Created in Birmingham

Stuart Griffiths, Chief Executive at Birmingham Hippodrome, has blogged revealing what we can expect from their new season of dance.

As the climax of Birmingham Royal Ballet‘s 20th Anniversary celebrations, David Bintley’s brand new production of the classic fairytale, Cinderella, has been presented as a gift to the city. You can catch it from 24 Nov – 12 Dec (and follow the Creating Cinderella blog in the meantime), but before then there’s plenty to keep you entertained. A few of the highlights include:

• Birmingham Royal Ballet: Points of View 22 – 25 Sept
• Birmingham Royal Ballet: Romeo & Juliet 28 Sept – 2 Oct
• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Revelations 5 & 6 Oct
• Fresh from the West End is Blaze – The Streetdance Sensation 7 – 9 Oct

Matthew Bourne will be bringing his latest production north of London for the first time, plus the Welsh National Opera are offering a selection of new operas and revivals.

On the musical front, several favorites will be back by popular demand, with new productions of including Hairspray and Chess. Bringing 2010 to a close, Joan Collins tops the bill at this years pantomime, along with Julian Clary, Nigel Havers, Keith Harris and Orville, and Jeffrey Holland in a spectacular production of Dick Whittington.

For full listings take a look at the Hippodrome’s website along with Stuart’s full blog post.

Rob Lindsay at Birmingham Royal Ballet has been slaving away over a blog charting the development of Cinderella, David Bintley’s new full-length narrative ballet.

I’m a big fan of the pieces to camera that David has been using to document his past few productions, this takes things a little further and draws out some of the process of putting together a ballet – the sort of thing that you wouldn’t ordinarily see. I like.

• New ideas for Cinderella
  A Q&A with David Bintley about his new production for Birmingham Royal Ballet
• April Meet ‘em Up | Birmingham – 28 April
  The get-together for WM-based folks in the games industry rolls into Birmingham
• EAT A BOOK RECORDS!
  “yo, i’ve been running a little tape label for a short while now, im using this to post about releases, as well as put up interviews and writings that might be turned into an annual zine!!”
• Project Pigeon News « We Are Eastside
  An update on goings on at the pigeon loft
• Ideal Skateboard Supply
  The skate shop in the Custard Factory. I like their blog
• Best Believe – Vans film premiere in Birmingham
  Amy says – “Just peeped this over at Ideal Skate Supply, looks like they have secured a screening of the Vans film just out. This is a high coo by any standard. The film will be shown at the shop down at The Custard Factory on 24th April”
• Spaghetti Gazetti: Martineau 10 – the fight continues
  “This is a campaign which is trying to save the Martineau Centre, a building which belongs to Birmingham City Council on Balden Road”
• Flip Animation Festival 2010 calls for submissions
  “FLIP, and the festivals organisers, would like to invite animators to submit animated films of up to 15 minutes in length”
• The City Dream
  “A blog dedicated to reviewing and commenting on all things “arts” by a city life lad. Dedicated to theatre, modern / classic art, fashion, dance and all things cosmopolitan”
• Moseley Folk Festival 2010 – Stewards
  “We are looking for a team of friendly faces to help during the festival. In return for two shifts of stewarding you can free entry for the whole weekend”. Get the form here
• City of Culture – Talk to us | birminghamnewsroom.com
  Some follow up from the post where I had a look at Birmingham’s City of Culture related stuff (unfortunately what I intended as discursive has been taken as criticism)
• Digbeth is Good » Getgood Link: YouTube – CELLAR DOOR 2
  Nicky’s right, this does start off looking like something from a horror film. It’s the trailer for the new Rainbow venue

David Bintley’s good at these pieces to camera. Here he is announcing the ballet’s 20th anniversary season – favourites from over the years and a new production of Cinderella.

Prices have been frozen for this year, get in quick, etc and so on.

Yup, it’s that magic word free again. This time Birmingham Royal Ballet are offering a free choreographics presentation with a drinks reception and an introduction by company director David Bintley.

It’s on Thursday 11 February at 7.30pm at Elmhurst School for Dance. Tickets are limited to two per person and seats will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. If you act fast you can get your tickets here.

• Bintley triumphs at South Bank Show Awards
  “Birmingham Royal Ballet’s David Bintley held off stiff competition from Britain’s Got Talent winners Diversity and fellow ballet Limen by Wayne McGregor to win the dance category at the final South Bank Show Awards for E=mc2″. Quite right, it’s an incredible production
• An Endless Supply | Issue 9 Online
  New issue of the rather good zine. “You will (eventually) be able to pick up copies from Spike Island, Ikon Gallery, Eastside Projects, Outpost”
• Birmingham Conservation Trust’s new project is Bells Farm in Druids Heath
  “The Conservation Trust has been granted £14,000 of funding from English Heritage to carry out an architect’s appraisal at the 17th century Bells Farm in Druids Heath”
• West Midlands Heritage Strategy – Audiences Central
  “A strategy setting the overall direction for the heritage sector in the West Midlands has been laid out by the West Midlands Historic Environment Forum”
• Councillor Mike Sharpe – Birmingham City Council
  Mike is available for speaking gigs. Specialist topics – Birmingham’s artistic and cultural vibrancy
• Commercially Inviable Records » New World of Fox download – “Tiny Children”
  From the monthly free download series – “next up is “tiny children” which was originally by the teardrop explodes”
• Über Brum: Über Brum in Print.
  Nice one Über Brum
• Museums hit by ‘perfect financial storm’ – The Independent
  “Nearly 40 institutions are under threat or have already closed as lottery funding bonanza ends and credit crunch bites”. The Aston Transport Museum is named as one such that’s apparently under threat of closure
• Writers Wanted « The Blue Whale Blog
  “can you write about music without sounding like a complete plonker?” Get in touch with the good folks of the Blue Whale Blog if you can
• Sion Simon resigns as Minister and MP – Tom Watson MP – Birmingham: It’s Not Shit
  “Sion, MP for Erdington and Minster for Culture Media and Sport is standing down”. He fancies a run at being Mayor of Birmingham, apparently
• Laveyloo – AlphaBrum
  “the alphabet using google maps for areas in Birmingham”. Spot the buildings.
• Change of Chair at Arts Council England, West Midlands – Audiences Central
  “After almost eight years, Dorothy Wilson stood down as Chair of Arts Council England, West Midlands at the end of 2009, making way for Peter Phillips”