ARTS & CULTURE C entra l T im e NICOLA FOLEY MEETS HEIDI HALL, CAMBRIDGESHIRE RESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF BALLET CENTRAL, WHICH BRINGS ITS LATEST PRODUCTION TO THE CITY THIS MONTH
T he touring company of the of being on the road in a real-life production. After delighting audiences with The Nutcracker in December, the company is back at Cambridge’s ADC Theatre this April with its latest show: a dazzling showcase of emerging dance talent choreographed by some of the top names in the industry. An evening of thrilling theatricality, technical mastery and lavish costumes, the repertoire features Christopher Marney’s Carousel Dances and a unique version of The Dying Swan solo created by Calvin Richardson. “The production is a fantastic mixture of things,” enthuses director and Cambridgeshire resident Heidi Hall. “There’s something in it for everyone. There’s classical ballet, there’s contemporary work and there’s also a narrative piece. At a venue like the ADC, which is so small and intimate, it’s wonderful to be able to see these dancers up close, on the cusp of their professional careers. It’s really exciting.” If anybody understands the thrill of performance – for both audiences and dancers – it’s Heidi, whose professional credits include a stint as Meg Giry in The Phantom of the Opera on the West End. Before embarking on a successful career in dance, she was a student at Central Central School of Ballet, Ballet Central was founded in 1984 to give students experience
School of Ballet, where she studied under inspirational founder Christopher Gable. “I have such fantastic memories of my time there, and it’s the tour that really stands out,” she smiles. “That first taste of what it’s really going to be like. You can teach your students so much in a studio or classroom, but actually doing it... you learn much more.” The annual tour – a large-scale production which this year visits 20 venues across the UK – is a unique aspect of a Central School of Ballet education, serving to upskill students so that when their dancing careers come to an end (typically in their mid-30s), they have the knowledge and experience to pursue careers in other aspects of the arts.
“The students learn about stage management, lighting, music, costume design and front of house. The idea is they have an understanding of what it takes to put on a performance,” Heidi explains. “It means they also have an appreciation for everybody that works in theatre, so Central is sending really well-rounded human beings into the industry who have transferable skills for the future.” Heidi credits this holistic approach with enabling her transition from performing into her current role as Central’s director, a post that combines arts management, fundraising and development. Her biggest achievement since taking the reins in 2016 has been spearheading a huge, £9 million
Above Ballet Central director Heidi Hall, captured by Paul Hackett. Production images by ASH Photography.
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