her. She is alone. Her socialite mother had no time between parties for Mary, and her father was too ill and occupied by his work to raise his daughter. Not long after coming to live with her uncle, Mr. Craven, Mary discovers a walled garden that is neglected and in ruins. Soon, she meets her maid Martha’s brother Dickon, a robust country boy nourished both by his mother’s love and by the natural surroundings of the countryside, and her tyrannical cousin Colin, whose mother died giving birth to him. So traumatised was Mr Craven by the sudden death of his beloved wife that he effectively abandoned the infant Colin and buried the keys to the garden that she adored. His son has grown into a self-loathing hypochondriacal child whose tantrums strike fear into the hearts of the household. The lush garden is overgrown, and everyone is forbidden to enter it. No one can even remember where the door is until a robin leads Mary to its hidden key. It is in the “secret garden,” and with the help of Dickon that Mary and Colin find the path to physical and spiritual health. Along the way, the three children discover that their imaginations have the power to transform lives in this 80-minute story ballet.

The Premiere Performance will take place 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

This season, LCB welcomes back established choreographer Jenna Lee, heading up the artistic team (Artistic Director Ruth Brill is currently on maternity leave) for this 2024 full-length revival of The Secret Garden, last performed by LCB in 2013. Since choreographing LCB’s Anne of Green Gables in 2022, she has helped launch and develop Saudia Arabia’s first performing arts course for children, choreographed a new piece for concert pianist Yoshiki at the Royal Albert Hall and continues to create for English National Ballet where previously danced for 12 years, performing as a Soloist. Original choreographer Erico Montes, previously with the Royal Ballet and now Ballet Master at Ballet de L’Opera National du Capitole, Toulouse, has returned to revise the choreography. Gemma Pitchley-Gale, the former Royal Ballet First Artist, is the Senior Rehearsal Director and works alongside Richard Bermange to stage the ballet. Described by BBC Music Magazine as ‘one of the most exciting and innovative composers around….. award-winning composer Artem Vassiliev’s lyrical score was developed in parallel with the original 2013 scenario. Original sets by Neil Irish are tweaked this season by Revival Set and Costume Designer Carrie-Ann Stein, who trained in fine art, costume construction and fashion design at the Royal College of Art, the Royal Opera House and Central Saint Martins. Prizes include the Linbury Prize for Stage Design, the Costume Society Award, the Royal Opera House Costume Prize and a Royal Opera House Bursary. She is creating a variety of new costumes based on the originals by costume designers Eva Le Blanc and Sophie Cabot, both graduates of Wimbledon College of Art.

London Children’s Ballet is a performance company that inspires the pursuit of excellence and changes lives through dance. A leader in creating original narrative work and introducing new audiences to ballet, the LCB creates a new West End ballet each year performed by talented dancers aged 9-16. Outreach work takes ballet into schools, care homes and special needs centres in and around London.

Founded by Lucille Briance in 1994, LCB is a charity that aims to inspire children from all backgrounds through dance, planting the seed of a long-lasting passion that will enrich their lives. With her retirement after 25 years at the helm, ex-English National Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet dancer and choreographer Ruth Brill became LCB’s Artistic Director. Each year, a favourite children’s story is developed with an original scenario full of humour, drama and excitement to engage a family audience. LCB then commissions an emerging composer to write a ‘full-evening’ narrative score and a choreographer to set the ballet, working with up-and-coming costume and set designers. LCB then stages this stunning new ballet performed over a week-long run to sell- out audiences in the West End’s Peacock Theatre. From time to time, revivals are staged to popular acclaim.

The LCB Company comprises highly talented young dancers aged 9-14 (boys 9-16). Up to 50 children join the company through annual competitive auditions of over 600 applicants, held each October/November. The following 6-month rehearsal and performance experience is free of charge, which not only makes LCB unique but also means there is no barrier to talent – LCB dancers come from every economic, social and ethnic background, united by their passion for ballet. LCB does not only select technically gifted children; during auditions, judges also prioritise applicants with a compelling stage presence and strong acting ability, as these qualities make them engaging to watch, regardless of their physical attributes.

LCB dancers rehearse on Sundays from January to July, with intensive daily rehearsals over the February and Easter holidays and the Summer half-term. They receive over 100 hours of free specialist ballet tuition and performance experience. London Children’s Ballet fundraises year-round to ensure that it can offer its unique opportunity to young dancers regardless of their circumstances. Demand for 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 can 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.

LCB alumni dancers 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.

Changing Lives Through Dance: Key Facts & Figures

• 20 choreographers and 11 composers have set their first full-length ballet for LCB
• 1,445 young dancers have received over 100 hours of free tuition and performed on stage with LCB
• 838 young dancers have performed as part of an LCB Touring Company
• 12,969 children from over 250 ballet schools have auditioned for LCB
• 37,558 disadvantaged children and isolated elderly people have seen an LCB production through ourBallet for £1 programme; for most, this is their first experience of ballet
• 25% of all tickets to LCB performances are available to schools and charities for £1
• 472 outreach venues have hosted a performance by an LCB touring company, bringing the joy of danceand music to hospices, special needs schools, hospitals, day centres and residential nursing homes
• LCB has created 16 original narrative ballet productions with new music and choreography
• 9,067 inner-city primary school children have participated in free LCB ballet workshops

‘They may be young, but the dancers of the London Children’s Ballet are professional to a fault, and that, combined with their obvious enjoyment of performance, makes their latest show, Snow White, an absolute delight…….their brand new iteration demonstrates, all aspects of the production are up to West End standards.’ Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper, 2023

‘I never cease to be amazed at the professionalism and quality of this company.’ Graham Watts, Critic, 2023

‘Credit to the excellent repetiteurs and organisers in getting the production to a professional level. London is fortunate to have access to a wealth of arts, and I wish every town had such a Children’s Ballet. Maggie Foyer, Seeing Dance, 2023

‘Performers and audience members delight in this production treat, which incorporates joyous dancing, original music played live by an orchestra, stunning sets and colourful costumes. It is a West End-worthy offering. Furthermore, some of the land’s most accomplished and ambitious creatives have teamed up to showcase the youngsters’ skills and enthuse the next generation of dance lovers.’ ‘The quality of Snow White ably demonstrates LCB’s commitment to nurturing classical technique, telling captivating stories and connecting with an audience.’ Georgina Butler, Critic, 2023

‘It is sobering to consider that a production of this calibre is performed by a group of children. My daughters and I were entranced, moved, and inspired by this wonderful performance.’ Elisabeth Rushton, Critic, Just Luxe, 2023

‘GodblesstheLondonChildren’sBalletformakingthedreamsofourchildrencometrue’ MarinaPanganiban, mother of LCB dancer

‘This is the only time our pupils would be able to meet ‘real ballet dancers’ and get to touch and feel such beautiful costumes…There were several children who seemed to engage with the emotion of the performance, particularly when ‘dramatic, scary’ music came on. A few were dancing in their seats!’ Mandeville School

‘It was LCB that gave me the inspiration to pursue classical dance as a career.’ Anna RoseO’Sullivan, Principal, The Royal Ballet

Box Office https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/london-childrens-ballet-the-secret-garden/ All other images: Photography by ASH