The National Youth Ballet involves talented young dancers from all over the country in every aspect of creating a ballet, from the conception of an idea through to performance on stage at a professional level. The Company also encourages children from all walks of life to become involved with NYB through schools and community workshops. NYB utilises the skills of students in associated arts and encourages the talents of young designers, costumiers, musicians and student teachers in the preparation and production of all their work.

NYB often commissions new scores for specially devised works. The main cast of ninety dancers have the opportunity to work at their own particular level and enjoy the stimulating experience and privilege of working with eminent composers, designers and choreographers.

Jill Tookey MBE

Jill Tookey founded NYB in 1988 and has since then built it into a highly successful Company. The high demand for places in the Company is demonstrated by the hundreds of young dancers who audition annually. Jill’s successful career as Fashion Editor of two national magazines followed an earlier love of ballet and all-round vocational dance and design training at the Arts Educational School. Jill is totally committed to the NYB, working on a full-time voluntary basis. Her exacting role as Executive and Artistic Director could not be fulfilled without her enormous energy, drive, enthusiasm and unique creative flair. Jill has four grown-up children, five grandsons and a granddaughter. In addition to the direction of the Company, Jill takes particular pleasure in designing most of NYB’s outstanding costumes.

The talented young NYB members are encouraged by Jill to strive for the highest goals and many go on to full-time vocational training having gained enormous confidence, invaluable performing experience and great pleasure from their involvement with NYB. Jill’s ambition is to see the NYB achieve a firm financial footing, ensuring its continued growth and development.

Jill was awarded an MBE in the HM The Queen’s Birthday Honours 2004.

National Youth Ballet,
The Old Dairy, Dwelly Lane,
Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 6QD
Tel: 01732 864 781
E Mail: info@nyb.org.uk

National Youth Ballet is a Registered Charity No.1000932 and a company registered in England No.2557811 whose registered office is at: Kingston Smith, Surrey House, Redhill, Surrey RH1 1RH.

Child Protection Policy

NYB has a Child Protection Policy in place to safeguard children from any type of abuse as far as possible and to minimise the risk of abuse where it exists.

NYB Child Protection Policy
NYB-Child-Protection-Policy.pdf
Version: 1

NYB has a Child Protection Policy in place to safeguard children from any type of abuse as far as possible and to minimise the risk of abuse where it exists.

Languages:	English
Author:	Admin
Category:	Policy
Date:	May 13, 2012

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Each spring NYB holds auditions  with entries from ballet students aged 8 -18 nationwide.  First round auditions will be held  in London and Guildford and take about 1 hour, giving the adjudication panel the chance to see dancers in small classes. Those dancers who are recalled will return for a day for the final audition and castings.

Once dancers have been offered a place in the Company for the season there may be one or two workshops prior to the 10 day residential Summer School, held for the last 3 years at Tring Park School for Performing Arts.

Following on from Summer School there will be 5 performances at a regional theatre, in 2013 it will be the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford,  and a Gala evening will be held at a London theatre on a Sunday in September.

NYB’s Outreach Programme educates children about the importance of fitness and gives children, who might otherwise not have the opportunity, a chance to experience dance and performance. Outreach also works with children who have special needs, such as the deaf, the blind, the physically and mentally disabled. NYB dance workshops have touched the lives of many children in deprived inner city areas and introduced them to fitness and fun as a healthy way of living.  The content of the workshops is tailored to the abilities of the children with special needs and the theme of the workshops links in with the ballets the Company is performing.

As Jo Meredith leader of the Outreach team said ” I hope that the workshops have made the children realise that anybody, no matter what their background, can dance and that ballet can be engaged with and enjoyed by all!”

Over the last 2 years NYB taken Outreach to the following schools

• Ashford Oaks Primary School, Ashford
• Churchill C.E Primary School, Westerham
• Darenth Community Primary School, Dartford
• Dorton House, Seal. Special school for visually impaired children
• John Wesley Primary School, Ashford
• Moor House School, Hurst Green. Specialising in the education of children with communication disorders.
• Longmead Community Primary School, Tonbridge
• Oaktrees Community School, Maidstone
• Southborough Primary School, Southborough
• The Vale School, Haringey for children with physical disabilities

The main aim of the NYB is to offer talented young dancers, aged 8 to 18 years, an opportunity to participate in the creation, production and performance of ballet at a professional level. Dancers work with eminent composers, choreographers and teachers, gaining invaluable experience. NYB also encourages children from all walks of life to become involved with their Outreach Fit to Dance programme in schools and the community.

Many alumni have contracts with major ballet and musical theatre companies throughout the world.

In 2013, NYB will present a diverse and exciting programme, details of which will be announced in the New Year. We will be casting many classical and colourful character roles for a wide age range.

The NYB season will be structured as last season to minimise parents’ and students’ travel expenses. We will be returning to Tring Park School for the Performing Arts for our 10-day Summer School in August. Tring Park School is set in the most beautiful parkland and once again we will have the use of their spacious new dance studios. Provincial performances will all take place during the summer holidays at The Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford, Surrey. Details of the London Gala on a Sunday in September will be announced soon.

The Junior Associates (those under 12 years of age on 01/09/13*) will be asked to sign an acceptance contract committing them to rehearse as day pupils during Summer School at Tring Park School, Hertfordshire, between Monday 12th and Tuesday 20th August inclusive.

Main Cast: £695 covers the cost of full board and lodging at residential Summer School (includes £395 non-returnable deposit on acceptance of contract).
Balance of fees must be paid by Friday 7th June 2013

Junior Associates: £350 covers the rehearsals at Summer School
(includes £150 non-returnable deposit on acceptance of contract).
Balance of fees must be paid by Friday 7th June 2013.
There are no costume costs but dancers must provide a new pair of tights and shoes for each role danced.

Summer School / Rehearsals

Rachel Portman (award winning composer)

Main cast dancers will be asked to sign an acceptance contract committing them to attend a residential Summer School. This season, Summer School will be held from Sunday 11th to Tuesday 20th August 2013 inclusive at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts, Hertfordshire.

The Junior Associates (those under 12 years of age on 01/09/13*) will be asked to sign an acceptance contract committing them to rehearse as day pupils during Summer School at Tring Park School, Hertfordshire, between Monday 13th and Tuesday 21st August inclusive.
* If you are of JA age but would like to be considered for the Main Cast, please state this on your application form.

Scholarships and Bursaries for Main Cast Dancers only

Application form on request if recalled to final auditions

• 3 Senior Scholarships, Award £200
• 3 Junior Scholarships to dancers (under 14 yrs on 1st September 2013), Award £150
• 3 Bursaries to dancers who, without support, could not apply for the NYB season, Award £200

Any further scholarships will be announced on the website.