BALLET NIGHTS Comes to Lanterns Studio Theatre in September

Jamiel Devernay-Laurence presents BALLET NIGHTS 2023, an unmissable new season in the ballet calendar featuring world-class dancers, emerging artists, modern masterpieces, new creations, legacy works, and live music up close and personal at Lanterns Studio Theatre, Canary Wharf, London E14.

Programme 001: September 29th, 30th
Programme 002: October 27th, 28th
Programme 003: November 24th, 25th
Compère: Jamiel Laurence
www.balletnights.com

Producer Jamiel Devernay-Laurence's inaugural BALLET NIGHTS hit the ground running in October 2021 with a programme performed by principals from the Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, and Scottish Ballet as well as an exciting lineup of new talent. The evening was compered with impressive flair by Jamiel who engaged audiences with information about individual performers and the works they were performing. 

BALLET NIGHTS 2023 is an expansion of Jamiel's original one-nighter enterprise and takes place over six nights – two in September, two in October, two in November – at Lanterns Studio Theatre in Canary Wharf.  The programme for each month will feature a mixed bill with performances by award-winning superstars and fast rising stars of the dance world.
Performers include:       Steven McRae (Royal Ballet), Melissa Hamilton (Royal Ballet), Ryouchi Hirano (Royal Ballet), Sangeun Lee and Gareth Haw (English National Ballet), Katja Khaniukova & Aitor Arrieta Coca (ENB), Constance Devernay-Laurence (ex-Scottish Ballet), Laurel Dalley Smith (Martha Graham Dance Company), Musa Motha (Rambert), Ivana Bueno (ENB) and fast rising stars including Yasser D'Oquendo, Jordan James Bridge, Felicity Chadwick, and more.

Jamiel has designed the programme to give ballet fans and new audiences a double experience: the chance to savour the crème de la crème of the ballet world as well as exciting new talent in intimate surroundings.

“BALLET NIGHTS gives audiences a chance to experience classical ballet performed by world-class performers, exciting new work created by emerging talent, and live music played by our superb house band – all in one evening!” says Jamiel. “We want to celebrate the artists and to present a unique, immersive experience.  One of the star performers is the venue itself: audiences will see dance close up but at opera house scale in our 17m x 17x space.   Thanks to a unique seating pattern at Lanterns we can offer audiences our revolutionary Stageside seating so audiences can be closer to the action than at any other main stage.”

Jamiel drew on his experience as a performer and producer of stage events and film production to connect with dancers, choreographers, dance companies and emerging artists to book three distinctive programmes for BALLET NIGHTS 2023. 

“Bringing together all these amazing names means we can provide something different that will take audiences on a journey beyond one single idea.  BALLET NIGHTS is what I thought a show should always look like; it's the chance to curate a show that features many elements that go into dance  - not just classical ballet but the influence classical ballet has over other art forms as a base.”

Says BALLET NIGHTS artist Steven McRae, Principal of the Royal Ballet: “I'm passionate about spreading our art form further, and I was instantly drawn to the energy of the team behind BALLET NIGHTS and their desire to attract and to appeal to new audiences. It's an opportunity for audiences to have a taste of different voices from our art form, and our art form is the world of dance. I see dance as all styles; I've never seen myself as a ballet dancer or a tap dancer or a musical theatre dancer. I'm just a dancer!  Putting the ballet shoes aside and donning my tap shoes for an event like this does not mean putting aside ballet; having those complimentary opportunities away from the mainstage of the Royal Opera House to explore and still enjoy those other forms of dance is so vital for me.”

Says BALLET NIGHTS artist Constance Devernay-Laurence who won this year's 2022 Critics' Circle National Dance Awards title of Outstanding Female Classical Performance for her role as Swanilda in Coppélia (Scottish Ballet): “BALLET NIGHTS is about amazing artists sharing their skills, their story and their vision on a wonderful stage with a very close audience. You have the space that you would get from an opera house to perform on, but because the audience is so close you can create the intimacy that you would get from a much smaller theatre or a rehearsal studio.  I think Lanterns audiences will love the range of work being presented.  One minute it'll be something that was done 100 years ago then the next, something that's been created right now. 

“I'm excited to perform two completely different pieces in BALLET NIGHTS: Gamzatti Variation which has been performed by many great, inspiring ballerinas and a new contemporary piece created for me by choreographer Jordan James Bridge.  It's wonderful to collaborate with a choreographer to learn a new style, a new movement and to understand their vision. I'm looking forward to working with Jordan because he is simply an amazing dancer and artist.”

Says Olivier-nominated dancer Luke Ahmet: “The format of BALLET NIGHTS is a great idea! It gives insight to the audience about what they are about to see and the opportunity of learning more about each performer.  I believe it builds a rapport between artist and audience, and feels like they are seeing dance in a non-traditional way. I hope that this will grow audiences that at first might not think watching dance is for them and it offers me personally a platform to not only perform but to hone other skills within the industry.”

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