The website, podcast and oral history project Voices of British Ballet launches on 25th March this year, encompassing over 500 interviews with people involved in the dance world. Those interviewed include dancers, choreographers and directors, from the 20th and 21st centuries.
Founded in 2002 by Patricia Linton, a former dancer with The Royal Ballet and a lecturer in ballet history at Central School of Ballet, Voices of British Ballet aims to preserve important oral testimony from people instrumental to the development of ballet in the UK.
Linton commented: “Thanks to the generosity of those who’ve lent their voices, VBB is a treasure trove of diverse and inspiring stories, filled with humour, heartbreak and determination.” The interviews detail all aspects of the industry, including contributions from composers, stage managers, choreographers and photographers.
Award-winning audio producer Natalie Steed acts as podcast producer and platform project manager, advising on all aspects of production. “Voices of British Ballet is a goldmine of wonderful stories that offers an unparalleled glimpse into the creative process,” she says. “It has been a joy to eavesdrop on and edit these conversations.”
VBB launches its first collection of six podcasts on 25th March, with episodes published weekly thereafter. Each episode includes additional material, photographs, background material and an edited transcript. The first collection includes interviewees Monica Ratcliffe, Christopher Wheeldon, Mark Morris and Antoinette Sibley.
Later episodes will include a roundtable discussion on the birth of London Festival Ballet with the company’s founding members, and the first of five hour-long specials with Dame Monica Mason.
While the collection is aimed at ballet lovers, it aims to be accessible to everyone, and available as a valuable tool for students and academics of dance history.
