Northern Ballet

A powerhouse of inventive dance

Northern Ballet is a powerhouse of inventive dance. Bold and confident in our approach, we engage, involve and move our audiences. We reach a diverse range of people through passionate story-telling, a mastery of classical dance technique and an absolute commitment to our leading role as an international ambassador for world-class dance.

A unique company

Northern Ballet was set up in 1969 and has since grown to become one of the best-loved dance companies in the world. We take inspiration from an eclectic mix of classical dance, theatre, popular culture, literature and opera to develop new and original productions and to create new interpretations of popular classical ballets.

We believe in the value of creating full-length ballets which appeal to as many people as possible from all walks of life, and we constantly seek out new audiences. We regularly tour throughout the UK and overseas and enjoy making everyone whose lives we touch feel they are part of the Northern Ballet family.

We are proud that our achievements in raising the profile of dance in the UK have been recognised through a number of prestigious nominations and awards including: the Patron’s Award at the annual National Dance Awards recognising the work we have done to raise the profile of dance in the UK; we are 3 time consecutive winner of the Audience Award, the only award voted for by the public; and most recently our premier dancer, Martha Leebolt, won the award for Outstanding Classical Female Performance.

Northern Ballet Academy

As well as providing unrivalled classical dance training to the dancers of the future, we also offer opportunities for people from all walks of life to experience the joy and excitement of dancing.

Inspirational leadership

The ability to combine an outstanding artistic vision with sound business acumen is exemplified in the accomplished and ambitious team who lead Northern Ballet, including David Nixon, OBE, who has been our inspirational Artistic Director for over a decade, and Chief Executive, Mark Skipper, recently appointed Deputy Lieutenant of West Yorkshire.

northernballet.com