Business of Ballet: Northern Ballet's bid to educate us Philistines

I am not sure what to expect from the Business of Ballet event on 23 Sep 2013. It's absurdly early even for a dancer. To make Quarry Hill by 07:30 I will have to leave Holmfirth by 06:00 the day after a weekend which means getting up at ........... it doesn't bear thinking about. So listen Mr. Nixon it had better be good.

I think it may be good.  According to the blurb

"Since 2011 Northern Ballet has had to respond to devastating cuts in public funding and it has done this by drawing on its strengths – a dedicated and driven team of dancers, technicians, and administrators who have worked hard to respond innovatively to the challenges the company faces whilst remaining true to their artistic vision."

Well I guess that's a business story worth listening to.  

Catering is to be provided by Catering Yorkshire. I hope they are not the same caterers who served a slightly stale chicken coronation sandwich to me when I visited the Stanley & Aubrey Burton Theatre to see the Northern Ballet's Mixed Bill on the 8 June (see "Angelic - Northern Ballet's Mixed Bill"  9 June 2013). The show more than made up for it so never mind.  Perhaps more to the point is that I don't have a dancer's body.  I'm more in the Mma Ramotswe traditional build mould than Martha Leebolt and I like my "Yorkshire nourishment" I do. I can hear Cheryl of Ballet News tut tutting in Surrey not only at my dietary predilections but also at the liberties that I take with her English language.

After breakfast we are to have an "inspiring and illuminating session" with CEO Mark Skipper DL for one and a half hours without an interval.  Actually I am looking forward to it because a ballet company must know a thing or two about logistics if they have to hump props and costumes and herd a troupe of dancers around the country and no doubt, occasionally, other countries.   Then there are the one to ones on "executive and planning, marketing & PR or fundraising and events.".

Actually this is not the first time I have blogged about business and ballet.   In my review of "Beauty and the Beast" 31 Dec 2011 I mentioned the company's excellent facilities for workshops and conferences.   If we could guarantee an audience I would love to stage a seminar there.

If anyone is tempted to attend the event you can book here.