MEDIA RELEASE

Diary date: Friday 4th August 2006, 7.30pm

Spafest 2006: New Arts Festival for Tunbridge Wells Announces
International Ballet Gala

EDF Energy Spafest is a major new festival for Kent and the Southeast.
Offering an amazingly varied programme of music, art and the performing
arts, the festival runs in the beautiful town of Tunbridge Wells from 21
July to 6 August.

Spafest, the major new arts festival based in Tunbridge Wells is delighted
to showcase some of the world’s top dancers in a major International Ballet
Gala on Friday 4th August at 7.30pm, at The Assembly Hall Theatre, Crescent Road,
Tunbridge Wells.

The Gala brings to the UK dancers from several major overseas ballet
companies, including some of the most exciting and best-known dancers from
across Europe. Those appearing include Marie-Agnes Gillot, Principal of the
Paris Opera; Silvia Azzoni, Jiri Bubenicek, and Otto Bubenicek, Principals
of the Hamburg Ballet; Adela Pollatova, Michael Stipa, Tereza Podarilova
and Alexandre Katsapov, Principals of The National Prague Theatre. (Full
artist line-up below)

This star-studded line-up will be performing some of the greatest and best
loved excerpts from the classical repertoire including Nutcracker and Romeo
and Juliet, plus neo-classical and contemporary pieces.

The performance will feature selections such as:

• Romeo and Juliet (Bedroom Pas de Deux), danced by Silvia Azzoni and Otto Bubenicek (The Hamburg Ballet)

• Nutcracker Pas de Deux, Danced by Tereza Podarilova and Michal Stipa (The National Prague Theatre)

• Intimate Distance Pas de Deux, danced by Marie-Agnes Gillot and Jiri Bubenicek (The Paris Opera and Hamburg Ballet)

• Traces Pas de Deux, danced by Charlotte Broom and Chris Akrill

Tickets for the International Dance Gala are £32 and £22 and are on sale now
via 0870 118 1606 or www.Spafest.co.uk <http://www.spafest.co.uk> .

Spafest is also offering a unique opportunity for young people to attend an
open training and technical rehearsal prior to the Gala performance. Limited
availability of only 250 places, allocated on a first come first served
basis Tickets £10 per student For more information please call 01892 500046
or email natasha@spafest.co.uk.

Ian Bowden, Spafest Festival Director says that the International Ballet Gala is a central part of Spafest 2006:

“We are very proud to be able to present an amazing line up as part of the
first Spafest International Ballet Gala. To have such an international line-up of dancers
and choreographers makes this a unique event, and an amazing opportunity for
people from across Kent and the South-East to enjoy world class ballet on
their doorstep.”

Sponsors Clydesdale Bank added:

“Clydesdale Bank and our co-sponsor Hop Farm Country Park are delighted to
be involved with Spafest and sponsoring the International Ballet Gala. This
one-off exclusive evening will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of this
exciting new festival. Featuring the finest Principal dancers throughout the
world, this magnificent occasion will be full of elegance, and charisma. We
look forward to welcoming you to this spectacular evening”

About Spa Fest

The South East of England gets a major new arts event this summer with the
launch of Spafest (www.Spafest.co.uk), a two week long arts and culture
festival based in the beautiful Georgian town of Tunbridge Wells, as part of
the celebration of 400 years since the founding of the spa town.

>From an opening concert by pop superstar Craig David, to an open-air closing
spectacular featuring classical sensation Katherine Jenkins, Spafest takes
in a huge range of theatre, dance, exhibitions, comedy, debates, fashion
shows, family events and concerts taking in pop, jazz, fusion and classical
music.

The first event of it’s kind in Kent, Spafest aims to become as widely known
and as important to the UK arts scene as the similar festivals in Edinburgh
and Brighton, with a partner fringe festival running from this first year.

Sponsors already committed to Spafest 2006 include Headline sponsor EDF
Energy, Allianz Cornhill, Bentley, Burrells, Yamaha and Lloyds TSB. A number
of events will be raising money for the nominated Spafest charities, World
Emergency Relief, a non-denominational charity working with those most in
need in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America and The Caribbean
(www.wer-uk.org), and Kent Air Ambulance Trust
(www.kentairambulancetrust.com).

ENDS

For all media enquiries and image requests please contact Steve Bustin at
Vada Media on 01273 734000 or steve@vadamedia.co.uk.

Note for editors: Full artist line-up:

Featured artistes:

• Natalia Horecna
• Leo Mujic
• Ilya Lauwen
• Inma Rubio Tomas
• Charlotte Broom
• Chris Akrill

Hamburg Ballet Theatre
• Jiri Bubenicek
• Otto Bubenicek
• Silvia Azzoni

The Royal Swedish Ballet
• Jan-erik Wikstrom

The Paris Opera
• Marie-Agnes Gillot

National Theatre Prague
• Adela Pollertova
• Tereza Podařilová
• Alexandre Katsapov
• Michal Stipa

Choreographers
• Christopher Hampson
• Jiri Bubenicek