One of the challenges facing classical art forms, such as ballet and opera, is how to attract and keep new, young audiences.
To this end, Leeds-based Northern Ballet came up with its award-wining series of Short Ballets for Small People, which takes traditional stories and transforms them into 40-minute performances packed with colour, costume and magical moments.
The latest in the series is Elves And The Shoemaker, a re-telling of the well-known Grimm’s fairytale, created by choreographer Daniel de Andrade.
Now on tour, it is coming to Huddersfield’s Lawrence Batley Theatre on Saturday, April 11 – following previously successful productions of Ugly Duckling and Three Little Pigs – aimed at children aged three to eight.
Daniel, who is also the company’s ballet master, explained why he chose the story: “I was speaking to my wife and and two daughters in the car when my wife suggested Elves And The Shoemaker.
“Surprisingly, I’d never heard of this fairytale but when I started to research it that evening I found that it’s a very simple story that lends itself well to dance.
“It’s a really feel-good story because the Shoemaker and his wife are in a sad situation but, with the help of the elves, their lives are turned around and they reciprocate by giving clothes to the elves.”
Northern Ballet’s new mini-ballet is Daniel’s first children’s production.
He says: “I was interested in developing a children’s production which could transport the audience’s imagination to a period back in time; to an environment with interesting costumes, characters and traditional settings.
“I also felt very reassured about the fact that this positive tale doesn’t end with the death of torture of anybody.”
The new ballet has an original score composed by Philip Feenay, who also produced the music for Northern Ballet’s classic Cinderella, and a set design by Ali Allen, who worked on Three Little Pigs.
Daniel promises a ballet that is easy for young audiences to understand and has chosen costumes that are, in his own words, “somewhat stereotypical”.
He explained: “I think it’s important to take advantage of what is embedded in our psyche in terms of traditional clothing for elves, shoemakers, beggars, princesses etc, to make sure that a young audience doesn’t need to work hard to work out who is who in the story.”
In order to hone each mini-ballet for young people, the company works with a group of schoolchildren who visit the dance studios and give feedback on what they see.
As Daniel says: “Children can be brutally honest.
“Their reaction is valuable in the latter stages of the creative process where everything is ready but you still have time to tweak it based on their feedback.
“Children can react and interpret things in unexpected ways so it is important to know that the children are not frightened of anything in the ballet and that they understand what is taking place on stage.
“We hope to inspire children and their families through these entertaining and enchanting performances to develop a love for live dance, music and theatre.”
Northern Ballet will be performing Elves And The Shoemaker at 12.25pm, 2pm and 4pm at the LBT.
Tickets are £6 from 01484 430528 or www.thelbt.org `
