Ballet company to open new base in Bradford

Project Resurgence is known for its community outreach work

A ballet company is to open a new base in Bradford and hopes to attract dancers from all communities.

Project Resurgence will be based in the Latitude building – the former HMRC offices on Nelson Street.

It hopes to provide "elite" programmes for dancers alongside community outreach work, with the aim of opening up ballet to all, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

The non-profit community interest group is creating a large studio space on the fourth floor of the building.

LDRS said Project Resurgence would also offer a medium-sized studio, areas for strength-and-conditioning training, space for personal trainers and a café aimed at parents.

The group is led by artistic director Martin Howland – a Brighouse dancer who successfully auditioned for the Royal Ballet School aged 11. He toured the world as a dancer, before becoming a teacher.

Kay Reardon, the operations director, is another former dancer who turned to teaching children, particularly those from deprived areas.

The company is based on the fourth floor of the Latitude building

At present, they run classes and training in Leeds, where outreach work has included offering free ballet training to children in the Meanwood area.

Project Resurgence aims to provide similar opportunities in Bradford.

Mr Howland said: "The space should be ready by mid-August in preparation for the start of the academic year.

"We want to give people the means to access dance and we aim to provide training they can afford."

According to Mr Howland, the move comes at a good time, with City of Culture just a few months away and the Brit School set to open a Northern Academy in the city centre in the coming years.

"Hopefully we can feed into City of Culture,” he added.

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