The BRB professionals

The Ballet Hoo! project has involved Birmingham Royal Ballet staff from across the whole organisation, from the education department to the stage crew, the press office to the dancers. Many of them you may glimpse during the programmes. All have put in many hours of work to make this project a success, but undoubtedly none more than the artistic team, led by BRB's Assistant Director Desmond Kelly, including Marion Tait, BRB's former principal and now Ballet Mistress with the Company, and complemented by a dedicated team of freelance dance professionals and members of BRB's own talented dancers.

Andrew Christie
After completing his degree in Psychology as a B.Sc.(Hons) Andrew started his career in music first as a session musician in recording studios and then as a freelance composer. Since then his music has received airplay on Radio 1, BBC2, Channel 4 and Carlton TV. As a pianist and keyboard player he has performed on television countless times with such musicians as Nigel Kennedy and Nusrat Fateh Allah Khan. As a composer he has written music for animation films, symphony orchestras (including the BBC Philharmonic), and Birmingham Royal Ballet and his music has been performed in such prestigious venues as Sadlers Wells Theatre, London, Birmingham Hippodrome and Symphony Hall, Birmingham. He has also been Education Composer in Residence for The Lichfield International Arts Festival 3 years running. He composes in all styles of music from contemporary dance to classical and jazz, and is a consultant for A level Music Technology. He has written 20 CDs of educational dance music which he markets through his publishing company, The Sound Moves Music Company. In the last year he has composed music for 9 BBC programs.

Christopher Larsen
Originating from Canada, Christopher Larsen danced in both Switzerland and Hong Kong, before joining BRB seven years ago. He is a soloist with the Company ans has danced both straight and comic roles in a range of ballets, from Swan Lake to 'Still Life' at the Penguin Café. He was part of the Shift dance project last season, working with boys and young men with mental health issues.

He has been working with the Ballet Hoo! project since the very beginning, attending initial sessions with the young people in the individual communities. He has since aided BRB's Assistant Director Desmond Kelly with rehearsals, providing extensive support to all the participants.

Desmond Kelly
Born and trained in Zimbabwe, Desmond Kelly, Assistant Director, began his professional career with London Festival Ballet (now English National Ballet), becoming principal dancer at 21, before working with many international companies including New Zealand Ballet, The Royal Ballet and Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet.

He performed in Britain during the 1960s, and joined the Royal Ballet Companies in 1970, dancing the principal role in all the major classical repertoire and partnering many of the world's leading ballerinas including Margot Fonteyn, Antoinette Sibley, Merle Park, Natalia Makarova, Monica Mason (now Director of The Royal Ballet), Margaret Barbieri and Marion Tait (now BRB's Ballet Mistress). He is particularly noted for his interpretation of the Balanchine repertory, has created numerous roles for choreographers including Bintley, Carter, Corder, MacMillan, Seymour and Tetley, and continues to perform character roles with the Company.

Desmond has taught classical ballet to many international companies since 1985, becoming instrumental in the development of numerous dancers, particularly at BRB, where he was appointed Assistant Director in 1990.

As Assistant Director, he is a member of BRB's Senior Management Team and provides a communication and management link between the ballet staff and dancers, and the administration departments. He line-manages the Company's Ballet Staff, is responsible for the welfare of the dancers in liaison with the Jerwood Centre for the Prevention and Treatment of Dance Injuries, and teaches certain repertory to the Company, notably that of Balanchine and MacMillan.

Desmond was awarded an OBE in the 2005 New Year's Honours list. He is married to former dancer Denise le Comte and has two children and three grandchildren, all boys.

Donald Edwards
Donald Edwards received his first commission for dance from the Arts Council at the age of 18, and has been working in dance ever since, including choreographing, directing and producing. He was a founding member of Phoenix Dance Company, and RJC Dance productions, and has received the Black Achievers Award, and been nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award. Through his work he has met both Nelson Mandela and Princess Diana, and worked with many of Britain's leading choreographers, teachers and directors.

Gareth Griffiths
Gareth trained at London Contemporary Dance School, graduating with a BA in Contemporary Dance and Choreography. Dancer with Matthew Bourne’s highly acclaimed The Nutcracker for Adventures in Motion Pictures at Sadler’s Wells Theatre. Gareth has worked further with AMP as Education Co-ordinator for the new versions of Swan Lake and Highland Fling for the UK national tour and London West End Season.

Since 1995, as a Community Dance Artist with Birmingham Royal Ballet, Gareth has led workshops across the UK, in Hong Kong and in South Africa.

In 1999, Gareth reunited with Matthew Bourne and became Children’s Musical Stager for Cameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed production of Oliver.

Working extensively throughout the UK and at The Place, London, Gareth is also currently teaching A Level and GCSE Dance at Joseph Chamberlain College, Josiah Mason College, and Elmhurst School for Dance.

On Ballet Hoo! Gareth has assisted Desmond Kelly and Marion Tait in the reconstruction of the main dance sequences in a 'user-friendly' language, and has been involved in leading rehearsals in phase 2 of the project.