ENB and ENBS new joint home in East London

Published: 22 May 2015
Reporter: Vera Liber

Tamara Rojo at London City Island Credit: Perry Curties

English National Ballet and English National Ballet School have announced plans for a new joint home in East London.

The move will bring under one roof one of the world’s leading ballet companies with a world-renowned ballet school and will create a centre that combines state-of-the-art training facilities, teaching and rehearsal studios alongside a unique production space unrivalled in the capital.

The joint home will be based at London City Island E14, a new neighbourhood from Eco World Ballymore. The development is a short distance from Canning Town and adjoins Trinity Buoy Wharf, which is home to an emerging creative and arts cluster. The companies seek to move into the new premises in Autumn 2018.

The new building is being designed by Glenn Howells Architects, and will include:

  • A theatre-sized studio space for the development and rehearsal of productions and creation of new commissions;
  • Eight large studios for rehearsals and teaching;
  • Training facilities including gyms, pilates and a modern rehabilitation centre;
  • Digital infrastructure which will allow both organisations to capture and share work and engage with audiences around the UK and the rest of the world;
  • Dedicated music room for the English National Ballet Philharmonic;
  • Open spaces that will give the public access to English National Ballet and English National Ballet School’s archives, and encourage engagement with local communities.

The centrepiece of the new facility is a rehearsal and development space, which includes a fly tower, needed for dress rehearsals with full sets and orchestra. This requires a 600 square metre wide, 23 metre high space. The rehearsal space has been designed so it can be used for any theatre production, not only dance.

English National Ballet is currently based at Jay Mews in Kensington operating out of a 19th century building originally designed for student housing, with only two rehearsal studios and with small offices arranged over multiple floors. English National Ballet School inhabits part of the listed Carlyle building in Fulham where it began with 12 students working across two studios and is now training upwards of 75 students per year with very little additional space.

English National Ballet and English National Ballet School announced their intention to find a new home in July 2014, appointing national commercial property consultancy Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) to identify opportunities and advise English National Ballet Board Member Grenville Turner on the process. LSH will now oversee the planned move to the new premises and manage the sale of English National Ballet’s existing facilities at Jay Mews, SW7.

Tamara Rojo, Artistic Director of English National Ballet and English National Ballet School, said, “I am incredibly proud of what we have been able to achieve in the last few years, and I now want to push the Company to the forefront of excellence and innovation by developing top talent, collaborating with the best artists at every stage of the artistic process, and creating an environment to produce ground-breaking and lasting new work that will inspire and excite audiences.

“I want to create a new space that allows us to produce and rehearse amazing work. Not only that, I want a building that will be available for other artistic organisations to rehearse too, whether they are staging opera, musicals or theatre. I want the space to echo to the sound of creative Britain.”

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, commented, "the planned relocation of English National Ballet and English National Ballet School to East London is an exciting development for one of the finest dance companies and schools in the world. Having bespoke, state-of-the-art facilities will strengthen this internationally renowned company's ability to create new work and to rehearse, as well as allowing its talent development and creative learning plans to flourish. The move will also open up new opportunities for local collaborations and further increase East London's growing status as an important cultural centre."

Caroline Thomson, Executive Director of English National Ballet said, “this move means we will have a new home with the kind of facilities one would expect from a world-class company, ensuring we can continue to deliver the kind of artistic achievements we have become synonymous with. I hope that our company will be inspired by the energy of the students from English National Ballet School, and the school will be inspired by the artistic excellence of our Company.”

Samira Saidi, Director of Dance at English National Ballet School, said, “we are really pleased to be planning for a new home with English National Ballet. This will give our students not only the very best in training facilities, but the opportunity to live alongside and be inspired by the dancers of our Company."

Delia Barker, Co-Director of English National Ballet School, added, “it has been our ambition to make English National Ballet School the first choice for the next generation of international ballet dancers. This new dance hub will make us more competitive in attracting exceptional talent, both from home and abroad.”

Justin Bickle, Chairman of English National Ballet and English National Ballet School Board member, said, “over the past two and a half years under the artistic and executive leadership of Tamara Rojo and Caroline Thomson, English National Ballet has been transformed into an innovative and outward looking touring ballet company, combining the best of the classics and ground-breaking work with new artistic partners.

"The Company is now ready to take the next logical step which is to move with English National Ballet School to a new long term home, with world class facilities fit for the dancers, students and staff. The creation of a tailor-made facility through our partnership with Eco World Ballymore will allow English National Ballet to cement its place as a real powerhouse in the dance world.”

Steve Sacks Chairman of English National Ballet School and Board member of English National Ballet, added, “this is an incredibly exciting step for the English National Ballet School. In addition to giving us a wonderful, new purpose-built facility, it gives our students the opportunity to work even more closely on a day-to-day basis with the Company.”

"With generous support from Eco World Ballymore, who have committed to delivering the shell and core of the building, English National Ballet and English National Ballet School will jointly fundraise for the costs of fitting out the facility."

Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin, Chairman of Eco World Ballymore said, “one of the things which makes London such a great city to live in is its celebration of arts and culture. Apart from its clear economic and societal benefits, the arts enable us to reflect creatively on the past, expand our minds and uplift our imaginations to dream about the future.

"We are therefore delighted to welcome English National Ballet to London City Island. Their presence will add immeasurably to the unique living experience we seek to create for our customers, not just here but at each and every one of our developments.”

Sean Mulryan, Chairman and Group CEO of Ballymore Group commented, “this partnership demonstrates our deep commitment to establishing City Island as one of the most exciting new destinations in London and we are honoured that English National Ballet, a truly inspiring artistic institution, has decided to make its new permanent home there. Recognition for City Island has so far been outstanding and we are confident that this partnership will help us to create a very special sense of place; a vibrant, dynamic new neighbourhood with creative innovation at its heart.”

*Some links, including Amazon, Stageplays.com, ATG Tickets, LOVEtheatre, BTG Tickets, Ticketmaster, The Ticket Factory, LW Theatres and QuayTickets, are affiliate links for which BTG may earn a small fee at no extra cost to the purchaser.

Are you sure?