Summer is nearly over and what better way to get over them holiday blues than by booking some exciting theatre for you to look forward to this September!

Sunday 3rd September – Ann Maguire Gala – 7:30pm

Location: The Grand Theatre, 46 New Briggate, Leeds LS1 6NZ

Tickets: £16-£61 Tickets available through The Grand Theatre

“The Ann Maguire Gala is a unique opportunity to see a world-class line up of dancers, choreographers and musicians come together for a special performance in support of the Ann Maguire Arts Education Fund.

This is the first time the Ann Maguire Gala will be staged in Leeds, the evening features stars from The Royal Ballet performing divertissements from the classical ballet repertory including works by Frederick Ashton, Kenneth MacMillan, Christopher Wheeldon and Liam Scarlett. There will be a special guest performance by Northern Ballet dancing a duet from Jonathan Watkins award winning ballet 1984. Royal Ballet Principal Steven McRae performs his knockout tap solo Czardas accompanied by violinist Vasko Vassilev and there will be special performances by young people that the fund has supported.

The Ann Maguire Arts Education Fund has been set up by the Maguire family for the enhancement and development of young people through arts education.”

Tuesday 5th- Saturday 9th September – Northern Ballet – The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas – 2:00pm/7:30pm

Location: West Yorkshire Playhouse, Playhouse Square, Quarry Hill, Leeds, LS2 7UP

Tickets: £15-£40 Tickets available through West Yorkshire Playhouse

Divided by a barbed wire fence, Bruno doesn’t understand anything about where Shmuel lives, or who he is. To him, he’s just a new friend – a boy wearing a pair of striped pyjamas.

As this unlikely friendship blossoms against the backdrop of the unthinkable events of World War II, Bruno’s childlike curiosity leads this poignant story to a devastating conclusion.”

The UK’s foremost narrative ballet company, Northern Ballet, present this heartbreaking story through dance for the very first time.”

Northern Ballet - The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas, photo credit Emma Kauldhar

Sunday 10th September – Rip It Up The Show – 7:30pm

Location: York Barbican Theatre, York Barbican, Paragon Street, York, North Yorkshire, YO10 4AH

Tickets: £28-£47.60 Tickets available through Eventim

“JAY McGUINESS, NATALIE LOWE and LOUIS SMITH will swing, bop, jitterbug, lindy hop, jive and ballroom through the greatest songs from the greatest decade of music! The music in the show spans various styles from romantic ballads and crooner songs through to classic pop hits and the shattering world of rock ‘n’ roll.

If you loved Dreamboats & Petticoats, That’ll Be The Day, with a little twist of Strictly then this is the show for you!”

Wednesday 27th – Saturday 30th September – Phoenix At Home: A Celebration of Female Choreographers 7:30pm

Location: Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre, Quarry Hill, Leeds, LS2 7PA

Tickets: £15 (£12 Students) available through Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre

“Expect to see a vibrant showcase of dance celebrating the work of female choreographers. Highlights include Calyx, a first commission for company dancer Sandrine Monin, and a never before seen excerpt from the research and development of Windrush, a major new piece by Sharon Watson. Windrush will premiere in 2018 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the arrival of SS Windrush that brought the first wave of Caribbean migrants to Britain. Paired with edgy, playful solos and guest performances from the rising stars at Phoenix Academy, this year’s Phoenix at Home promises to be a thrilling evening of dance.”

Phoenix At Home: A Celebration of Female Choreographers, photo credit Steve Hanson

Thursday 28th September – Northern Connections Part 2 – 7:30pm

Location: The Riley Theatre, Northern School of Contemporary Dance, 98 Chapeltown Road, Leeds, LS7 4BH

Tickets: £9 (£5) Tickets available through The Riley Theatre

“A second Triple Bill showcasing work by emerging choreographers based in the North of England.

Blue Monday, choreographed by Joseph Reay-Reid. Combining spoken word and strong physicality, Blue Monday follows the stories of three individuals who each want to escape their everyday, ordinary lives.

New Work (Title tbc), by 70:30 Split. Created by 70:30 Split’s artistic directors Lydia Cottrell and Sophie Unwin, this work examines male physicality and the psychology of the crowd.

New Work (Title tbc) created and performed by Gracefool Collective. Using their signature blend of dance, theatre, comedy and politics, this new piece sees the four woman strong collective wrestle with the social expectation to ‘couple up’. Expect irreverent physicality, sharp writing and arresting characters.”

Thursday 5th-Friday 6th October – Light Night Leeds

Location: Leeds

 

Tickets: Unticketed (may vary with some events)

It may not be in September but I couldn’t end this post without recommending you all to get out in the city on these two nights! If you haven’t been in Leeds city centre on Light Night before then you are most definitely missing out. Every year in Leeds, Light Night brings you not one, but TWO nights filled with a variety of different events, performances and fantastic things to see across the city. Although the lineup and schedule is not yet released I would definitely recommend heading up to Millennium Square, and if dance performances are what you’re most interested in do no miss Bish Bash Bosh at Yorkshire Dance on the Friday!