To mark the golden anniversary of the Yorkshire Ballet Seminars a new book, 25 Summers, has been released charting the first twenty-five years of the iconic course.
Written by Catherine Birch and Helen Bruce, 25 Summers documents how classes at a local church hall became a world-famous ballet course, attracting some of the greatest names in British dance history to give masterclasses, performances and lectures in the Yorkshire Dales town of Ilkley between 1973 and 1998.
The book, with a foreword by Kevin O'Hare CBE, Director of The Royal Ballet, is illustrated with numerous photographs from the Seminar archives and personal collections, and by original sketches made during the course by renowned artists Dorothy Bradford and David Barry. Special thanks to The Linbury Trust and WW Spooner Charitable Trust for generously supporting the publication of 25 Summers.
‘I congratulate you on writing the story of the Seminars in Ilkley. The marvellous thing, of course, is that David Gayle invited some of the greatest names from the history of ballet in our time to teach in Ilkley. And not just to teach the special little flowers, but to teach the local kids. Hurrah! My dear, who does that nowadays?’
Clement Crisp OBE
Former Dance Critic, The Financial Times and The Spectator
‘There was a burgeoning of talent coming out of the Yorkshire region in the seventies, which continued through the eighties and nineties, and a particular increase in boys taking up ballet. I’m sure that the Yorkshire Ballet Seminars had a large part to play in that.’
Sir David Bintley CBE
Choreographer; Former Director, Birmingham Royal Ballet Former Principal Dancer, Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet and The Royal Ballet
‘It was a way of finding talent in the north; to nurture, channel and direct it. It was extraordinary because these incredible people were coming up to Ilkley Moor. It was quite phenomenal.’
Marguerite Porter MBE
Former Senior Principal Ballerina, The Royal Ballet Former Director, The Yorkshire Ballet Seminars
‘David was one of the first people in England to do a residential ballet seminar on that scale, with all those different elements, and he is a silent hero really because he has never taken the credit.’
Wayne Sleep OBE
Former Senior Principal Dancer, The Royal Ballet; Founder Dash
Star of musical theatre, film and television
‘Ilkley was where it all started and it was a wonderful setting. There was always a sense of camaraderie and fun, and I used to enjoy seeing the progress of the students each year.’
Dame Beryl Grey CH DBE
Former Prima Ballerina, The Royal Ballet
Former Artistic Director and President, London Festival Ballet/English National Ballet
‘It’s very good that an official record has been written. It was such a pleasure to be involved with the course. We felt a bit more important when we could say, “We’re going to the Yorkshire Ballet Seminars!”’
Sir Peter Wright CBE
Choreographer, and Founding Director Laureate, Birmingham Royal Ballet