Dance the World and Millennium Performing Arts College are proud to present HOPE, a brand-new modern ballet created through a powerful artistic collaboration.
Directed and choreographed by Vanessa Gilbert, with additional choreography by Zak Nemorin and original composition by Min Kym, HOPE forms part of Millennium’s end-of-year showcase, Ignite 26.
This special performance offers audiences the chance to experience the first draft of an exciting new ballet, developed with a talented group of student performers.
The ballet will be presented as a 25-minute segment within a vibrant mixed programme, featuring a diverse range of styles including jazz, contemporary dance, ballet, and musical theatre.
This performance also supports the Dance the World charity initiative, with students being sponsored as part of the project.
Audiences are invited to witness this early and intimate stage in the development of a new ballet, as it begins its journey toward a full professional production.
Booking / Enquiries:
- Email: vanessa@danceamile.org
- Phone/Text: 07961 068845
Ballet Background & Story: “HOPE”
The inspiration for HOPE comes from a remarkable true story shared by a retired Army Major during a Musician’s Company lunch.
It tells of a soldier in the First World War who carried a violin with him into battle. Amid the harsh realities of trench warfare, he used the instrument both to comfort fellow soldiers and to document his experiences, scratching into the violin the dates and names of the battles he fought.
Against all odds, both the soldier and his violin survived, returning to England when peace was declared in 1918.
This extraordinary story highlights:
- The healing and transformative power of music
- The strength and resilience of the human spirit
A chance meeting at Glyndebourne between the ballet’s creator and acclaimed violinist Min Kym sparked the next stage of the project. With Min focusing on composition and Zak Nemorin joining as choreographer, HOPE began to take shape.
The ballet has been developed through workshops with students from Millennium Performing Arts College, resulting in this first staged version.
While the full original score is still in development, much of the music has already been composed by Min Kym, with plans to complete the score and further develop the choreography as the work progresses.
At its core, HOPE is a celebration of the enduring belief that, even in the darkest moments, music and creativity can uplift, sustain, and inspire hope within us all.