Podcasts about Northern Ballet

In discussion with Rob Feltham, Ross McIntosh provides a fascinating overview of the ACT framework and how it can help leaders to build psychological flexibility, in part by managing the interactions between their ‘inner voices' and the ways that they show up at work. Topics covered include: building self awareness with the help of the Micro Pause and Macro Pause; managing transitions between leadership situations; and values-driven authentic leadership.  Ross is a business psychologist and coach who uses evidence-based psychology in all areas of his freelance career. At City St George's, University of London, he works alongside Dr Paul Flaxman in an academic/practitioner partnership. They design and deliver ACT Workplace Training for both the public and private sector. Ross also lectures in organisational psychology at City St George's and Birkbeck, University of London.    Ten years ago, Ross founded his consulting business which aims to cultivate well-being, adaptability, authentic action and awareness in organisations. He has designed and delivered evidence-based training to over 23 NHS Trusts, HM Treasury & Civil Service, Nectar Loyalty, teachers, a global tech company, a big four consultancy, Diageo, hedge fund managers and a variety of ballet companies including Rambert, Scottish Ballet, Northern Ballet and The Royal Ballet.   In a bid to reach more adults with the behavioural science from ACT and beyond, the People Soup Podcast was born in 2018. It's won awards, has a global reach and in the global ranking is one of the top 2.5% most popular podcasts (in a field of around 3.5 million!)   Prior to his portfolio career, Ross spent over 20 years in Senior HR roles in Government. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD), a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) and a Fellow of the Association for Coaching.  Ross's website can be found at: https://rossmcintosh.co.uk/Rob Feltham is podcast editor of the ABP.

Northern Ballet are following on from the great success of their children's ballet production of the ‘Tortoise & the Hare', with an environmental themed reimagining of the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale ‘Hansel & Gretel' as they take a trip into the forest, unaware of the damage they leave behind. When they get lost, the siblings meet a host of spirited friends who teach them how we can all better look after the planet - and have some fun along the way. RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey was joined by Pippa Moore MBE, Northern Ballet's Artistic and Learning Assistant plus Audio Describer along with Northern Ballet dancer Harris Beattie, one of the Choreographers of ‘Hansel & Gretel' to give some background to the staging of their new children's ballet. ‘Hansel & Gretel' premieres at the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre in Leeds from 15 - 22 February, before embarking on an extensive UK tour from 1 March - 7 June. You will find out more about the storey of ‘Hansel & Gretel' by visiting the following pages of the Northern Ballet website - https://northernballet.com/hansel-and-gretel/story And for more about audio described performances of Northern Ballet's productions including ‘Hansel & Gretel' do visit - https://northernballet.com/accessible-performances/audio-described-performances (Image shows an Illustration by Emily Nuttall showing both Hansel and Gretel stood laughing and smiling on a grassy hill with a rainbow over them and the skyline of a city with an orange sun behind in the background)

Par britu horeogrāfa Keneta Tindala baleta "Kazanova" iestudējumu Latvijas Nacionālajā baletā Kultūras rondo saruna ar baletdejotājiem Sabīni Strokšu un Antonu Freimani. Uz Latvijas Nacionālās operas un baleta (LNOB) skatuves pirmizrādi piedzīvojis krāšņs baleta iestudējums "Kazanova" par slavenā 18. gadsimta sieviešu pavedēja, rakstnieka, aktiera, mūziķa un filozofa Džakomo Kazanovas daudzveidīgo dzīvi. To iestudējusi britu kompānija "Northern Ballet", jau vairākus gadus baletu uzvedot dažādos pasaules opernamos. Jauniestudējuma muzikālais vadītājs ir Mārtiņš Ozoliņš, izsmalcinātās neoklasiskās horeogrāfijas autors – Kenets Tindals. Uz Baltā nama skatuves valda pacilātības un prieka pilna gaisotne pēc krāšņā baleta "Kazanova" pirmizrādes. Latvijā to iestudējusi britu kompānija "Northern Ballet", cenšoties pavērt glezniecisku skatu uz krāšņo 18. gadsimta Itālijas un Francijas vidi. Komponists Kerijs Mazijs, libreta autors Īans Kellijs, scenogrāfs un kostīmu mākslinieks Kristofers Orams un horeogrāfs Kenets Tindals atklāj šīs 18. gadsimta leģendārās daudzpusīgās personības – Džakomo Kazanovas dzīvi visā tās skaistumā un daudzveidībā. Viņš ir ne tikai kaislīgs mīlētājs, bet arīdzan rakstnieks, mūziķis, aktieris, diplomāts, pat spiegs un filozofs.

A ballet masterpiece is resurrected as Northern Ballet's heart-stopping revival of Romeo & Juliet will tour around the country from March into the autumn with audio described performances at every venue for blind and partially sighted people. Romeo & Juliet promises to deliver ballet at its most dramatic and intense. With glorious dancing and Prokofiev's timeless music played live by Northern Ballet Sinfonia, audiences will be invited to rediscover the iconic love story like it's the very first time. RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey was joined by Pippa Moore MBE, Northern Ballet's Artistic and Learning Assistant plus Audio Describer to give a flavour and feel to the resurrection of this much loved and award winning Northern Ballet production which premiered in 1991 and this tour will be the first return of the production to the theatre stage in 16 years after the set and costumes were painstakingly restored following a flood which damaged them. Northern Ballet's Romeo + Juliet will be audio described at the following venues -  Leeds Grand Theatre - Saturday 16 March, 2.30pm, Touch Tour, 12.15pm Sheffield Lyceum Theatre - Saturday 6 April, 2pm, touch tour, 11.45am Nottingham Theatre Royal - Saturday 4 may, 2.30pm, touch tour, 12.15pm Norwich Theatre Royal - Saturday 18 May, 2.30pm, touch tour, 12.15pm  Sadler's Wells, London - Saturday Saturday 1 June, 2.30pm, touch tour, 12noon Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon - Thursday 26 and Saturday 28 September, 1.15pm, touch tours TBC Southampton Mayflower Theatre - Saturday 5 October 2pm, touch tour TBC  (Other venues may be added to the tour) For more details about the return of Northern Ballet's Romeo + Juliet and the audio described performances do visit the access pages of their website - https://northernballet.com/accessible-performances/audio-described-performances (Image shows a photo from Romeo & Juliet, a male and female figure each dressed in white dancing against a backdrop of blue and golden clouds with a ray of light coming from the upper left)

In light of the recent announcements of redundancies in the Orchestra and Chorus at ENO and the extraordinary circumstances surrounding them we felt compelled to record an episode to chat through what on earth is going on. On 15 February orchestra & chorus members started receiving formal redundancy notices - some reporting they'd heard in the interval of their final performance of Handmaid's Tail, having to then go on and complete the show. This comes in light of the MU recently calling off scheduled strikes as an agreement with ENO had been reached.We collar violinist Coco Azoitei on the train to Edinburgh to discuss ENO, Northern Ballet and the state of the music industry in general. Not currently the cheeriest of subjects but a very necessary conversation musicians need to be having to support our friends and colleagues.SUPPORT THREE IN A BAR ON PATREONJoin our Members' Club for a bonus podcast feed plus many more rewards.Click here: https://www.patreon.com/threeinabarInstagram @threeinabarpodTiktok @threeinabarpodThree In A Bar on YoutubeAnything you'd like to share with us? Any guests you'd love to hear or anything you'd like us to do better? Drop us a line at hello@threeinabar.com Click here to join the Members' Club on Patreon! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos talk about their award-winning film Poor Things, based on Alasdair Gray's novelJodie Comer is a new mother struggling to survive after an environmental catastrophe in another new film The End We Start From – Samira Ahmed talks to its director Mahalia Belo. The new joint artistic directors of the Royal Shakespeare Company Tamara Harvey and Daniel Evans have announced their inaugural season of productions – including a stage version of Hanif Kureishi's Buddha of Suburbia and Northern Ballet's Romeo and Juliet. And Jason Allen-Paisant who's won this year's TS Eliot Prize for Poetry, for his work Self Portrait As Othello.Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Eliane Glaser

From 1974 to 1984 Henry Winkler played the character of Arthur Fonzarelli, “The Fonz”, in the hit American sitcom, Happy Days. The role dominated the public's perception of him, but despite being seen as the epitome of cool, he had many of his own demons to wrestle with. Henry joins Front Row to discuss his new autobiography, Being Henry: The Fonz…and Beyond. The composer David Fennessy on his piece Conquest of the Useless which is being performed in Glasgow this weekend. It was inspired by Werner Herzog's obsessive film Fitzcarraldo which features a large steamship being dragged over a hill in the Amazon. And with Northern Ballet planning to tour without a live orchestra from Spring 2024, executive director David Collins discusses the move with Naomi Pohl, General Secretary of the Musician's Union; and Debra Craine, chief dance critic of the Times, reflects on the difference live music makes to dance performances.

RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey is joined again by Vidar Hjardeng MBE, Inclusion and Diversity Consultant for ITV News across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands for the next in his regular Connect Radio theatre reviews. This week Vidar was reviewing Northern Ballet's production of Beauty and the Beast at Nottingham Theatre Royal on Saturday 7 October 2023 at 2.30pm, with a touch tour at 12.15pm with description by Professional Audio Describers Pippa Moore from Northern Ballet and Joanna Myers. About Northern Ballet's Beauty and the Beast  Northern Ballet bring their signature sparkle to this timeless love story. When a terrifying creature threatens her father, Beauty selflessly leaves her family to live with the Beast in his castle. As time goes by, she grows strangely fond of her host, who hides an extraordinary secret…a curse that only be broken by true love. Choreographed by David Nixon CBE and set to a hand-picked score of classic music from the likes of Bizet and Debussy, played live by Northern Ballet Sinfonia. With opulent sets and kaleidoscopic costumes, this fairy-tale ballet is a must-see for audiences of all ages. Further audio described performances of Beauty and the Beast are at Newcastle Theatre Royal on Saturday 11 November and at Norwich Theatre Royal on Saturday 25 November both performances at 2.30pm with touch tours at 12.15pm.  More details about the described performances of Beauty and the Beast and other Northern Ballet productions can be found by visiting the following pages of their website - https://www.northernballet.com/accessible-performances/audio-described-performances  Image: RNIB Connect Radio Bright Green 20th Anniversary Logo

Time for a round-up of some wonderful and enchanting ballet productions coming up over the next few months and into 2024 from Northern Ballet with audio description for blind and partially sighted people as our Toby Davey is joined by Pippa Moore, Northern Ballet's Artistic and Learning Assistant plus  Audio Describer. Toby and Pippa talked about the following Northern Ballet productions - Beauty and the Beast - Audio described performances, Newcastle Theatre Royal on Saturday 11 November at 2.30pm, touch tour 12.15pm and at Norwich Theatre Royal on Saturday 25 November at 2.30pm, touch tour 12.15pm. When a terrifying creature threatens her father, Beauty selflessly leaves her family to live with the Beast in his castle. As time goes by, she grows strangely fond of her host, who hides an extraordinary secret... a curse that can only be broken by true love. Choreographed by David Nixon CBE and set to a hand-picked score of classic music from the likes of Bizet and Debussy, played live by Northern Ballet Sinfonia. The Nutcracker - Audio described performance at Leeds grand Theatre on Saturday 2 December at 2pm, touch tour 11.45pm. Christmas isn't complete until you've experienced the magic of Northern Ballet's The Nutcracker. Share in Clara's adventures as she is swept away by her Nutcracker Prince into an enchanting winter wonderland. Don't miss dazzling dancing snowflakes, the famous Sugar Plum Fairy and the notorious Mouse King in the ultimate festive entertainment. Performed to Tchaikovsky's enduring score, played live by Northern Ballet Sinfonia, David Nixon CBE's The Nutcracker awakens childlike imagination in us all. Northern Ballets first ever audio described children's ballet with Tortoise & the Hare - Audio described performances at Leeds Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 February 2024 at 2pm, touch tour TBC. The Tortoise and the Hare is a re-imagining of Aesop's much-loved fable of a Tortoise who, tired of being teased for his slowness, challenges a speedy Hare to a race. Running for approximately 40 minutes, the colourful production has been created especially for children aged three and above and their families. It is designed as a way for them to experience live dance, music and theatre together at an affordable price. Then a quick mention of Northern ballet's electrifying production of Romeo and Juliet which will return to theatres in 2024. You will find more details about these and other audio described Northern Ballet productions by either calling their Box Office on 0133 220 8000 or by visiting the audio described pages of their website - https://www.northernballet.com/accessible-performances/audio-described-performances (Image shows RNIB logo. 'RNIB' written in black capital letters over a white background and underlined with a bold pink line, with the words 'See differently' underneath)

Gavin Sutherland is a conductor, composer and orchestrator who specials in dance—he's conducted for Northern Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Royal New Zealand Ballet,  Norwegian and Finnish National Ballet as well as English National Ballet where he is principal guest conductor. He and Emma discuss his career as a conductor that starting aged 18, his favourite joke to tell an orchestra and why certain music has the power to pull on our heartstrings.Holst's Jupiter conducted by Susanna Mälkki www.gavinsutherland.co.ukThe three questions...What piece of art changed everything?The Towpath a paint by Christopher Nevinson, has a personal reason as well as artistic for being your pick.What piece of art do you nor like, but respect? Not a (Mark) Rothko fan, but I understand its scale and complexity in so few elements of its construction. Give us a recommendation...The symphonies of Sir Arnold Bax 

The fifth episode of the Sounding Jewish podcast features Dr. Phil Alexander. We discuss his background as a performing musician, entrance into the academic field of Jewish music studies, research for his recent book Sounding Jewish in Berlin, and ongoing work on the musical life of the Jews of late 19th and early 20th century Scotland.Dr. Phil Alexander is a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, where he works on Scottish-Jewish musical interactions. As part of his research, Phil has championed Russian-born Scottish cantor and composer Isaac Hirshow as part of the BBC's Forgotten Composers project, and he is currently working on a book and radio projects with the aim of bringing his work on Scottish-Jewish music to both academic and lay audiences. Phil is the pianist, bandleader, and driving force behind acclaimed Scottish world-folk band Moishe's Bagel, and also performs regularly with maverick English folk singer Eliza Carthy and many other UK jazz and folk musicians. He is also active as a composer, with commissions including the Hippodrome Festival of Silent Film, Northern Ballet, and Edinburgh Tradfest – this last resulting in a concert celebrating the diverse musics of recent immigrants to Scotland. Phil has written widely on klezmer, salsa, Scottish music, and accordions, and his monograph Sounding Jewish: klezmer and the contemporary city was published by OUP in 2021.

This week on the Theatre Blueprint podcast, Drew McOnie finds out what goes on backstage when he sits down with Steve Wilkins, Technical Director for Northern Ballet. Interview: Steve Wilkins Presented and co-produced by Drew McOnie and Siân Prime Produced and edited by Scratch Post Productions Music: “Seize the Day” by Andrey Rossi - made available by uppbeat.io The Theatre Blueprint is a collaboration between The McOnie Company and SYNAPSE, the programme of business development support at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Cathy Marston, internationally renowned, award winning British Choreographer and Artistic Director has created critically acclaimed works for The Royal Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Northern Ballet, English National Ballet, Cuban National Ballet, Ballet Black and more. In this insightful podcast, Cathy shares her journey from dancer to choreographer, her inspiration for creating narrative ballets, her choreographic process and how she works with the dancers in the studio. We also discuss the importance of women choreographers and diverse voices in the dance industry. Houston Ballet Principals Jessica Collado as Alma, Chase O'Connell as John and Soloist Mackenzie Richter as the Angel in Cathy Marston's Summer and Smoke. Photo by Lawrence Elizabeth Knox (2023), Courtesy of Houston Ballet. This month sees the world premiere of Cathy's interpretation of Tennessee Williams' Summer and Smoke with Houston Ballet, America's fourth largest ballet company. Listen to Cathy describe this tragic tale of love and betrayal, how she developed the characters' movement motifs and the inventive staging that it set to impress audiences. Houston Ballet Principal Jessica Collado as Alma and Soloist Mackenzie Richter as the Angel with Artists of Houston Ballet in Cathy Marston's Summer and Smoke. Photo by Amitava Sarkar (2023), Courtesy of Houston Ballet. ​​The world premiere of Tennessee Williams' Summer and Smoke runs to 19 March 2023. For more information and tickets visit: Houston Ballet PRESS PLAY

Cathy Marston, internationally renowned, award winning British Choreographer and Artistic Director has created critically acclaimed works for The Royal Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Northern Ballet, English National Ballet, Cuban National Ballet, Ballet Black and more. In this insightful podcast, Cathy shares her journey from dancer to choreographer, her inspiration for creating narrative ballets, her choreographic process and how she works with the dancers in the studio. We also discuss the importance of women choreographers and diverse voices in the dance industry. Houston Ballet Principals Jessica Collado as Alma, Chase O'Connell as John and Soloist Mackenzie Richter as the Angel in Cathy Marston's Summer and Smoke. Photo by Lawrence Elizabeth Knox (2023), Courtesy of Houston Ballet. This month sees the world premiere of Cathy's interpretation of Tennessee Williams' Summer and Smoke with Houston Ballet, America's fourth largest ballet company. Listen to Cathy describe this tragic tale of love and betrayal, how she developed the characters' movement motifs and the inventive staging that it set to impress audiences. Houston Ballet Principal Jessica Collado as Alma and Soloist Mackenzie Richter as the Angel with Artists of Houston Ballet in Cathy Marston's Summer and Smoke. Photo by Amitava Sarkar (2023), Courtesy of Houston Ballet. ​​The world premiere of Tennessee Williams' Summer and Smoke runs to 19 March 2023. For more information and tickets visit: Houston Ballet PRESS PLAY

Hi everyone and welcome back to another ep of The Hard Corps Podcast! In this weeks episode I'm joined by professional dancer at Northern Ballet, Gavin McCaig @gavmcc15 . Gavin shares his insight into his journey, his challanges, highlights and more, what it's like having a change over of director and exploring other avenues outside of ballet. I hope you enjoy the episode and be sure to tune in same time next week! Love Romy xx

Skip the Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. Your host is  Kelly Molson, MD of Rubber Cheese.Download our free ebook The Ultimate Guide to Doubling Your Visitor NumbersIf you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website rubbercheese.com/podcast.If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on Twitter for your chance to win the books that have been mentioned in this podcastCompetition ends January 31st 2023. The winner will be contacted via Twitter. Show references: https://www.draytonmanor.co.uk/https://twitter.com/DraytonManorhttps://www.instagram.com/draytonmanor/https://www.tiktok.com/@drayton_manor Danielle Nicholls - Senior Content Executive at Drayton Manor ResortWhen I graduated from Leeds Trinity University with a degree in Media & Marketing and a multitude of marketing placements in 2017, I was set on combining my two passions - storytelling and theme parks.After a year in a marketing communications role with a tour operator, I was lucky enough to secure a role in the Drayton Manor marketing team.Here at Drayton, I'm responsible for creating engaging visual and written content for all marketing channels - including web, PR, email, in park signage and of course, social media.My main focus over the last 4 and a half years has been to build an engaged social community across all our channels – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and YouTube.I'm forever grateful to work in such a fantastic industry, filled with incredible energy and enthusiasm.https://www.linkedin.com/in/nichollsdanielle/Twitter @dnicholls_Instagram @_daniellenicholls Ross Ballinger - Design & Brand Manager at Drayton Manor Resort (Inc. Hotel, Zoo & Europe's only Thomas Land) Brand protector and innovator... I played a senior role in a busy agency studio team for nearly 9 years. I joined fresh from leaving university with a sort after London placement under my belt.I now produce fresh, engaging, and dynamic design creative for digital advertising, marketing campaigns, theme park attractions, working closely alongside a talented Marketing team. All to promote Drayton Manor Resort in the most effective and exciting method possible.I can guarantee expertise and a wealth of experience, the final outcome of the design process is not the end of my creative input, you can be assured that maintaining brand continuity and freshly injected excitement remains my priority.Spend time with me and you'll understand why I wanted to be an Actor, but you'll be glad I didn't as my energy provides office enthusiasm and endless creative steer.www.linkedin.com/in/ross-ballingerwww.behance.net/rossballinger(Portfolio)Instagram @rossballingerTwitter @rossballingerTikTok @rossballinger Transcriptions: Kelly Molson: Welcome to Skip the Queue, a podcast for people working in, or working with, visitor attractions. I'm your host, Kelly Molson. In today's episode, I speak with two great team members from Drayton Manor, Danielle Nicholls, Senior Content Executive, and Ross Ballinger, the Design and Brand Manager. We discuss the complex rebranding process. And how building a great social media community can mean your fans having your back when it comes to big change. If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue.Kelly Molson: Woohoo, I've got Danielle and Ross from Drayton Manor on the podcast today. Hello.Danielle Nicholls: Hi.Ross Ballinger: Hello there. Very excited to be here.Kelly Molson: I love how excited you are. I'm just talking, listeners, Danielle and Ross are literally the most pumped guests I've ever had on the podcast.Ross Ballinger: That's it, we'd better live up to that now.Danielle Nicholls: I know, right?Kelly Molson: They've got a snazzy Drayton Manor background behind them, which is looking fierce. But as ever, we're going to start with our icebreaker questions. Imagine that you're just down your pub with your mates. This is how I need you to feel with the icebreaker questions.Ross Ballinger: Okay. Get a few beers in.Kelly Molson: Ready?Ross Ballinger: Yeah.Kelly Molson: What are you most likely to buy when you exit through the gift shop?Danielle Nicholls: Pin badge, I reckon. Yeah, I've got a little pin badge collection.Kelly Molson: I like this. Ross?Ross Ballinger: Yeah, I'm very similar. I'm fridge magnet.Kelly Molson: You can't go wrong with a fridge magnet.Ross Ballinger: No. And we've got a secondary fridge, under the stairs, which where we keep the beers. And that's where all the fridge magnets go, at the end, if we've been to an attraction.Danielle Nicholls: I love it.Kelly Molson: Is that because your house is beautiful and your partner does not want them on her fridge and you have to hide them?Ross Ballinger: Exactly. Exactly that. The wife does not want them on the normal fridge. They're hidden behind the door.Kelly Molson: Oh, I like her style.Ross Ballinger: But I've got to get a fridge magnet.Kelly Molson: Pin badges, fridge magnets, excellent choices. Mine would be a rubber. Have I told you about my rubber collection?Danielle Nicholls: That's interesting, no.Ross Ballinger: So you collect branded rubbers?Kelly Molson: Right. Well, I used to when I was a kid. I'm going to show you them. I've got them on the desk next to me.Danielle Nicholls: Oh my God, please do.Kelly Molson: I'm sorry, listeners. For the people that are listening, this is rubbish. But if you're watching the YouTube video, hello. Welcome to my rubber collection.Danielle Nicholls: Amazing.Kelly Molson: So they still smell. Again, this is not podcast material, but they smell absolutely incredible.Ross Ballinger: Smell really good.Danielle Nicholls: Oh my God, I love it.Kelly Molson: This is an '80s collection of novelty rubbers.Danielle Nicholls: What's your oldest rubber in there, which have you had the longest?Kelly Molson: So there's one in there from the planetarium, the London Planetarium.Ross Ballinger: Doesn't exist anymore. There you go, that's memorabilia.Kelly Molson: Look at my Thorpe Park one, that's my Thorpe Park one.Danielle Nicholls: Oh my gosh, that is a throwback.Ross Ballinger: Oh, that's a good one.Kelly Molson: This is an old one as well. Anyway-Ross Ballinger: Everyone still does rubbers, so we fit in there with you.Kelly Molson: Because I can collect them.Ross Ballinger: Pin badge, magnet, rubber.Danielle Nicholls: We stick together.Ross Ballinger: That's a perfect combo.Kelly Molson: It's like the perfect triangle. We're the perfect gift shop triangle. Okay, all right, next one. If you had to live in a sitcom for the rest of your life, which sitcom would you choose and why?Ross Ballinger: Oh, mine's easy.Danielle Nicholls: I feel like we're going to be the same.Ross Ballinger: Yeah.Danielle Nicholls: Friends.Ross Ballinger: Friends, yeah.Kelly Molson: Aww. Who would you be, if you had to be one of the characters?Danielle Nicholls: I'm like a perfect mix between Phoebe, Rachel, and Monica, I think.Kelly Molson: Nice, okay. Again, another little triangle.Danielle Nicholls: Maybe more towards Phoebe, I'm a bit more hippie, I guess.Kelly Molson: Ross, what about you?Ross Ballinger: I love all the guys. I love for all the guys. Because I just love Chandler because he's so funny. But then Ross is funny as well, when he doesn't try to be funny. But Ross is just such a good actor. And you don't realise, until you watch it 17,000 times, actually how good of an actor he was. I think I'd have to-Danielle Nicholls: Can you be a Gunther?Ross Ballinger: No, no. I think I just have to sway towards Chandler. Just because he was known for being comedic and stupid.Kelly Molson: And now you feel like that's your life role?Ross Ballinger: Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I would go and live Chandler's life any day.Kelly Molson: Okay, I love this. All right, good, good answers. It's what I thought you were going to say. This is what I thought.Ross Ballinger: Did you?Kelly Molson: Yeah, I thought it was going to be Friends. All right. If you had to pick one item to win a lifetime supply of, what would you pick?Danielle Nicholls: That is so hard.Ross Ballinger: I know. Probably whiskey, lifetime supply of whiskey, just coming out the tap.Kelly Molson: It's a good choice.Danielle Nicholls: I genuinely don't know. That's really, really hard.Ross Ballinger: It's got to be food or drink, surely.Danielle Nicholls: It's got to be crisps or something like that. You can't beat a crisps and dip combo.Kelly Molson: Yeah. What about a crisp sandwich? How do we feel about crisp sandwiches?Ross Ballinger: Yeah, yeah, yeah.Danielle Nicholls: Oo, I'm not sure about that one.Kelly Molson: What?Danielle Nicholls: I'm not sure.Ross Ballinger: Come one, you're Northern. You can put anything in a sandwich.Danielle Nicholls: I would put crisps inside a cheese sandwich or something like that. But I wouldn't just have the crisps.Kelly Molson: See, I would do it either. I'm happy to have a filling sandwich with crisps in it. Or just a plain crisp sandwich.Ross Ballinger: I'd do either.Kelly Molson: What I really love about you two is how well you get on. And we're going to talk a little bit about this in the podcast today about your roles and what you do at Drayton Manor. But you look like-Ross Ballinger: Is it that evident?Kelly Molson: Yeah, it's that evident. But even from your social media channels... You guys feature quite heavily across Drayton Manor's social media channels. And, honestly, it just looks like you have the best time ever. And I want to hear more about it. But, firstly, I need your unpopular opinions. What have you prepared for us?Ross Ballinger: Okay, do you want to go first?Danielle Nicholls: As Ross alluded, I'm very, very Northern, I think. My accent a little bit, but more like how I am. So mine is, it's not a bap, it's not a bread roll, it's not a cob, it's a muffin.Kelly Molson: What?Danielle Nicholls: A muffin. That's mine.Ross Ballinger: It's a cob, it's a cob.Danielle Nicholls: No, it's a muffin.Ross Ballinger: Cob. You call it a cob.Danielle Nicholls: A muffin.Kelly Molson: No, it's a bun. What's wrong with you all?Ross Ballinger: Do you say bun? A muffin's a cake.Danielle Nicholls: I say batch as well. My partner calls it a batch, which is crazy to me. But muffin, we'll go muffin.Kelly Molson: Okay. For now, we'll accept muffin. Ross?Danielle Nicholls: Moving on.Ross Ballinger: Mine is, I just think soap operas are crap, honestly. I was going to swear, but I can't stand soap operas. And I know there's a lot of people out there that love them. But I just can't, I can't watch them. I just think they're so depressing. And if they're on, if I accidentally get home and the channel's on where it's on, I get anxious. And I have to find the remote as soon as I can to turn it off. What a waste of your life. What a waste of time, honestly. Hours and hours. And you add that up over a week and a year, think what else you could be doing. Honestly, if I turn one on now by accident, it's the same actors that are in it 20, 30 years ago. And I think, "What have they done with their life as well? They've just been in a soap opera for 30 years."Kelly Molson: These are excellent unpopular opinions. Listeners, please let me know if you agree or disagree. Thank you for preparing those for us today. I appreciate it.Ross Ballinger: No problem.Kelly Molson: Right, you guys work together. Tell me a little bit about your roles and what you do there?Ross Ballinger: So my title is design and brand manager. So I'm technically like lead designer for the resort. And the brand guardian. I look after the brand guidelines. So yeah, I'll produce, with me and my little team, everything that goes out graphically or visually across all the channels, website, printed media. So yeah.Danielle Nicholls: You definitely underplayed yourself there.Ross Ballinger: Did I?Danielle Nicholls: Yeah. You do so much. You say your little team, you and one other person. You smash everything, literally everything.Ross Ballinger: Aw, thanks, Danielle.Kelly Molson: That's a lot of work for you and your team.Ross Ballinger: It is, because if you think, in the industry, I can imagine people on a parallel with us would have bigger teams, bigger resource. Because basically Drayton Manor is a massive entity. It's not just a theme park, it's a hotel as well. It's a zoo. Then we have Thomas Land, which could be considered as a separate entity. So they're what I consider as four blue chip clients. And then we operate as a little agency within the resort that looks after all those. But then, you've got the resort's departments as well, which could be clusters of clients. So you've got catering, retail, they're the big ones I can think off my head. But they all have their graphical requirements as well, design requirements. So yeah, it's a massive entity and we look after it all.Kelly Molson: And how many... Did you say there's two of you?Ross Ballinger: There's two of us, yeah.Kelly Molson: That's mad. That is mad. So I really resonate with this because I, obviously, come from an agency background. I set up my agency nearly 20 years ago. I feel ancient. But what you're doing is you are essentially a mini agency with loads of clients and two of you. It's crazy. So I can imagine it's quite stressful, but also lots of fun because you get to work on a lot of variety.Ross Ballinger: Yeah. Oh, very varied. Yeah, every day is different. And that is not just a cliche that you can just say. Literally, every day is so different. Because it's an exciting company as well, where there's new things happening all the time, constantly evolving strategies, or new things come in and go in. So yeah, it's very varied.Kelly Molson: Danielle, what's your role? Because the two of you do work quite closely together as well, don't you?Danielle Nicholls: Yeah. Yeah, we do. So my role is, the title is senior content executive. So I primarily look after the social media channels, so Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok. Creating the content, taking the pictures, work with video agents. Sometimes creating a video in-house as well. And all of the community engagement that goes alongside that as well. Whilst also writing any copy, creating the content for the website, and any signage requirements. Literally anything that you see that has text on it, normally, me and Ross have worked together to create that. And with social, it's both paid and organic social media. So all of the adverts you see, alongside all of the organic stuff you see on our feeds. I also help out with PR as well. So we have a PR agency that we work with, but we liaise alongside them. And now, we're getting more into the traditional media as well. So the pair leaflets and out of home magazines, articles. Yeah, little bit of everything now that it's-Kelly Molson: That's mad. I love that you were just glossing over elements of your job that I'm like, "That's a whole person's job there." And we do the social community building and we do this bit and this bit. Wow, yeah, there's a lot. I just think that goes to show, even... We talk to attractions of all kinds of shapes and sizes on this podcast. And I think it just goes to show that even with an attraction that is a big attraction, and it's perceived to be a very big attraction, actually you're working with really small teams here. And there's a lot on each person's shoulder and a lot of responsibility. And I think it's really important that we highlight that, that you're doing a lot there.Ross Ballinger: But the extended team is really good as well. We've got really good team members. So the rapport across the whole team is very tight.Danielle Nicholls: In terms of the marketing side, I report into a digital marketing manager. And she is insane, she's amazing at what she does. And then, alongside me, we also have a digital marketing exec. And how it splits out is, he looks after all of the technical side, so SEO, CRM, that kind of thing. And I look after the creative content. And then we both report in to the digital manager.Kelly Molson: It sounds like-Danielle Nicholls: It's a little team but-Kelly Molson: It sounds like such fun roles as well. Genuinely, they sound really cool. Because I know, Danielle, you are a bit of a theme park... I'm going to say nerd. But you're theme park nut, right? You love theme parks.Danielle Nicholls: Yeah, absolutely, yeah.Kelly Molson: And I'm guessing, Ross, to work in a theme park, you've got to love a theme park.Ross Ballinger: Yeah, absolutely.Kelly Molson: Did you absolutely tailor your careers to make this happen? Was this always your ultimate goals? Like, "I want to work in an attraction."Ross Ballinger: Yes and no, kind of. So I studied to be a graphic designer, went to university for three years. And then I worked as a digital artist while I was at uni. And then I went straight into a local agency, after getting quite a sought after placement in London. And then I worked for an agency for nearly nine years. So I learnt my craft there, really. Worked my way up from a junior, up to a senior creative. And I ended up looking after all the top clients there as well. But almost nine years was enough. I knew I wanted to go in-house because it was at that time, there was a bit of a boom of companies and clients getting in-house designers. Because they knew how cost effective it would be to have your graphic designer in-house. So I started looking about, and I wanted a fun industry. There was no way I was going to go and work for a boiler company. I don't want to bad mouth any other companies out there but something engineering or-Danielle Nicholls: More typically fun.Ross Ballinger: Yeah, I wanted to go full on fun. And I used to come to Drayton as a kid as well so I knew Drayton Manor.Kelly Molson: That's nice to have that connection, isn't it? You know the brand, you've lived it.Ross Ballinger: I've got pictures of me around the park when I'm seven or eight with my mum and dad. So I have that nostalgic connection. And I was a big to a big Thomas fan as well when I was a kid growing up. So Thomas the Tank Engine, I had the wallpaper, had the bedspreads, loved the episodes. So when I knew that the big blue engine was here as well, it was like-Danielle Nicholls: Big boss Thomas.Ross Ballinger: Big boss, yeah, Thomas is your boss, any day. Yeah. So I was a fan of attractions anyway. Who's not a fan of going out on days out? And so it worked.Kelly Molson: Exactly, cool. But, Danielle, you went out and made that happen, didn't you? This was your focus.Danielle Nicholls: It was, yeah. I think, maybe not so much early on, I guess this is different, but from the age of about 13, 14, I knew I wanted to work in marketing. But I wanted to do marketing for a dance company at the time. So I did a couple of placements at some dance companies, Northern Ballet, Phoenix Dance Theatre, places like that. And that was the dream up until about 17, I want to say, when I was at college. I knew that I wanted theme parks. So I went and did a media and marketing degree. And as soon as I got to my second year, I was like, "Right, that's it. I need to find a theme park. I need to get experience. I need to connect with as many people as I can on LinkedIn." And it was my focus.Kelly Molson: That's interesting. Hang on, let me just... Because that isn't a typical 17-year-old's path, is it? They wouldn't necessarily go, "I know that I want to work in this industry, therefore, I need to connect with people that can help me make that happen." That's a really good piece of advice.Danielle Nicholls: Yeah. And I was literally on it, messaging people. I think I messaged, at the time, the PR manager for Legoland. And was like, "Hello, anything you can help me with." I was really a bit brutal. But yeah, then I went to uni, and did everything I could whilst I was there to try and get the connections still. I applied for a couple of grad schemes with some other groups and, sadly, didn't make it through to those. So as a bit of a bridge between finishing uni and starting Drayton, I went to work for a tour operator, who sold overseas UK holidays, but also sold theatre, attraction tickets, theme parks. So it was a bit of a gap between the two.And I worked there for a year, and then the job at Drayton came up. And at the time, I was living in York, working for this tour operator. And I was like, "I've got to go for it." It was a marketing officer job, so a little bit different to what I do now. But I had to. So I drove two and a bit hours up, in my little... I had a little C1 at the time.Ross Ballinger: But I feel that we both came in at Drayton in our respective roles as entry level, really. Because I had just started as a graphic designer. I took a pay cut to come here because I really wanted to start here. It was never about anything like that. So I wanted to work at Drayton. So that proves that I wanted to work. And our roles have both escalated over the seasons that we've been here.Danielle Nicholls: Because I did move so far, and away from my family and stuff, it was a big jump. I had three weeks to find a house and somewhere to live as well, which was fun. But I managed to do it and, honestly, I don't regret it. I don't look back at all. It's probably the best thing I've ever done.Ross Ballinger: If you want it, you make it happen, don't you?Kelly Molson: Yeah, totally. And I think it really says a lot about the Drayton Manor brand that you've done that as well. There is a real... It's clear with both of you, how much you love it. And it's amazing that you've... Ross, you've taken a pay cut. You've changed where you live to come and work and be part of what's happening there. So I think that's a real testimony to the brand itself. And that's a couple of things that we really want to focus on for this conversation today. So I'm going to start with the focus on you, Danielle, if that's okay?Danielle Nicholls: Okay, yeah, that's fine.Kelly Molson: Because I think what you mentioned really briefly, when you went, "Oh yeah and we do this kind of thing as well," is what you said around the social community side. So you have built the social community and I want you to explain how you've been able to do that and what that's looked like. So tell us a little bit about that element of your role.Danielle Nicholls: So I've been here just over four years now. And in that time, we've been through so much change but, also, social has changed so much. So when I first started I was looking at social but it was more, "Let's just post and leave it," kind of thing. And see how it is engaged with, see how it works. But, over time, I've tried to hone it so it's more about a social community, rather than we're just talking at them. It's more we're talking with them and we're engaging with them. Like I say, we've grown into different channels. So we were really just focusing on Facebook. We had a little bit of Twitter, and a little bit of Instagram, but it was primarily Facebook. Whereas now, we've brought in more LinkedIn stuff and TikTok as well, which has really helped. I think in terms of building the social community though, there's so many different to-dos that you can stick to. But, for me, it's more about seeing what works for your brand. Because it doesn't always fit the same, it's not just one formula that fits all.Kelly Molson: And I guess, like you said, about bringing in different social channels, you need to work out where your audience is. I guess where you're getting the most engagement as well. And then, you are a small team, how do you then divide up where you spend your time? You've got to spend it in the areas that you're going to get that engagement. So you might then end up dropping certain channels, or not being as... I don't know, not putting as much effort into those ones, just because it's just not where you get the engagement.Danielle Nicholls: I think in terms of the different channels, they all have a different audience, if that makes sense. So Facebook is very family orientated. You get the grandparents, the mums on there. Whereas, Twitter is theme park fans and slightly younger, it's very conversational. TikTok is younger, but the demographics on there are shifting slightly to be everyone at the moment. Because it's where all the trends are and things, there's a big range. Our audience on there is 13 to maybe 35, 40 upwards. So it is very varied. Instagram is a mix between Twitter and Facebook. So you do get the families and the mums on there, but then you get the theme park fans that just want to see pictures of roller coasters. And with the introduction of reels as well, that's trying to tackle TikTok, so that's really important. And LinkedIn is corporate.But we do have a team, like I say, we have a digital manager as well, but she's so busy with all the other things that she's got to look after. So the social, like creating the content and community engagement, just sits with me. So I have a big plan of all the different channels and the different days. And because I know the Drayton brand inside and out, I know what works now. So we tend to post every other day on Facebook, every day on Twitter. And we try to do every weekday on TikTok. Instagram, very similar to Facebook. But there's not really one that I'd prioritise, necessarily. At first, it was TikTok, at the start of this year, because obviously that was where it was taking off. But now, it's just about tailoring the message across, and trying to keep active on all of them.Kelly Molson: Do you have to really tailor what you put out on each of the channels as well? So you don't do, "This is going to go out across all of our socials." You have to really think about how those... Because I guess there's subtle nuances about how people react to certain things on different channels, and how they might communicate back with you.Danielle Nicholls: I think, from what I've been doing this season in particular, is Twitter's been very conversational. So I've not necessarily been worried about always having an image on there, or always having a piece of media on there. Just some text normally works, so long as it's engaging and people feel like they want to respond to it. Whether there's a CTA on there, or it's just something that's humorous, then that tends to work quite well.Kelly Molson: It's no mean feat. That is an awful lot of work that goes into that. And I think it's really interesting to hear about the tailoring as well. And how you're going to get different reactions, from different people, on different social media platforms.Danielle Nicholls: We tend to get, particularly on Facebook, in the comments, they're always really interesting to read. They're so different to Twitter. Because Facebook, sometimes you get some complaints in there. But because our community is so strong now, we get other people responding for us, which is a good... It's amazing, I love it.Kelly Molson: That's phenomenal.Danielle Nicholls: Sometimes you've got to moderate it because they might give an answer that's not necessarily right. But yeah, a lot of the time they'll be sticking up for us. Or they'll be responding to the questions for us, which is interesting.Kelly Molson: That's really impressive, and I didn't know that that happened. Is that part of, because you've put so much work into building your community, they're now backing you to other people?Danielle Nicholls: Exactly, yeah.Kelly Molson: Wow.Danielle Nicholls: Yeah. They've become our brand guardians without us making them, if that makes sense. Because they're so loyal to the brand, they just want to do all their best for us.Kelly Molson: How does that happen? Is that a time thing? Is it purely because you've spent so much time investing in those relationships that that happens now? Nobody's ever told me this before, that that happens.Danielle Nicholls: I think it's that but, also, like you say, Drayton is such a strong brand. And particularly since I've been here, we've just gone from strength to strength. So I think that helps as well. We also use user generated content. So particularly at the end of a big campaign, so Halloween, we'll say, "Share your pictures with us and we'll share them on our feeds." And that really gives them a sense of belonging as part of the community. Because they'll be scrolling down their Facebook or Instagram or wherever, and they'll see a picture of maybe their little one. Or they'll see themselves and, yeah, they love it.Kelly Molson: Yeah, I love that the whole user generated content is brilliant, because it allows people to see themselves at the place as well, doesn't it?Danielle Nicholls: Yeah.Kelly Molson: So from a sales perspective, I think if people can look at something and go, "Oh, well, that family looks just like mine." Or, "That person looks just like me." Or, "They've got this thing, just like I have." Then they're more inclined to maybe buy a ticket to come and see it as well. So it works two ways.Danielle Nicholls: It's about recognising the top fans as well. So I know Facebook has the top fan badge. And, on Twitter, we've got a closed community group which anyone can join. That's just called Drayton Manor Top Fans. And we, every so often, give them a little bit of information early before we give it to everybody else. Or little things like that, that make them feel special.Kelly Molson: So they feel like VIPs.Danielle Nicholls: So it keeps them interactive. Yes, exactly.Kelly Molson: They've got their own mini community. They feel like VIPs because they get to know stuff early. That's brilliant. Again, I've never heard any other attraction talk about doing stuff like that. Do you think that would be... I always ask about top tips, and what you would recommend other people to do that are building communities. Do you think that would be one of your top tips, is really invest in them?Danielle Nicholls: Yeah. And also, respond in a personal manner, rather than it being very corporate. Include your tone of voice, wherever you can, and make sure your tone of voice is dead on point, according to your brand guidelines. But also, be bold and brave. We always say that, don't we?Ross Ballinger: Bold and brave, yeah.Danielle Nicholls: If you sway away from your brand guidelines slightly, in order to respond, particularly on Twitter, it works really well. Then don't worry too much about that. It's okay, so long as it's in keeping with your values then it's okay.Ross Ballinger: And it's evident out there as well with all the other big companies. And it becomes a news story, doesn't it, when you get supermarkets battling on Twitter. And it's exposure and engagement at the same time.Kelly Molson: And people love that.Danielle Nicholls: That's another really important thing.Ross Ballinger: Yeah, people love it. It's a comedy show.Danielle Nicholls: Yeah, engaging with other brands helps.Kelly Molson: Yeah, they want to know about the people behind the brands, don't they? And if they realise that your brand face, actually there's a human behind it who's got a sense of humour, I think that goes a really long way.Danielle Nicholls: That's what we try and do.Kelly Molson: You do it perfectly, because I love your Twitter chat. You've got a great Twitter chat. We've talked loads about brand today, and that leads me on to what I want to talk to you about, Ross, which is the Drayton Manor brand itself. Because I think, I might have got this wrong, but it's a 70 year old brand. So Drayton Manor's about 70 years old.Ross Ballinger: Yeah, 1950 was when it first came about, yeah. The Bryan family started it in the 1950s. So George Bryan Sr., had this vision to create an inland pleasure resort for the local community. And I guess, in short story, it escalated from there.Danielle Nicholls: We've got a book all about it in the shops.Ross Ballinger: Yeah, yeah. So yeah, we owe a lot to the Bryan family, really, for escalating such a tiny little brainchild into a massive attraction that we are today. So yeah, I can remember thinking that we needed to rebrand years ago though, when I first started. Because I think it's just one of those that was a little bit... I don't want to say anything bad about it but obviously it needed to change. It was a little bit outdated.Danielle Nicholls: It was a bit archaic, wasn't it?Ross Ballinger: Yeah, it was a bit archaic. It stood the test of time and it did a good job.Kelly Molson: So how long had the existing brand been in place, before you got your mitts on it?Ross Ballinger: I think the last logo that we had in the brand was probably in place for about 20 years. I think it's early 2000s, the last logo.Danielle Nicholls: There was always slight variations, wasn't there?Ross Ballinger: Yeah, there was always a few modifications on it.Kelly Molson: But I can imagine that things had changed quite dramatically over those 20 years as well. So you talk about the need for a rebrand, it was really needed.Ross Ballinger: Absolutely.Kelly Molson: What I always think's quite interesting is how long some of these things take. Because I think that people don't fully understand how long a rebrand can actually take you. So can you remember when those conversations first started?Ross Ballinger: Since I started, it's always been a project that was a pinnacle project that we always wanted to try and get on to. But just in terms of budgets and time, we never got around to it. Obviously, it came to the point, I think it was November 2021, when we first sat down and said, "Now is the time to do it." Because, obviously, we were bought out by a big company, Looping Group, and it was the perfect opportunity to do it. It's obviously a new era so it made perfect sense.Kelly Molson: So when did you launch it? So November, you sat down and went, "Right, November '21, we're going to do this." When did it actually launch?Ross Ballinger: Literally-Danielle Nicholls: Two minutes later.Ross Ballinger: Six months.Kelly Molson: Six months?Ross Ballinger: Six months, yeah. We put a brand team together, firstly. And, honestly, because we're such a small in-house team, we knew that we needed some help. So we got agency help, and we got local agencies to pitch in their best processes. So they were the experts in doing it, and they knew what protocols and procedures to go through. And we chose a really talented local agency in Birmingham. Yeah, started the project in '21, and launched it six months later.Kelly Molson: Wow, that's a phenomenal amount of work in six months.Ross Ballinger: Yeah. In, I don't know, design industry terms and the size of the business, that's no time at all, really.Kelly Molson: No, it's not. I honestly thought you were going to say we started talking about this three years ago and it took two years. It was a two year process.Ross Ballinger: The best thing was, is that we were doing that, alongside launching our brand new Vikings area. So we've got three new rides launch. We're launching a new website at the same time.Danielle Nicholls: We had a new booking system.Ross Ballinger: Yeah, a new ticketing system. As well as the regular day to day work and seasonal campaigns to market. It was literally like all Christmases come at once.Danielle Nicholls: It was. Everything we'd wanted for so long, they just went, "There you go."Ross Ballinger: All at the same time.Kelly Molson: You can have it all, but you need to do it in this amount of time. Wow. That is such a lot to all be happening at the same time. But I'm not going to lie, this happens at attractions. Suddenly, they just spring into action. We have just worked with a client with exactly the same. They did a rebrand, new website, booking system, all at the same time. And you're like, "Ah, the world is on fire. What's happening?"Danielle Nicholls: It was great though.Ross Ballinger: It was good though. We collaborated for most of it. The agency were a bit of a rock, really. And they did a lot of the legwork in terms of the brand personality, putting together the guidelines, creating the initial design concepts. But I did sit alongside them and collaborate with them. It would've just been a too big a task solely, on my own, internally, which it wouldn't have been possible. But I'd like to think I had a lot of input, inspirational design ideas along the way, that probably helped chisel the final outcome and the look of the brand that we've got now.Danielle Nicholls: Just logos in itself, you had sheets and sheets of-Ross Ballinger: Sheets and sheets of logos, yeah, logo concepts and variations. But I know I wanted something that was super flexible in terms of composition and layout. Because I know what I'd created before, it was archaic, but it was flexible. It would work on all different platforms. And then the typeface that we chose for the final logo was one of my early typefaces that I pitched in. And the swirl, that was one of my babies, that was one of my original concepts. So I always wanted to push that.Kelly Molson: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I love that. But that's what makes for a good agency client relationship is that you do collaborate. That's how it should be. And they obviously nailed it. And I know that you would've had so many stakeholders involved in this process as well. So I can imagine how big a challenge that was to actually come to a final, "This is what it's going to be like," and everyone be happy.Ross Ballinger: It was a challenge, but only because we had a lot of passionate stakeholders that wanted valued input. And they had strong views, which was very fair.Kelly Molson: So the bit that ties these two stories together, the things that we've talked about today, is that... I think you alluded to the fact, Ross. That when the brand launched, it's a big change for people. The way that you've talked about the brand is incredibly passionate. I can imagine that local people, people that come to visit every week, every month, they are so... The brand is in their heart. So a big change like this can be quite uncomfortable for people. And when the brand launched, there was a little bit of-Ross Ballinger: Yeah, there was a bit of uncertainty, yeah, and a bit of shock. Yeah, they've had a logo installed in their brain for 20 years. But when we wanted to launch the rebrand, it wasn't just about a logo. We did focus on the logo probably, in hindsight, more than we should have.Danielle Nicholls: I think that's maybe a bit of a learning curve, particularly on social. The asset that we used was the old logo going into the new logo, which we thought was great. But then when we put it out, we were like, "Actually, maybe we should have focused more on..." Like you say, brand personality and visions and values, rather than just the logo.Ross Ballinger: Because the end user hasn't really seen the six months of graft that's gone into creating that. And we did portray it in five seconds.Kelly Molson: So they just get the, "Hey, this is new, you should love it." But they haven't understood about the process of why you've done certain things, and the decisions that have been made.Danielle Nicholls: Exactly, yeah. We had a blog which explained it all perfectly, but you had to click through to the blog. People didn't necessarily do that. They just saw the logo and keyboard-Ross Ballinger: But I like the journey we went through because the people that didn't actually really like it in the beginning and really just sacked it off straight away, they're the people that have warmed to it now. And seen it in execution, and how adaptable it is, and how we can get our messages across. And the fact that they love it now, and I love that, that we've turned them round.Danielle Nicholls: Because the main thing we were trying to do, really, is come away from fun family memories, and turn it to fun for everyone. That was the main message that we wanted to portray, particularly on the social channels, and in brand in general. But I think going forward we're definitely going to achieve that.Kelly Molson: But it's quite interesting because I think what you talked about earlier, Danielle, your social community, they would've played a big part in this when you launched it. So I guess it would've been harder if you hadn't already built those relationships and nurtured that community. Launching something like this, would've been 1,000 times more difficult than actually... All right, there was a bit of a bump in the road, but it wasn't the end of the world. And people, like you say, are now warming to it and loving it. Would that have happened if you hadn't put all that work into the social community aspect?Danielle Nicholls: Possibly not. I think, like I said earlier, there was a lot of people, they had our backs. So there was people like, "This is..." Being very negative. But people were responding saying, "Look, they have to move forward, they've been through this, that and the other. They have to move forward. See the positives," which was good.Ross Ballinger: I think as well, probably because we've got such a good social community, they felt comfortable with saying what they thought about it and being honest.Danielle Nicholls: Which helps because we did run focus groups beforehand, as part of the rebrand process, with suppliers, annual pass holders, staff members, literally with so many people. But until it's out there, you're not necessarily going to get that big, full, wider picture. So it did help us with how we were going to move forward with the rebrand as well, looking at their feedback.Kelly Molson: So you actually took some of their... So obviously from the focus groups, you would've taken on board some of the input that you got from those. When it launched, was there anything that you took on board from the feedback that you were getting at that point? That you could look to, not necessarily change, but I guess look at the ways that you implement it in a different way?Danielle Nicholls: I think the main thing was, like we said, the logo situation. Because everyone was so focused on the logo, we knew that, moving forwards, as we were going to explore the brand even more, we had to make sure it was about the imagery and the personality. And including the shop line there and things like that, rather than... I think that learning curve definitely came from the feedback.Kelly Molson: Brilliant. It is such a huge project to go through a rebrand. And I think there's always that anxious moment when you unveil it to people and they go... It could be a bit Marmite. But I think the way that it's been managed, that's the important part of this story, really. And that comes back to, again, it all fits together about how the two of you work together as well. And I think that's quite an important aspect to take away from this podcast episode as well. It's about, it's a team, this is a team thing that happens here. And it's not just about one person. So the brand has launched and then, suddenly, it's all on Danielle's shoulders to deal with all the stuff that's coming back. It's, this is a team thing.Ross Ballinger: Well, no, it cascaded all the way through the company, didn't it?Danielle Nicholls: Yeah.Ross Ballinger: People would be like... Even engineers, and everyone, and HR, they were like... They felt the same... It was almost a little bit of disappointment that the reaction wasn't amazing. But then, everybody felt it.Danielle Nicholls: But we all came together and-Ross Ballinger: Yeah.Danielle Nicholls: Our director of people bought us a box of Krispy Kremes in the office that day. And was like, "There you go, guys. Are you all okay?" And we were like, "Yeah, it's all good."Ross Ballinger: But there's obviously horror stories of brands doing this and reverting back. But we knew that we'd got something that was amazing that we were going to stick to. And once we knew we could roll it out, that it was going to flourish. So we're just glad that we stuck to our guns and just... We had the negativity at the beginning and, now, people love it.Danielle Nicholls: Like you say, we have people coming up to us, just telling me it's good. Saying, "I wasn't sure at first? But now we love it."Kelly Molson: Ah, see, and that's what you want. You want it to be loved by everybody that sees it now. That's brilliant. You just reminded me of something that I saw a few weeks ago. Have you seen the video when Staples changed their logo, they put out?Danielle Nicholls: Yes.Ross Ballinger: Yes, yes.Kelly Molson: That's just like, as you were talking about it, I was going, "Oh my God, I watched that last week." And it's so crazy.Danielle Nicholls: Yeah. And they're all like, "Whoopa." It's amazing.Kelly Molson: "Wow, look at us." And I just didn't think it was amazing either. But I just felt really sorry for the whole team being forced to clap it and, "Yay, a logo." Oh dear, if that's what they thought brand was-Ross Ballinger: I loved it. I just think that's how you should do it, even if it is a bit cringey.Danielle Nicholls: I thought it was hilarious.Ross Ballinger: What they've done is open up the stapler in the logo, and put it on the side. But sometimes that probably would've cost them an arm and a leg just to do that as well.Danielle Nicholls: So much time.Kelly Molson: There's a massive buildup to that happening as well. And I was a bit like, "Wow, that's a massive anticlimax."Danielle Nicholls: A big press conference for it.Ross Ballinger: I just loved everything about it, honestly.Kelly Molson: The next rebrand, that's what you'll be doing, Ross. You'll get everyone in the attraction, you'll launch it on a big screen. I think what you've done, and what you've achieved, is phenomenal. Thank you for coming on the podcast and talking to me about it today. I really appreciate it. As ever, we always ask our guests if they've got a book that they love that they'd like to share with our audience. So you can pick one each.Danielle Nicholls: I think for me... And going back to me being a theme park nerd, this ties in very well. John Wardley, who is-Ross Ballinger: No.Danielle Nicholls: I know, right. John Wardley, who is a big theme park, mainly rollercoaster, designer. He's done work for Merlin, PortAventura, Oakwood, so many. He was really, really big. He worked on things like Nemesis, Oblivion, Katanga Canyon at Alton Towers, was Megafobia at Oakwood. He had an autobiography called Creating Your Nemesis, which basically spanned through his life of how we got into the theme park industry and where we went through. And it's very story based and anecdotal, but it was really inspiring. And helped me create the courage to knock on doors and do that kind of thing.Kelly Molson: Oh, I love that. Great book. Great book choice.Ross Ballinger: That's a really good response to the question. See, I'm a designer so I don't really read. I can read, but I just don't read. I'm very visual, as you can imagine. So I'm just not a fan of reading. I prefer to just scroll through Instagram and TikTok. But I have read books in the past. I remember one book, I think it's probably the only book I have read, was The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. I think it's Dan Brown. But that's only because I was interested in Leonardo da Vinci, who was obviously a scientist or an... He was a bit of an artist and an architect. So I was more interested in his theories, and his Vitruvian Man, I think it is. So I was more interested in his works, really. But other than that, I do own every book by Jamie Oliver, so if a cookbook works.Kelly Molson: I don't know if you should be sharing that.Ross Ballinger: So yeah, I love Jamie Oliver. 5 Ingredients, 30 Minute Meals, brilliant.Kelly Molson: Jamie Oliver gets a bad rap and I don't really know why because he seems like a nice guy.Danielle Nicholls: Are we going back to unpopular opinion?Kelly Molson: Well, I think we should. But also a little story in that. I live in Saffron Walden, Jamie Oliver lives five minutes around the corner.Ross Ballinger: He's down the road.Kelly Molson: He goes to the market in my town every Saturday, and goes and buys his-Ross Ballinger: Oh, I'd love to meet him.Danielle Nicholls: You'd be there for a selfie.Kelly Molson: Ross, join the queue. I'd love to meet him. I've lived here since 2019. I've never seen him once. All my friends have seen him. And now, it's a thing with them. They're like, "Have you seen him yet? Have you seen him?" No. And I feel like, I'm not a Jamie Oliver stalker. I'm not going to go and harass him. I just would like to live in the town and be like, "Oh yeah, I saw him this morning." I've never seen him. My mum has been messaging me once, and she's been in the cafe in Saffron Walden, and been like, "I think Jamie Oliver's on the table next to me. I'm not sure if it's him though. I don't know if it's a fat version of Jamie Oliver, or if it's actually... Oh no, it is Jamie. It's Jamie Oliver."Ross Ballinger: Oh no. I can understand why people don't like him. But he just sploshes his olive oil everywhere, sploshes it around. But he has got that passion for cooking, which is what I resonate with. So he loves what he does, he's so-Danielle Nicholls: You can't knock his passion.Ross Ballinger: You can't knock his passion. So I'm in tune with that.Kelly Molson: All right. Listeners, well, I think that we should scrap Ross's book choice, and I think we should go with the Jamie Oliver book. So if you head over to Twitter, and you retweet this Twitter announcement with, "I want Ross and Danielle's books," then you might be in with a chance of winning Danielle's book and a Jamie Oliver cookbook. Does that sound fair?Ross Ballinger: Yeah, that'd be ace.Kelly Molson: I feel like you were more passionate about that.Ross Ballinger: Yeah, yeah, yeah.Kelly Molson: All right, let's do that then. Thank you. It was lovely to have you both on. I've really, really enjoyed it.Ross Ballinger: Thank you.Danielle Nicholls: Thank you.Kelly Molson: And also thank you for the lovely little tour that I got of the new Vikings area at Drayton Manor, when you hosted the UK Theme Park Awards earlier this year.Danielle Nicholls: I'm glad you liked it.Ross Ballinger: Yeah, we did, yeah.Kelly Molson: It was awesome.Danielle Nicholls: It was amazing.Ross Ballinger: I think that's where you spotted us.Danielle Nicholls: Yeah.Kelly Molson: Well, look, I'm not going to lie, you guys were sitting behind me and you were extremely loud. And I thought, "They'll make great podcast guests."Danielle Nicholls: We were whooping everyone.Ross Ballinger: We had so much energy that day though. I was knackered by the end of the day.Kelly Molson: I loved it. No, you hosted it perfectly. It was a brilliant event. But the new area is fantastic, so definitely go on, book your ticket.Ross Ballinger: We're very proud of it.Kelly Molson: And go on and see that while you can. So thanks for coming on, guys.Ross Ballinger: Thank you.Danielle Nicholls: Thank you.Kelly Molson: Thanks for listening to Skip the Queue. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review. It really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on Twitter for your chance to win the books that have been mentioned. Skip The Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions, that helps them increase their visitor numbers. You can find show notes and transcriptions from this episode and more, over on our website; rubber cheese.com/podcast.

Leeds based ballet company Northern Ballet's autumn season continues around the country with audio described performances of their productions of both The Little Mermaid and The Nutcracker.  RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey caught up with Pippa Moore, Northern Ballet's Artistic and Learning Assistant and Audio Describer, along with John Longstaff, Orchestrator for Northern Ballet's productions of The Little Mermaid and The Nutcracker, to find out a bit more about both productions.  Pippa began by giving a bit of background to the story of The Little Mermaid and how Northern Ballet have turned Hans Christian Andersen's original fairytale into this immersive and beautiful ballet production.  John then talked about working on The Little Mermaid as an Orchestrator and how he added in various musical notation to Sally Beamish's original score. Then to the magical and festive treat for all the family that is The Nutcracker with Pippa giving an outline to the story of The Nutcracker without giving the ending away and John explaining how he worked on Tchaikovsky's score for The Nutcracker and making the music fit for just a 27 piece orchestra but making it sound like what you would hear on the radio and on CD.  Northern Ballet's productions of The Little Mermaid and The Nutcracker continue on tour around the country this autumn with audio described performances and more details can be found about these and other described productions by visiting the audio described pages of the Northern Ballet website-  https://northernballet.com/accessible-performances/audio-described-performances  (Image shows RNIB logo. 'RNIB' written in black capital letters over a white background and underlined with a bold pink line, with the words 'See differently' underneath)

Yann Seabra is a stage designer whose work has been sought after by companies such as The Royal Opera House, San Francisco Ballet, Circa, Ballet Black and Protein Dance company.He and Emma discuss the tutu he designed with 5000 Swarovski crystals on it for Cira Robinson, why he loves a 70s silhouette, his long time collaboration with choreographer Arthur Pita and his new work for Mthuthuzeli November's piece Wailers at Northern Ballet.www.yannseabra.comThe 3 Questions...Was there a piece of art that changed everything for you? Alternative Miss World  Was there a piece of art that you think has value but don't necessarily like? Tate Modern: Surrealism Beyond Borders What/who should we check out that we may not know about?... Dmitri Papapganos and  Katrin Brach 

Leeds based ballet company Northern Ballet are currently touring their production of Casanova around the country with audio described performances for blind and partially sighted people at Sadler's Wells in London on Saturday 14 May at 2.30pm with an insight talk and touch tour at 12 noon with further described performances at the Lowry Salford Quays on Saturday 21 May at 2pm with the insight talk and touch tour at 12noon.  RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey caught up with both Northern Ballet's Musical Director Jonathan Lo and their Artistic and Learning Assistant and Audio Describer Pippa Moore to find out more about Casanova and other described performances.  Pippa began by giving Toby some background to Northern Ballet's Casanova, the story behind the man behind the mask with Jonathan talking about Kerry Muzzey's haunting, dramatic and almost film like score for Casanova.  Pippa and Jonathan then talked about the relationship between the dancers, conductor and musicians as at every Northern Ballet performance the music is played live by Northern Ballet's Sinfonia. With Pippa explaining how the performance of the ballet score by Northern Ballet's Sinfonia in a way drives the flow and sometimes the presentation of her audio description with the dancers performance, the music and the audio description forging together to become one in the live audio described ballet performance.  Pippa then outlined to Toby what blind and partially sighted patrons will benefit from by attending the insight talk and touch tour prior to the audio described performance of Casanova at Sadler's Wells on Saturday 14 may and other at other described performances giving a full insight into the production, from the narrative story, the set, costumes and props along with an explanation of some of the ballet terms and an opportunity to go on stage at Sadler's Wells. With Jonathan ending the interview by highlighting some of the wonderful music which will be played live at Northern Ballet productions coming up over the summer and later in the year too. To find out more about Northern Ballet and details of up-coming audio described performances including those for Casanova, The Great Gatsby and others do visit the audio description page of their website - https://northernballet.com/accessible-performances/audio-described-performances (Image shows RNIB logo. 'RNIB' written in black capital letters over a white background and underlined with a bold pink line, with the words 'See differently' underneath)

This episode is a total joy. It's a conversation with my dear friend Debbie Hilton and it's all about something which comes naturally to all of us - but which most of us don't often do as adults. Dancing! It's beyond question that dancing is medicine. And it's medicine that we all have a right to benefit from. I feel truly privileged to be able to experience the joy of dancing in Debbie's classes. As I'm not a natural dancer and even struggle with my left/right, I'd feel really intimidated going to most classes - but Debbie is really passionate about making dance accessible to EVERYBODY. I've seen for myself what a simple one/two step to music can do for people's wellbeing on every level. It's no overstatement to describe it as magic. You'll hear us chat about: The astonishing health benefits of moving to music, including preventing and even reversing dementia.The huge boost to our mood and mental resilience that we get from moving our body to music.Dance as a moving meditation which helps us to get in the moment and gain perspective on the challenges we're facing in our life .How dancing increases our self-confidence and helps us to love the body we're in.Why we need to keep nurturing our child-like spark of creativitySimple ways to benefit from the magic of dance from your home - whatever age, shape or size you are. Debbie is pure inspiration and I promise that you'll feel differently about your relationship to dance after listening to her. Debbie is an actress and performing arts teacher. She trained in ballet and modern dance at The Northern Ballet school and then studied musical theatre at Guildford School of Acting. As well as working as a performer, it has been her privilege to coach many people ( aged 5-80 ) in performing arts. Debbie is deeply passionate about performing arts as a tool for improving health and wellbeing. She believes that, by tapping into and using our innate creative spark, we can gain more vitality and joy in life - and stay young! Follow Debbie at: https://www.instagram.com/danceforjoy20/ Find out more about Body Groove here: https://www.bodygroove.com/ You can find my brand new Wellness Unwrapped app by searching for it on the App Store or Google Play (for an Android phone). Sign up and you'll be able to access the free 5 Days to Calm programme. NB. The Wellness Unwrapped 6-Week Programme is not yet available but will be open for bookings soon. If you have any problems accessing the free 5 Days to Calm programme, just drop me a note. Email me at suzy@peppermintwellness.co.uk if you'd like to be added to my waiting list for this group coaching programme (you'll also get a discount when it opens). Connect with me by joining my Wellness Unwrapped community - a welcoming Facebook group where we share thoughts, tips and inspiration. Join here: www.Facebook.com/groups/wellnessunwrapped You can also find me here and sign up to my mailing list: https://peppermintwellness.co.uk/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PeppermintWellness Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peppermintwellness/  

Northern Ballet, the Leeds based ballet company who have been providing access to their productions for over 20 years for blind and partially sighted people with live through audio description along with their In Sight dance workshops/touch tours, will have their first cinema screening of one of their productions with audio description when Merlin is released in cinemas from Sunday 24 April 2022. RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey caught up with Pippa Moore from Northern Ballet and Audio Describer Jo Myers to find out more about the film screening of Merlin with audio description.  Pippa began by giving Toby a bit of background to Northern Ballet and their audio description offer for blind and partially sighted people and why they wanted to add description to the film screening of Merlin following on from their Covid 19 lockdown digital offer with audio description.  Jo explained a bit about her background as a Describer, working on her first film with audio description back in 1997 with Howards End for the RNIB, her AD work in theatres and other arts and heritage events over the years. Jo continued by saying that how as a Describer she and many of her colleagues during the pandemic had to move from working on description of live performances to online performances and events with support from ADA (Audio Description Association) and VocalEyes.   Jo then talked about her approach to describing Merlin as a film compared to a live described performance in a theatre and how the wonderful music of Merlin with musical motifs for some of the characters helped to add to Jo's description, taking a visually impaired viewer through the journey of the story of Merlin as it unfolded in the filmed version of the stage production. Pippa and Jo also talked about the audio synopsis which will be played out as part of the screening just before the filmed performance starts giving visually impaired viewers a bit of background to Merlin as well as the more in-depth introductory audio and text notes that are available from the VocalEyes website. To find out more about the audio described cinema screenings of Northern Ballet's Merlin do visit the Northern Ballet website via the following link - https://northernballet.com/merlin (Image shows RNIB logo. 'RNIB' written in black capital letters over a white background and underlined with a bold pink line, with the words 'See differently' underneath)

We speak to Artistic Director of The Royal Ballet, Kevin O'Hare about guiding one of the largest opera houses in the world through a pandemic, his thoughts on the Netflix series 'The Crown', his film debut at the age of 7 and much more!Kevin O'Hare is Director of The Royal Ballet. Appointed in July 2012, he is responsible for driving the artistic direction of the Company. He is committed to the promotion of outstanding creativity and artistic excellence, developing talent and widening the Company's performing platform.O'Hare was born in Yorkshire and trained at The Royal Ballet School. He began his performing career with The Royal Ballet's sister company Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet, and stayed with that company as a Principal during its transformation into Birmingham Royal Ballet. During this time he performed extensively in the UK and internationally, including as a guest artist with many leading companies. His repertory included all the leading classical roles, such as Prince Siegfried (Swan Lake), Prince Florimund (The Sleeping Beauty), Albrecht (Giselle) and Romeo (Romeo and Juliet). O'Hare worked with many leading figures in the ballet world, including Ninette de Valois, Peter Wright, Frederick Ashton, MacMillan and David Bintley, as well as creating many roles. He also produced many galas and choreographic evenings.O'Hare retired from the stage in 2000, entering into a traineeship in company management with the Royal Shakespeare Company. This led to the post of Company Manager with BRB in 2001, and in 2004 he joined The Royal Ballet as Company Manager. He was made Administrative Director in 2009 before being appointed to his current role. Under his directorship the Company has been distinguished with numerous honours including the Olivier Awards, Benois de la Danse and Critics' Circle National Dance Awards. His collaborative approach to the industry is demonstrated in such initiatives as World Ballet Day and inviting guest UK ballet companies to share the stage for the 2017 MacMillan celebrations. He is on the board of The Royal Ballet School, Northern Ballet and the Royal Academy of Dance and is a Trustee of the Frederick Ashton Foundation. He was appointed a CBE in 2018.

Hi everyone in this episode I'm joined by Hannah Bateman previous Principal dancer with Northern Ballet, this is the first episode where I've talked to a dancer who has climbed through the ranks of a company, so this is a great episode for this interested in the highs and lows of company life. I thoroughly enjoyed this episode and it was so good to listen to Hannah's insight & experience she has gained through her career. You can find Hannah on Instagram @hannah14bateman & the Ballet Retreat, @theballetretreat https://www.theballetretreat.com/ I'm proud to announce out sponsor for this episode is Audition Educator. Audition Educator was created by classical ballet dancer and entrepreneur, currently a Semperoper Ballett company member, Rebecca Haw. She set out to build a company that would help dancers find work with an all encompassing online educational studio. The company's mission is to provide a way for dancers to learn how to audition successfully, position themselves for the best chance possible in the industry and without the career long making of mistakes. Audition Educator Online Studio: https://auditioneducator.vipmembervault.com/ also be sure to follow Audition Educator on instagram @auditioneducator Remember to use the code: "HARDCORPS" for 30% off the "How to write to a company" course.

Big leaps, small steps, and navigating the messy middle are all part of the process when it comes to any life transition. How do you know when you are succeeding at what you set out to do, especially when it takes a heck of a long time to get there? On this episode of Camera Ready & Abel, modern classical and film composer, Kerry Muzzey - who has one of the most inspiring career pivot stories ever - helps me look at the measuring stick that is DEFINING SUCCESS. Kerry's recent works include the original orchestral score for the ballet "Casanova" by Kenneth Tindall and Northern Ballet; the score for the documentary film "Look & See: A Portrait of Wendell Berry" by director Laura Dunn and executive producers Robert Redford and Terrence Malick, and whose piece "Looking Back" was used as a recurring love theme on the TV show "GLEE."  Kerry Muzzey and I met at VH1 back in the glory days of the 1990s. I was running the Talent Development Department and Kerry worked in Rights & Clearances, so that VH1 could legally obtain the rights to the content -- music, video footage, and celebrity images - that graced our screens. In his mid-thirties Kerry was met with the growing awareness that he was putting off what he had really wanted to do: Compose music full-time. The silent handcuffs of career promotions and the ticking time clock of aging, pushed Kerry to finally ask, if not today, when? And so the journey to becoming a full-time professional composer began, but not without a few bumps and bruises along the way! Visit kerrymuzzey.com to learn more about Kerry's work.

The choreographer Cathy Marston has a rare gift for telling stories in dance. Now a major player in leading ballet companies (including The Royal Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre) that until recently were a boys' own club, her starting point is often literature or history – in ballets about Jane Eyre or Lolita, Queen Victoria or Jacqueline du Pré. One chapter in the Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Ballet (which is released with a special online launch hosted by the Royal Academy of Dance) peeks inside Cathy's rehearsal room: Why Dance Matters also asks her how she creates eloquent stories through dance. About Cathy Marston Cathy Marston is an award-winning choreographer and artistic director. She spent two years at the Royal Ballet School, before launching a successful international career. She was Associate Artist of the Royal Opera House and director of Bern Ballett. In major creations for The Royal Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Northern Ballet and Danish Royal Ballet, she lends new perspectives to old narratives: in Jane Eyre, Lolita, Lady Chatterley's Lover, or the historically-inspired The Cellist, Victoria and Witch-hunt. She won the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Victoria (Northern Ballet), the UK National Dance Award for The Suit (Ballet Black) and in 2020 the prize for Excellence in International Dance from the International Institute for Dance and Theatre. Find out more about the launch for the Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Ballet, co-edited by RAD's Head of Research Dr Kathrina Farrugia-Kriel: https://bit.ly/3wTKvNN Follow the RAD on social media, and join the conversation with host David JaysInstagram @royalacademyofdanceFacebook @RoyalAcademyofDanceTwitter @RADheadquartersYouTube / royalacademydanceDavid Jays @mrdavidjaysSign up to our mailing list: https://bit.ly/3frWPh9RAD is an independent educational charity and does not receive regular government funding. Every penny we make goes back into the work we do. You can support us by either naming a seat as part of our Name A Seat Campaign: https://bit.ly/3fnxEwm or make a donation: https://bit.ly/3bxA6z5 Cathy Marston's website http://www.cathymarston.com/Cathy has co-founded Companie La Ronde, a new Swiss, independent company producing dance-led, theatrical works. https://www.cielaronde.com/Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Ballet https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-oxford-handbook-of-contemporary-ballet-9780190871499 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As theatres, museums, galleries, and other arts venues start to re-open their doors, Connect Radio's Toby Davey catches up with Jess Beal from VocalEyes, the national audio description charity providing access to the arts for blind and partially sighted people to share some of the accessible events that are featured in their weekly email newsletter. Items highlighted this week included: Journeys - picture description talk, Dulwich Picture Gallery (Thursday 3 June 11am) Northern Ballet shows - Dangerous Liaisons and Swan Lake audio described performances A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre live stream with audio description Waldon - described performance at the Harold Pinter Theatre, And Reasons You Should(n’t) Love Me - described performance at the Kiln Theatre To sign up to the VocalEyes weekly email newsletter and more details about these and other accessible events do visit the VocalEyes website - https://vocaleyes.co.uk/(Image shows RNIB logo. 'RNIB' written in black capital letters over a white background and underlined with a bold pink line, with the words 'See differently' underneath)  

This week Kealan is joined by the charming and insightful Mark Biocca to discuss which qualities make for the best colleague. The pair discuss the mental and emotional pressures a young dancer may face at the beginning of their career, and the significance of having someone with whom they feel supported and understood. They also share behind-the-scenes stories from their time working together in Alberta Ballet, where Kealan was an apprentice and Mark was a soloist. Mark is a graduate of Royal Ballet School in London and in addition to AB has danced for Northern Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Macedonian National Ballet, National Ballet of Portugal, and Hungarian National Ballet. He currently freelances in Italy and the UK and has founded his own company InternationBallet.Find Mark on Instagram @MarkBioccaand @InternationBalletReach the show at twotwoguyspod@gmail.com or on Instagram @twotwoguys

*SPONSOR*We are SO excited to announce that we have Official Sponsorship from a truly incredible company in Odin's Vault, a dedicated company who only provide the very best officially licensed Pop Culture Merchandise, from Funko Pops to T Shirts, DC Comics to Marvel, you want it? Then over RIGHT NOW to Odin's Vault - Website Below:https://odinsvault.co.uk/Welcome to Episode 69 of the Hip Hop Orchestra Presents PodcastIn this Episode, we are introduced to the absolutely incredible Award-winning choreographer, Artistic Director of Digital and Choreographer in Residence for Northern Ballet Kenneth TindallKenneth shares with us his incredible story of how he got into Ballet, how truly difficult it was, both Physically and Mentally, going from being fired at Northern Ballet to then promoted as Principle Dancer then Choreographer, his decision and reasoning for retiring as a Dancer to focus on Choreography, how much work goes into putting on a FANTASTIC performance and so much moreWe hope you enjoy :)Available For Download On All Major Platforms -https://www.buzzsprout.com/826003/episodesFull Length Trackhttps://soundcloud.com/gsavvides/violin-hip-hopKenneth TindallTwitter - @tindallkennyInstagram - @tindallkennyLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-tindall-3657554b/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/kenneth.tindallWebsite - https://www.kennethtindall.com/The Hip Hop Orchestra:Website - https://thehiphoporchestra.co.uk/Instagram - @TheHipHopOrchestraFacebook - The Hip Hop OrchestraTwitter - @TheHipHopOrchGeorgio Savvides:Instagram - @georgiosavvidesFacebook - Georgio SavvidesTwitter - @GioSavvidesLinkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgio-savvides-3414b668/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/TheHipHopOrchesta?fan_landing=true)Odin's Vault Odin's Vault Ltd is a UK based company that specialise in only the very best Pop culture merchandise

Ellie catches up with the team from The Northern Ballet to discuss accessibility through Covid, and beyond... 

In the last episode of series 2, Emma talks to Alice Williamson--a difficult artist to categorise. Essentially, she works with movement and design, be it making costumes or dancewear for her label Designed by Alice, her photography and illustrative work, toy design, research on 'skin hunger' or her collaboration with Dr. Merrit Moore combining robotics and dance.Her design work begun when she had a parallel career as a ballet dancer in companies such as: Hong Kong Ballet, Northern Ballet and Staatsoper Ballet Berlin. She talks to Emma about staying creative when you're in a big organisation, her new found love of robotics and the journey a fishing net takes to become recyclable fabric for her “thoughtful” dancewear.Alice's websitewww.Designedbyalice.co.ukInstagram:@designedbyalice@shop_designedbyaliceThe last three questions..... PIECE THAT CHANGED EVERYTHINGNope. There wasn’t one!PIECE THAT DIDN’T LOVE BUT HAS VALUEAI: More than Human exhibit at The Barbican NOMINATE AN ARTIST FOR US TO CHECK OUTNeri Oxman, designer

Watch & Listen Podcast:First - WATCH the amazing Dance Short film EGO, presented by the Northern Ballet https://vimeo.com/397946138 Then come back and listen to the podcast interview with director Dan Lowenstein. October 7th this date in history:1971 - The French Connection premieres. (Best Picture winner 1971 )2003 - Arnold Schwarzenegger is elected governor of California2008 - Spotify launches. 2020 - Matthew Toffolo interviews the talented filmmaker Dan LowensteinSummary of EGO: Most of us have an alter ego hiding under the surface. We try our best to keep it in, but sometimes it escapes.Take a front row seat into the psyche of a relationship. Using world class ballet, krump, popping & bboying we witness different moments played out in pure contrast by four incredible dancers. This is EGO, a Northern Ballet original dance film.Directed & Developed byDan LowensteinCreative Director & ChoreographerKenneth TindallDancersAntoinette Brooks-DawKevin PoeungSam AmosJonadette Carpio This podcast is produced & edited by Kimberly Villarruel

At Canada’s National Academy of Dance Education we know that it is likely your own dance training lacked the inclusion and incorporation of the creative process, which would have allowed you you to create, explore and express movement that was your own. If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. Elements of creative movement were not often a part of commercial studio dance training. However things are changing, the more dance teacher education is becoming prevalent, the better understanding dance educators have of the creative process and the importance of incorporating it into their own dance classes. But who do we learn best from? Fellow dance educators, professors, researchers and dance scholars? What if instead we look to our artistic community? What if to gain an enriched understanding of the creative process we looked beyond the dance community and explore the creative process of other artists? Today we will do just that… today we have the honour of speaking with Assistant Professor at Berklee College of Music and world-renown conductor Ms. Genvieve Leclair. GUEST: Geneviève holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Orchestral Conducting from Boston University, with a Bachelor's and Master's degrees in flute performance from the Université de Montréal. She was appointed Assistant Professor at Berklee College of Music in 2016. Equally at home in the symphony, ballet and opera worlds, she was a recurring guest conductor with The National Ballet of Canada and Northern Ballet in the UK, as well as Assistant Conductor and Guest Conductor for Boston Ballet. Geneviève was awarded the 2017 American Prize in Conducting, college/university division and in 2010, received the Sir Ernest MacMillan Memorial Foundation Award in Orchestral Conducting. In addition to her expertise and experience as a conductor, Geneviève has published several music literature and theory exercise books.

Lily Craig is an Arts Facilitator and connected to tell me about the work she has been doing to reduce social isolation and loneliness. She is a trained Dementia Care Mapper and helped to develop Young at Arts where she worked closely with Yorkshire Dance, Northern Ballet and Opera North. Lily works alongside two previous guests, Chris O’Connor and Anna Turzynski on Fragments - a multi sensory project for dementia care. Lily provided the music track by a friend of hers. The band are Dreuw and the song is “Heavy”.fragmentsleeds@gmail.comhttp://fragments.org.ukwww.twitter.com/fragmentsleedswww.facebook.com/fragmentsleedswww.twitter.com/lilycraig1www.facebook.com/dreuwmusic

Queen Victoria herrschte von 1837 bis 1901 und prägte ein ganzes Zeitalter. Historische Aufnahmen zeigen sie meist als reife Matrone mit rundem Gesicht und üppigem Körper. Da mutet es fast unfreiwillig komisch an, dass sie jetzt von einer zarten Ballerina wiederbelebt wird. Choreografin Cathy Marston hat im vergangenen Jahr gemeinsam mit dem britischen Northern Ballet eine Tanzhommage auf die Queen kreiert. Vor kurzem ist das Ballett in einer Filmversion auf DVD erschienen.

We sit down with Kennith Tindall and Dreda blow to discuss energy and atmosphere in the studio, choreographic inspiration, as well as the important choreographer/dancer dymamic when preparing for shows.  Link to the score for Dracula, the first Ballet Kennith Choreographed for Northern Ballet. This is one of his favorite scenes, enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m31xcNN75A

In this episode Adam Robert Lewis talks to Lynn Jezzard a former ballet dancer who rose through the ranks of Northern Ballet to become principal in many of their classic productions. Lynn discusses her humble beginnings in South East England and her early experiences of dance, starting at 4 years of age. We discuss the pressures dancers can undergo in pursuing a career and the obsession with creating the perfect physical body for ballet. Lynn has devoted her entire life to ballet not only in performance but in maintaining Phantom of the Opera as resident choreographer for many years. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/brewingactors)

In this week's episode we chat to illustrator and animator Chloe Longden @ChloesAnimation about her love of plants, animals and activism as well as her work with Girl Gang, Children's Media Conference and Northern Ballet and what it means to be a freelance artist.

S04 Episode 07: Dancer Gavin McCaig shares his view on mental health in the dance industry. Gavin chats us through his amazing journey to becoming a Corephee at Northern Ballet including his struggles with injury and being able to inspire young people to pursue a career in Ballet. Gavin also runs The Ballet Retreat (www.theballetretreat.com) providing 1, 2 and 3 day adult ballet courses. Cathy and Scarlett are not medical professionals - just two young women on a mission to open up the conversation on mental health by sharing as many individual stories and experiences as possible. Counselling - mary@industryminds.co.uk General enquiries - info@industryminds.co.uk

As Northern Ballet reaches its half century, the company's Artistic Director David Nixon discusses his love of telling stories through Dance. Ever fancied sleeping in an artwork? Soon you’ll be able to do exactly that at the Art B&B – a new hotel in Blackpool which has commissioned 30 artists to turns its rooms into works of art. Michael Trainor, Creative Director of the Art B&B explains the vision for the hotel, and Arts journalist Laura Robertson shares her thoughts on the new establishment after getting an early preview. When the African-American cellist Seth Parker Woods came across a photograph taken in the 1970s of the avant-garde cellist Charlotte Moorman - nude and playing a cello made from ice, the image stayed with him. Charlotte’s performance was in part a feminist statement but Seth and his partner in this project, Spencer Topel, have reimagined the work as a statement on race. As they prepare Iced Bodies for its UK premiere at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival they discuss fusing art with activism. Presenter: Keisha Thompson Producer: Ekene Akalawu

Joe Gordon and Mark Skipper join James Ashton to discuss keeping up with customer expectation, battling budget cuts, riding your luck and the excitement of opening night. Joe Gordon is the head of First Direct, a trailblazing phone bank when it launched 30 years ago. Part of HSBC, today it has 1.5m customers largely transacting on the internet and smartphone and gearing up for the open banking revolution that could see it recommend insurance and energy deals alongside savings accounts and mortgages. Gordon was unloading carrots as a Sainsbury’s graduate trainee only 15 years ago. After several years at BT, he took over the running of HSBC’s call centres in 2015, moving to First Direct two years later. Mark Skipper is the chief executive of Northern Ballet, the Leeds-based touring company that popularises ballet through more than 200 performances every year in towns and cities across the UK. Dracula, Queen Victoria, Jane Eyre, the Little Mermaid and Casanova have all had the Northern Ballet treatment. Skipper has spent 32 years at the company, joining as deputy stage manager in 1987 and taking the top job in 1996. During his tenure he has carved out new income streams as state funding has fallen, experimented with beaming ballet into cinemas and become a leading voice for the arts outside London. Find out more @leadingpod or www.leadingpod.com

When you go shopping do you use the self-service checkouts? Or when you pop into a fast food place do you order on the touch- screens rather than go to the counter? If so, your transaction is through computers rather than people. This week the Office of National Statistics says that nearly 1.5 million jobs are at risk because of this type of automation and they're jobs that many women carry out.Victoria, a new ballet being performed at Sadler's Wells in London, tells the remarkable story of Queen Victoria through the eyes of her youngest child and lifelong companion Beatrice. Choreographer and director, Cathy Marston and dramaturg, Uzma Hameed join Jenni to discuss the challenges of recreating a royal icon onstage, and reveal the true story behind Victoria and Beatrice's unique mother-daughter relationship. Zeenat Aman has often been called Bollywood's first sex symbol. She starred in numerous films in the 70s and 80s and redefined the archetypal heroine in Indian cinema. In an era when women played secondary characters, largely obedient wives and lovers, she was drawn to more unconventional roles. From the drug-taking hippie in 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna' to the opportunist who leaves her unemployed lover for a millionaire in 'Roti', she was an inspiration for so many other heroines. She tell us about her illustrious career, Bollywood and the UK Asian Film Festival. Last year Gina Haspel became the first female director of the CIA . She talked about how she stood “on the shoulders of heroines who never sought public acclaim” and was “deeply indebted” to women who challenged stereotypes and broke down barriers to make her appointment possible. One of the women she was referring to was Virginia Hall, an American-turned-British spy who became a legend in espionage and guerrilla warfare. Sonia Purnell has spent more than three years finding out more and talks to Jenni about her new book 'A Woman of No Importance' which has already been optioned for a film with Daisy Ridley set to play Virginia.Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Kirsty StarkeyInterviewed Guest: Professor Gina Neff Interviewed Guest: Cathy Marston Interviewed Guest: Uzma Hazeed Interviewed Guest: Zeenat Aman Interviewed Guest: Sonia Purnell

Leading Soloist at Northern Ballet, Dreda joined Northern Ballet in 2007. Born in Toronto, Canada she trained at the National Ballet School of Canada and later at the Royal Conservatory, The Hague. Previous companies include Het Nationale Ballet, Amsterdam.Follow Anita on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.Join Rani's Army for exclusive news and updates.Subscribe to the podcast on iTunesMusic: Missy Elliot - Get Ur Freak OnProduced by Dan Morelle See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In our fifth episode, the lads from The Full Monty reveal all about this award-winning show with some great hit music, iconic scenes and a heart-warming tale. We hear from Northern Ballet’s director of learning Leanne Kirkwood ahead of the company bringing The Nutcracker to Norwich and find out about the work of their education team. We also talk to our own Young Producers who are presenting a mini-festival of events in Stage Two in mid-November called Facing The Future, and we wrap up with a chat with Ashley Cousins who plays Soot, the chimney sweep’s ghost, in Awful Auntie.

Lots of half term events to look forward to, from The Ugly Duckling with Northern Ballet at the theatre, and looking ahead to The Great Brick Adventure at the Convention Centre this summer holiday  https://www.strayfm.com/the-box-office.php

Cathy Marston is a choreographer, artistic director and Clore Cultural Leadership Fellow. Educated in Cambridge, Cathy spent two years at the Royal Ballet School, London, before launching a successful international career now spanning over twenty years.As a student her ballet teacher told her parents; “the problem with Cathy is that she thinks for herself” – something that foreshadowed an individual and remarkable career thus far.Passionate about opening original ideas to new audiences, Cathy crafts the unexpected between classical and contemporary art forms. Cathy has choreographed around the world for a range of different companies including for: The Royal Ballet; the Royal Opera House; Royal Opera, Northern Ballet; English National Ballet; George Piper Dances (Ballet Boyz); David Hughes Dance; The Ensemble Group; Central Ballet; Images of Dance; Encore Dance Company; Royal Ballet School; London Children’s Ballet; Grange Park Opera, Sonia Friedman productions, Ballett des Theater St Gallen, Ballett im Revier; Finnish National Ballet; Danish Royal Ballet; Washington Ballet; Danza Contemporanea de Cuba; Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts and Opera AustraliaTo her further credit, Cathy held the role of Artistic Director of Bern Ballett, in Switzerland between 2007-2013 and as an Associate Artist Royal Opera House, London between 2002-2006.

Elmhurst Ballet School graduate Hamish Scott and winner of Bronze at this year’s Genée International Ballet Competition, shares his experience of training at this prestigious ballet school. This is the second in our 3 part podcast series on the Elmhurst Ballet School, that trains dancers who enter companies such as Birmingham Royal Ballet, The Royal Ballet, Northern Ballet,… The post Elmhurst Ballet School Series Part 2: Hamish Scott, Ballet Graduate appeared first on The Wonderful World of Dance Magazine.

Recorded for release Monday 8th May 2017   This week Darius Campbell tells us about his role in Funny Girl, we hear from the choreographer of Northern Ballet's 'The Boy in the Striped Pajamas' and we find out about Sour Dough as part of National Bread week with Joy Roxborough. Music comes from the archive from Bilston Operatic and Liam Payne.

Casanova is the hotly anticipated new ballet from the Northern Ballet. The story of the infamous womanising lover Casanova is being brought to life by choreographer Kenneth Tindall. Casanova is a decadent, spine-tingling spectacle of 18th century excess with gorgeous costumes, sumptuous staging created for the stunning dancers. Before becoming an award winning choreographer, Kenneth Tindall… The post Northern Ballet Choreographer Kenneth Tindall on creating new ballet Casanova appeared first on The Wonderful World of Dance Magazine.

Jude Law stars as a young dogmatic pontiff in Oscar winning director Paolo Sorrentino's new television drama The Young Pope. John Wilson speaks to actor and director about papal politics, football playing nuns and working on the small screen.As Tate Britain opens their retrospective of Paul Nash we speak to curator Emma Chambers and comic artist Dave McKean, who has created a graphic novel inspired by Paul Nash's dreams, about why Nash was such an important artist both on and beyond the battlefield.As libraries are closing around the country South Shields opens a new one which goes way beyond books and shelves. The Word is a state of the art cultural venue and the National Centre for the Written Word. John hears from Tanya Robinson, who has steered the project, and writer Tom Kelly about his ongoing interactive exhibition Lost Dialects, seeking to bring local words back to life, and find new ones.The ballet critic Luke Jennings thinks the art is in crisis because even when the dance is new, the stories are always old. He, David Nixon, Artistic Director of Northern Ballet, and John Wilson discuss this - if it is true, why and what might be done to allow classical ballet to address the times in which we live.Producer: Julian May.

Recorded at Molineux Monday 16th May 2016 This week we find out about Northern Ballet's production of Jane Eyre and Freya Copeland tells us about her role in SWAP!, both of which are at The Grand in June, Gary O'Dea and Alex Vann pop in to let us know about their gig on Friday at Wovlerhampton Art Gallery, Fran Richards updates us on Artsfest and Will Adamson lets us know about a pre-Euros event at The Cleveland Arms. Brett Huckfield plays live in the studio and lets us know about his forthcoming gigs.

Northern Ballet talks about how it uses data to push the arts forward #CultureInNumbers