Taking risks can bring rewards

Northern Ballet Theatre demonstrated yet again that taking a risk can bring big benefits. It is not easy balancing the books with ballet these days, yet their production of Dracula demonstrated that daring to be different could leave standing room only in a decent sized theatre.

In what has become something of a trade mark for Northern Ballet, they took a familiar but literary theme, and turned it into a ballet.

Dracula gave opportunity for some great dancing, but it was the story and emotion that carried the audience. And what emotion there was: love, lust, fear, happiness, sorrow as well as worrying madness. The tussle between good and evil takes a bloody turn in the Dracula tale, and Northern Ballet Theatre showed the good and less good in all the major characters. Whilst not exactly true to Bram Stoker’s 19th Century classic, it provided an evening of rich and thought-provoking entertainment.

In a world where the classical and well known ballets are guaranteed to draw an audience it is refreshing that to see something so different, yet so beautifully executed.

During these trying times in business it is worth thinking about standing out of the crowd; providing a product or service that does not follow the well trodden path, but delights customers in a new and different way. Of course such ideas are easier to say than to do. Northern Ballet Theatre celebrates their 40th anniversary this year, as with so many successful organisations they are no overnight sensation. What they are is an organisation that has decided safe might be even more risky than taking risks.