Royal Ballet performance reopens Hull New Theatre

Hull-born dancer Demelza Parish performed in the world premiere of Heart's Furies at the opening of the New Theatre

Hull's biggest theatre has reopened after a £16m refurbishment, with a specially-choreographed performance by the Royal Ballet.

The opening performance on Saturday at the Hull New Theatre, which shut last year, featured a show by Hull-born Royal Ballet director Kevin O'Hare.

Other world-renowned dancers from Hull who danced in Opening the New included Xander Parish and his sister Demelza.

Xander originally trained at Hull's Skelton Hooper School of Dance.

He became the first Briton to be a principal dancer at Russia's Mariinsky Ballet.

Hull New Theatre closed in 2016 for a £16m refurbishment

Royal Ballet soloist Elizabeth Harrod, English National Ballet principal dancer Joseph Caley and Royal Ballet director Kevin O'Hare, who curated the performance, all trained at Skelton Hooper.

The school - now run by Vanessa Hooper - was founded after World War II by Vera Skelton, Hooper's mother.

A hundred pupils from local dance schools put on outdoor performances of Take Flight, based on Swan Lake, in Trinity Square

Hull 2017 said Opening the New, the Royal Ballet's first performance in Hull for 30 years, was a "highlight" of the City of Culture programme.

The Royal Ballet said the "unique collaboration" with Hull dancers celebrated the city's role in producing some of the UK's finest dancers.

To mark the occasion, 100 pupils from four Hull dance schools also put on free outdoor performances of Take Flight, a dance based on Swan Lake, in Trinity Square on Saturday.

Hull New Theatre closed in 2016 for a £16m refurbishment