All In!
NYB All In! explores how ballet can be created and taught in a more inclusive way, allowing more young dancers to access this beautiful art form. Working in partnership with inclusive dance expert Parable Dance and national dance agency South East Dance, this collaboration focuses on a very specific need within ballet – for choreographers and teachers to learn the vital skills of inclusive practice to make ballet more accessible and offering young dancers from NYB and Parable Dance the opportunity to work creatively in the studio together.
Classes
NYB is delighted to return with an opportunity for up to 15 dancers aged between 14-30 to join our NYB All In! inclusive ballet classes at South East Dance in Brighton.
During the ballet class you will:
- Explore how to translate traditional ballet exercises
- Explore creative responses to ballet exercises.
NYB All In! Inclusive Ballet Classes – Beginner Level (Led by disabled dance artists)
Dates:
Thursday 30th October
Thursday 11th December
Time: 5pm-6.15pm
Book here
NYB All In! Inclusive Ballet Classes – Improvers Level
Dates:
Thursday 30th October
Thursday 11th December
Time: 6.30pm-7.45pm
Book here
In collaboration with Parable Dance, NYB has been exploring how ballet can be taught in a more inclusive way. Join us over three classes to explore ballet in a new way!
You can choose to take part in either a beginner or improver level class.
Open to everyone aged 14-30 years with and without disabilities, no previous experience of ballet is necessary to take part.
LATEST NEWS:
NYB All In! Film ‘Chimes of Change’
This summer National Youth Ballet collaborated and was supported by English Heritage Shout Out Loud and FABRIC, to create a short dance film inspired by the themes of Cinderella.
Rehearsals took place at FABRIC studios in Birmingham, and the film was created onsite at Kenilworth Castle by filmmaker Romy Whai.
The NYB All In! Company included disabled and non-disabled dancers from Future Shift, That! Dance and National Youth Ballet, based in the West Midlands.
The film was choreographed by Beyond BalletⓇ choreographers Grace Thompson and Anna Smith and supported by a team of NYB artists.
We are excited to share the film soon. Watch this space!
Ballet For All
On Monday 7 July National Youth Ballet were delighted to be involved in delivering Ballet For All alongside Birmingham Royal Ballet and Suzie Birchwood as part of the DLG
The Story
In December 2022 we piloted our first R&D workshops joined by Beyond Ballet® choreographers and rehearsal directors, Parable dancers and South East-based local ballet teachers. We explored inclusive practice with expert practitioners who all brought lived experience of disability and included Vicky Malin (freelance artist and ex Candoco dancer), Joe Powell-Main (freelance artist and ex Ballet Cymru dancer), Zach Opere-Onguende (Chickenshed Theatre) and Millie Kingsnorth (Parable Dance).
In April 2023 we tested our model in a creative workshop led by Beyond Ballet® choreographers, Ross Black and Hannah George with NYB and Parable dancers to apply our learning about inclusive practice and explore inclusive skills development for dancers.
NYB Creative Director Jo Meredith and Parable Dance Co-Founder and Artistic Director Natasha Britton built on the learning from these workshops alongside NYB Ambassador Joe Powell-Main. They worked with the Beyond Ballet® choreographers to create an inclusive performance with NYB and Parable dancers inspired by Romeo and Juliet, during a four day residency which was performed at The Dance Space on Friday 1 September 2023.
This year, two dancers from the NYB All In! company performed at Sadler’s Wells Theatre as part of the Children Today Empower in Motion Gala. Six dancers also performed alongside NYB ambassador Joe Powell-Main in his own work Strength in Adversity, which was presented at the Royal Opera House, Next Generation Festival.
Photos (c) Jules Renahan
NYB is delighted that this work has been supported by Arts Council England. As part of this project grant NYB All In! includes:
- an inclusive ballet day at Elmhurst Ballet School, Birmingham
- a performance intensive at South East Dance with a performance at Sadler’s Wells Theatre
- a new monthly inclusive ballet legacy classes at South East Dance
- a new inclusive digital performance project.
We are excited to announce that our inclusive ballet classes will continue at South East Dance in the autumn.
Photo (c) Jules Renahan
NYB All In! Steering Group
The development of NYB All In! is supported by a dedicated steering group of industry professionals and young dancers with and without disabilities, helping to shape and guide the direction of the work. We hope to bring our performance intensive to more parts of the country in collaboration with other organisations.
Disabled and neurodivergent dancers are currently under-served by ballet. All-In! shows our shared commitment to make ballet a more inclusive and accessible dance form, to build a more inclusive talent pipeline, and to push the boundaries around the perception of ballet.
‘I enjoyed dancing with different people and seeing ballet in a different way’ NYB All in! Dancer
‘I liked the dancing, it was great.’ NYB All in! Dancer
Photo (c) Ciara Clayton
All In! Romeo & Juliet 2023 Short Film
Watch our short film showcasing All In! 2023 featuring the talented cohort, ambassadors, choreographers, creative directors and more.
Hear from those in the room about what it’s really like to take part in All-In!, as we champion a shared commitment to make ballet a more inclusive and accessible dance form, to build a more inclusive talent pipeline, and to push the boundaries around the perception of ballet.
ALL IN! ROMEO & JULIET PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION
We are delighted to welcome you to our All In! photography exhibition. All In! Is an inclusive ballet collaboration between the National Youth Ballet of Great Britain and Parable Dance in partnership with South East Dance.
Photographers Jules Renahan and Ciara Clayton, captured powerful moments of the project and the final production of Romeo and Juliet at South East Dance.
You can find out more about this project and view the exhibition here.
Photo (c) Jules Renahan