Leading ballet dancer to appear on TV screens

Northern Ballet’s critically-acclaimed production of 1984 will be shown on BBC Four at 7.30pm -on Sunday.

In the leading roles are premier dancers Tobias Batley, from Rivington, near Chorley, and Martha Leebolt as Winston Smith and Julia.

The former Rivington Primary School pupil trained at the Hammond School, in Chester, and the Royal Ballet School, before joining a French company and then Northern Ballet.

The ballet premiered in Leeds in September and live performances at Manchester’s Palace Theatre were filmed.

The Space commissioned the production as part of its collaboration with BBC Arts.

Northern Ballet’s artistic director David Nixon said: “Northern Ballet already tours more widely than any other ballet company in the UK but unfortunately it is not possible to reach all corners of the country.

“Opportunities such as this ensure that audiences nationwide will be able to access our work and have the chance to view world-class narrative ballet at its best.”