Artistic Director
David Nixon OBE
ugly
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a ballet for children
Tour programme 2012
Image concept design it
The Story
On a bright sunny day three little ducklings hatch from their eggs.
One more egg is still to open and the three yellow ducklings and
their Mama wait with excitement.
When the final egg cracks open out comes the
fourth duckling, Ugly. She looks very different to
the others: grey, fluffy and ragged. She doesn’t
dance the same way as the other ducklings either!
The duckling family goes to the pond to swim.
When the lifeguard sees Ugly he points to a sign
that says ‘Ducks only’ and won’t let her join in with
the others. Poor Ugly cries and runs away. If she is
not a duck, what kind of animal is she?
The sun rises on a new day. A fox sneaks up
behind Ugly, licking his chops and sniffing
at her. When she turns around he bows
graciously: the perfect gentleman. Ugly is
charmed by the fox but every time she turns
away he tries to eat her! The fox chases her
back and forth until she traps him in the picnic
blanket and he falls into the pond.
Ugly finds herself on her own once more. She
is lonely and sad. Winter is coming. While a
furious storm rages. something extraordinary
happens – Ugly is transformed.
As Ugly walks between the reeds she comes upon
a pair of frogs who jump and dance in front of her.
She thinks to herself “Perhaps I am a frog too” and
tries to join in their fun, but she cannot leap as
As winter melts away, little Ugly dances like a
high as them nor move the way they do. The frogs true ballerina. She has discovered she is not a
grow bored and hop away.
duckling at all, but a beautiful swan. The frogs,
a cat, a duckling and the Swan Queen come
Two black cats are basking in the sunshine. Ugly
to dance with her until the time comes for her
comes along and the cats curiously inspect her.
to join a flock of swans. Ugly and the Swan
They dance around her, nudging and poking her,
Queen say farewell and the other animals wave
until they are sure she is clearly not a cat like them. goodbye.
Disappointed Ugly is left alone again.
As night begins to fall Ugly curls up under a
tree and falls fast asleep. Suddenly a beautiful
Swan Queen appears and begins to dance in the
moonlight. Ugly awakens and dances with her.
Everything feels right. The Swan Queen vanishes
and Ugly falls back to sleep.
All photos by Martin Bell featuring dancers Giuliano Contadini,
Isabella Gasparini, Ayana Kanda, Benjamin Mitchell and Teresa
Saavedra-Bordes.
02
03
Choreography
Production
Ballet Master and Mentor
Daniel De Andrade
Lighting Design
Alastair West
Set Design
Dave Gillan
Scenic Construction
Jonnie Mills
Scenic Artists
Dave Gillan and Angie Walters
Dreda Blow
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.
Sebastian Loe
Sebastian was born
in London and trained
at the Royal Ballet
School. He joined
Northern Ballet in
2004.
Stage Manager
Steve Watling
Electrician
Joe Davis
Stage Technicians
Jonnie Mills and Dave Gillan
Costume Supervisor and Dyeing
Kim Brassley
Original Costume Ideas
Dreda Blow
Sebastian Loe
Costume Realisation and Design
Julie Anderson
Assistant Cutter and Tutu Maker
Carley Marsh
Costume Makers
Jessica Wood
Freya Crowley-Bennett
Carley Marsh
Mikhaila Pye
Helen Russell
Trish Birch
Rebecca Dedman
Rehearsal Stage Managers / Prop Makers
Lily Amy, Brianna Bourne and Heidi Thornton
04
Isabella Gasparini as Ugly and Giuliano Contadini as The Fox. Photo Martin Bell.
05
Music
Dancers
1. Alexander Borodin Dance of the Polovtsian
Maidens (from Prince Igor)
2, 11, 12, 17, 18. Alexander Borodin
Polovtsian Dances (from Prince Igor)
3. John Longmire Turkey Trot
4. Tony Lowry Screw on the Loose
5. King Palmer Spindlelegs
6. Trey Mitchel Poppin’ Around
7. King Palmer Softly She Sleeps
8. Charles Gounod Funeral March
of a Marionette
9. Sam Fonteyn Pizzicato Playtime
10. Dick Stephen Walter A Day by the Sea
13. Sidney Crooke March of the Ants
14. Len Stephens Romantic Interlude
15. Georges Delerue Jules et Jim – Main Title
16. Camille Saint-Saëns The Aquarium
(from Carnival of the Animals)
19. Cyril Walters Crepe Suzette
Isabella Gasparini / Jessica Cohen
Guiliano Contadini / Matthew Topliss
Jessica Morgan / Keiko Amemori
Benjamin Mitchell / Thomas Aragones
Teresa Saavedra-Bordes / Phoebe Higgins*
or Charlotte Tonkinson*
Ayana Kanda / Olivia Holland
*Students of Northern Ballet Academy
Musical Director and Arranger
John Longstaff
Flute/Piccolo Nick Bhattacharjee
Clarinet John Mellor
Cello Martin Couzin
Piano John Longstaff
Read more about all of our dancers at
northernballet.com/sponsoradancer
Ayana Kanda, Teresa Saavadera-Bordes and Benjamin Mitchell as the Ducklings
with Jessica Morgan (centre) as Mama Duck. Photo Martin Bell.
06
07
Join in with Northern Ballet
Northern Ballet’s Ugly Duckling is our first Short Ballet for Small People. We are
creating a series of three ballets especially for children and we will perform these at
home and on tour over the next three years.
We’re looking for ideas for our next ballet. What story would you like to see us tell? If you would like
to make a suggestion visit our website northernballet.com/duckling and you could win tickets to see
The Nutcracker at Leeds Grand Theatre in December.
There are lots of ways to join in with Northern Ballet. We offer classes and courses in dance and
movement for people of all ages and abilities. Find out more about what we do and how you can
take part by visiting us at northernballet.com/joinin
Ugly Duckling 2012/13 tour
2012 in Leeds
2013
Sat 20 October
Yeadon Town Hall
3pm & 4.30pm
Sun 21 October
The Hunslet Club
2.30pm & 4pm
Sat 27 October
The Riley Theatre, Chapeltown
2.30pm & 4pm
Mon 29 October – Fri 2 November
Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre,
City Centre
11am, 1pm & 3pm
(no 3pm perf on Thu 1 Nov)
Tue 12 March
Middlesbrough Theatre
1pm & 5pm 01642 815 181
Book for the Leeds dates
now by calling 0113 220 8008
or go online at
northernballet.com/duckling
Tue 19 March
Newcastle Dance City
11.30am & 1.30pm 0191 261 0505
Wed 13 March
Hexham Queen’s Hall
12pm, 2pm & 4pm 01434 652 477
Fri 15 March
Liverpool Everyman Theatre
11.30am & 1.30pm 0151 709 4776
Sat 16 March
Huddersfield Lawrence Batley
Theatre
12pm, 2.15pm & 4pm
01484 430 528
Wed 20 March
Bradford Kala Sangam
1.30pm & 6pm 01274 303 340
Fri 22 March
Whitby Pavilion Theatre
12pm, 2.15pm & 4pm
01947 604 855
Sat 23 March
Berwick The Maltings
2pm 01289 330 999
Tue 26 March
Blackpool Grand Theatre
12pm, 2pm & 4pm 01253 290 190
Thu 28 March
Leicester Curve
12pm, 2pm & 4pm 0116 242 3595
Thu 4 April
Barrow in Furness The Forum
1pm & 3.30pm 01229 820 000
Fri 5 April
Lancaster The Dukes Theatre
2pm & 4pm 01524 598 500
Sat 6 April
Harrogate Theatre
12pm, 2pm & 4pm 01423 502 116
Tue 9 April
Barnsley Civic
12pm, 2pm & 4pm 01226 327 000
Wed 10 April
Hull Truck Theatre
12pm, 2pm & 4pm 01482 323 638
Sat 13 April
Goole The Junction
2pm & 6.30pm 01405 763 652
Fri 19 April
Milton Keynes Theatre
11am & 1pm 0844 871 7652
Fri 3 May
Norwich Theatre Royal
11am & 1pm 01603 630 000
Fri 17 May
London Sadler’s Wells
11am & 1pm 0844 412 4300