North East dancer returns home to star in Ballet Cymru’s winter production of Giselle at Dance City

Dance City will enchant audiences this December as Ballet Cymru returns for the second year running with a production of Giselle, the timeless tale of love, heartbreak and redemption — featuring a North East dancer taking the lead male role.

Hexham-born dancer Jacob Hornsey, who trained at Dance City’s Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) programme, will perform the role of Albrecht. Jacob made his return to the region last year as Romeo in Ballet Cymru’s Romeo and Juliet, and describes performing again at Dance City as “coming home.”

“I’m really looking forward to returning to Dance City. This is where I learned, where I was encouraged and challenged and where dance truly became part of my life. Having my family and friends in the audience will make this performance very special,” he said.

Produced by award-winning Ballet Cymru, Giselle blends Adolphe Adam’s original, classical score with striking new choreography by Darius James OBE and Amy Doughty, distinctive costumes and immersive video projections. The atmospheric production tells the tragic story of a young Welsh girl whose heartbreak carries her beyond the grave.

Jacob added: “Giselle is one of the great ballets because it holds so much emotion. There’s beauty, love, betrayal, heartbreak and then this otherworldly power in the second act. Albrecht is demanding to dance, especially the partnering, but it’s rewarding because the story resonates so deeply with audiences. When Giselle is performed well, people feel it.”

Anand Bhatt, Artistic Director and CEO of Dance City, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Ballet Cymru back to Dance City for this evocative and powerful reimagining of Giselle. The team has been working very hard at Dance City to imagine a programme for Christmas, and a Christmas season ballet in the North East was the overwhelming favourite for our theatre. Giselle the perfect winter performance: compelling storytelling, breathtaking movement and a production that audiences of all ages can connect with.

“It feels especially fitting to welcome Jacob back during Dance City’s 40th anniversary year, as we celebrate the people and partnerships that have shaped our dance community. We hope audiences will join us for a truly memorable evening.”

Giselle will run at Dance City on Temple Street, Newcastle, from Thursday 4 December to Saturday 6 December, with performances each evening at 7:30pm. To book tickets visit www.dancecity.co.uk/performance/288499/giselle-ballet-cymru or call 0191 261 0505.