Hello All,

Thought you might like to hear some news about my latest charity project.

As you may know, we moved back to live permanently in Suffolk two years ago, best thing we ever did. I absolutely love Suffolk. I’m obviously carrying on as Principal Character Artist and Ballet Master with The Royal Ballet and Tim has become Development Director for the central charity for the County, Suffolk Community Foundation www.suffolkcf.org.uk

You may also know that I recently joined the board of trustees at Dance East in Ipswich www.danceeast.co.uk and am, working in partnership with their team to support new choreographers and to encourage the community to get involved with the world class dance facilities that they have at The Jerwood Dance House in Ipswich.

When Tim suggested that we could possibly create a project that could raise £100,000 for Suffolk Community Foundation’s Arts and Culture Fund and support special outreach projects with the Foundation and Dance East, I thought we should go for it! And so….

For only the second time in half a century, dancers from The Royal Ballet Company will return to Suffolk for two unique charity gala performances at the Ipswich Regent in September 2016.

Led by me and a Royal Ballet all-star cast, we will perform a specially created programme of Royal Ballet classics, hosted by my very good friend Anton du Beke from BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.

I’m so thrilled that many of my best friends and favourite dancers have agreed to join me!! What a cast we have!!

In alphabetical order:

Luca Acri, Matthew Ball, Lukas Bjorneboe Braendsrod, Beatriz Stix-Brunell, Alexander Campbell

Reece Clarke, Helen Crawford, Mara Galeazzi, Meaghan Grace Hinkis, Ryoichi Hirano, Fumi Kaneko

Emma Maguire, Yasmine Naghdi, Kate Shipway & Zenaida Yanowsky

The programme will contain something for everyone including iconic pas de deux from Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake and The Nutcracker to spectacular modern classics by Wayne McGregor, Liam Scarlett, William Tuckett and Christopher Wheeldon. There will also be a special celebration of works by two choreographers who have closes links with Suffolk – Sir Frederick Ashton and Ronald Hynd.

You may also be taken on a trip to the Ballroom!!

AN EXCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITY TO BOOK THE BEST SEATS NOW

Advance purchase tickets are available for a very limited period until noon on Tuesday, May 3rd

In partnership with Essential Suffolk Magazine and DanceEast we are delighted to offer you a very special opportunity to see the show from the best seats, whilst at the same time supporting a young person in need to see the performance completely free of charge. We have created an outreach project that will allow young people from community groups in Suffolk to come and see the show for free. This includes their travel, a seat, a programme and, most importantly the opportunity to engage and be inspired by a world that it would be very difficult for them to access in any other way.

It’s very simple. Until noon on May 3rd, you can purchase the best seats in the house for £120 and every ticket you purchase will mean another child can attend.

This wonderful opportunity is available by telephoning the Ipswich Regent Box Office on 01473 433100 quoting booking reference ‘Dance-For-Suffolk’ or book online. You can purchase an unlimited number of these £120 tickets (subject to availability).

Tickets at all prices go on sale from the Ipswich Regent Box Office on May 4th at 9.30 am please call 01473 433100 or visit www.ipswichregent.co.uk

I am absolutely thrilled that companies stepping up to support this project already include BrandMe, Birketts, The East Anglian Daily Times, East of England Co-op, Essential Suffolk and Salthouse Harbour Hotel. Thank you everyone and hope to see you there!

If you are thinking of coming to Ipswich to see the show and would like to make a lovely weekend of it, do consider staying at the Salthouse Harbour Hotel, it's gorgeous! www.salthouseharbour.co.uk