Name: Black British Ballet: A Moment of Joy in a Disordered World
Start: 2026-02-28T11:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-02-28T12:30:00+00:00
Location: Bewick Hall, Level 2, Newcastle City Library

Join us for a celebration of Black British Ballet through an interactive panel discussion, film showing and exhibition with refreshments.
About this Event

Join us for a celebration of Black British Ballet; a moment of joy in a disordered world.

This event will feature:

An interactive panel of dance artistes moderated by Dr Hannabiell Sanders of Ladies of the Midnight Blue
A showing of Island Movement: a Windrush Themed ballet
A mini-exhibition of Pioneers of Black British Ballet
Refreshments provided by The Seven Bridges of Dance City

Information about the panellists:

Dr. Hannabiell Sanders - Chair

Dr. G Hannabiell Sanders is an African American Jamaican, originally from New Jersey, USA. She holds a BFA in Music from Mason Gross School for the Arts, Rutgers University and a Masters and PhD in Music Performance from Newcastle University. With a musical career starting at the age of 9 she has become an award-winning performer, bass trombonist, African & Latin hand percussionist, composer, and activist.

Anand Bhatt

Anand is Artistic Director and CEO at Dance City. He was formerly Executive Producer at Aakash Odedra Company. Trained in the Indian Classical form of Kathak, heavily influenced by Michael Jackson as a child and more latterly a teacher of Bollywood dance, Anand is eager to think of Dance is a fluid language, across borders but each commanding their own respect of origins.

Martin Hylton

Martin is now a high profile leader in the dance community. He holds a Master’s Degree in Arts, Business and Creativity from Newcastle University and is a Clore Leadership Fellow. Through the Clore Leadership program and his passion for dance, Martin realised his vision to create Gateway Studio Project in 2012.

Benedicta Valentina Mamuini

Benedicta is a mixed heritage Angolan-Congolese freelance dance artist based in Newcastle. She trained on a partnership degree course at Dance City and has gone on to become an apprentice dancer to Resident Artist with balletLORENT and now freelancer teacher and performer working with various companies. Benedicta is enjoying rediscovering how her body now moves, communicates and forms after a little break away from the industry.

A treat for all, dancers or not, black or not. Let us all enjoy together.