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Desmond Kelly GalaJuly 4, 2008 Birmingham Royal Ballet held a Gala last Saturday to celebrate the career of Assistant Director Desmond Kelly, who retires at the end of the 2007-08 season. The focal point of the evening was a performance on the Birmingham Hippodrome main stage, featuring a host of pieces danced by members of Birmingham Royal Ballet and guests and old friends from companies world-wide. Each one had some relevance to Desmond's illustrious career as a dancer, and was introduced by a guest speaker who shared stories and anecdotes about the Assistant Director. The performance featured: La Sylphide: Act II pas de deux - Roberta Marquez and Ivan Putrov (Royal Ballet) Spring Waters: Pas de deux - Ambra Vallo and Dominic Antonucci Apollo: Pas de deux - Tiit Helimets (San Francisco Ballet) and Jenna Roberts Prodigal Son - Elisha Willis and Robert Parker Taming of the Shrew: Fight pas de deux - Leslie Heylmann (Dresden Ballett) and Filip Barankiewicz (Stuttgart Ballett) The Nutcracker: Grand pas de deux - Rachel Rawlins (Australian Ballet) and Matthew Lawrence Hobsons Choice: Clog dance - Robert Parker Enigma Variations: 'Nimrod' - Joseph Cipolla, Silvia Jimenez, Alain Dubreuil Ballet Hoo!: Mandolin Dance - Jason, Jovan, Leroy, Linden, Melhado, Nick, Wesley Romeo & Juliet: Balcony pas de dex - Miyako Yoshida and Ivan Putrov (Royal Ballet) Theme and Variations: Finale - Nao Sakuma, Jamie Bond, Artists of Birmingham Royal Ballet and students of Elmhurst School for Dance The Royal Ballet Sinfonia was conducted by Barry Wordsworth, Paul Murphy and Philip Ellis. The performances were met with an appreciative response for the packed out auditorium, with gasps, cheers and tears throughout the evening, making it impossible to pick out a highlight. Speakers included David Bintley, Marion Tait, Galina Samsova, Lady MacMillan and Christina from the Ballet Hoo! project, Sir Peter Wright and Alan Titchmarsh, all of whom heaped praise upon Desmond. Marion in particular, with a tender and emotional account of the friendship between the two, caused the whole house to shed a tear. At the end of the show Desmond joined all performers on the stage, and received a standing ovation of several minutes. Visibly emotional, he stepped forward to give a speech, asking if he could address all present not as 'Ladies and Gentlemen', but as 'Friends'. Following a speech in which Desmond thanked everyone involved in creating 'the best night of my life', David Bintley stepped forward once again to make a surprise announcement. He introduced Michael Berkeley, Chairman of The Governors of The Royal Ballet, who presented Desmond with the Gold Medal Award, given only once a year, to those who 'have made a significant difference to the Royal Ballet Companies'. This was met once again with a standing ovation from all present, and as the curtain fell those on stage gathered around Desmond to embrace and congratulate. Christopher Barron, the Company's Chief Executive, later lauded the event 'an enormous success', and thanked everyone involved. 'To say the obvious, it was a massive amount of work that paid off many times over,' he said afterwards. 'I was thrilled for the company achievement and for giving Desmond such a fabulous send off.' David Bintley likewise praised the event, calling it a 'truly fantastic evening'. He thanked all involved in the evening so memorable, stating: 'What a myriad of talents the Company encompasses, and what a man that could inspire us to those heights!' ENDS |
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