At balletLORENT, we like to connect with our local community, so we recently invited 60 Year 4 pupils from Bridgewater Primary School in Scotswood to join us at our studio. Instead of their usual lessons, these students, known as the Honeybees and Dolphins, took part in something unique. They weren't just there to watch—they were there to help us shape our latest production, Snow White.
Our artistic director, Liv Lorent, wanted their fresh perspectives. After all, Snow White is aimed at family audiences, starting from age 5, so who better to offer feedback than children themselves? We showed them some scenes from the show and asked them what they thought was working well and how we could make it even better. Their honesty was both refreshing and invaluable.
As James MacGillivray, our education and projects manager, mentioned, it’s easy to get wrapped up in your own creative world during rehearsals. Sometimes, you need an outside perspective, and these children provided that perfectly. Bridgewater Primary is located less than a mile from our home at the John Marley Centre, so it felt natural to involve our young neighbors and truly listen to their opinions.
For many of the children, this was their very first theatre experience. Willow, one of the pupils, gave some brilliant advice, suggesting that when the wicked Queen tears up a doll of Snow White, it should be done in front of Snow White to make the moment even more dramatic. Karthik, another student, shared how exciting it was to see the dancers move so dramatically and noticed how much the music enhanced the performance. Without it, he said, the dancing just wouldn’t feel the same.
It was wonderful to see how much they enjoyed themselves. Miss Brady, their teacher, told us that watching their reactions was fantastic and that the children were really engaged in the process. She mentioned how powerful it is for the students to feel like their feedback could directly influence the final production.
Our version of Snow White stays true to the original Brothers Grimm story—there’s the jealous mother, the magic mirror, and the poison apple—but it has been retold in a modern way by poet Carol Ann Duffy. Narrated by actor Lindsay Duncan, we’re excited to present this highly accessible dance theatre performance to family audiences.
Snow White will premiere at Northern Stage in Newcastle from Friday, 1st November, through Sunday, 3rd November, 2024, and we can’t wait to share the magic with everyone.
Tickets on sale now from £12-£32
