ENGLISH NATIONAL BALLET Press Release<P>London, October 2, 2000<P>English National Ballet today announced that Derek Deane OBE will step down from his post as Artistic Director in August 2001 when his current contract with the Company expires. Mr Deane has led the Company since March 1993.<P>Derek Deane said:<P>"I am naturally sad to be leaving English National Ballet. Together we have built a remarkable Company, and I am very proud of the many great things we have achieved together. However after seven and a half years I need the challenge and opportunity to explore new areas of creativity. But I will not be severing my links with the Company. It is every Artistic Director’s vision to leave their mark on a ballet company and I believe that I have succeeded with a number of original new productions and our unique programme of ballet ‘in-the-round’. It is through these, as well as other new productions, that I will still be involved with English National Ballet for some years to come."<P>Angela Rippon, Chairman, said,<P>"Derek Deane has been an inspiration at English National Ballet. He has taken the Company to new heights of artistic and professional excellence, while his pioneering work in producing ballet ‘in-the-round’ has brought the joy and spectacle of classical ballet to whole new audiences all over the world. He leaves English National Ballet in terrific shape, so we, and the ballet world in general, owe him a huge debt of gratitude. We will miss him enormously, but wish him well in his future career."<P>Since 1993, Derek Deane OBE has created new productions of virtually the entire classical repertoire for English National Ballet and has introduced into the Company’s repertoire some challenging modern works. His ground breaking ‘in-the-round’ productions of the great classics have already brought a new audience to ballet, not only in the UK, but increasingly throughout the whole world.<P>Derek Deane was awarded an OBE in Her Majesty the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in June of this year.<BR>

Here is a link to a previous discussion we had on Deane:<BR> <A HREF="http://www.criticaldance.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/000217.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.criticaldance.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/000217.html</A>

Any early guesses as to who his successor may be?

Kevin, are you suggesting that I engage in idle speculation about a job which won't be advertised for 3 months?<P>Let me give it some thought!<P>

Stuart, perhaps you may even consider applying for the job yourself in 3 months' time!?

Grace, no to your question about Jefferies.

AND Bruce Sansom is doing his training here in San Francisco!

I agree with grace that most of the names in ballet.co's poll are rank outsiders. As always, whenever there is a poll about anything, Irek will win. Well after all, he's almost as good looking and charasmatic as me!<P>Mats Skoog is the most likely candidate in the list and as a former dancer in ENB and a successful AD of RNZ Ballet could well be in with a chance if he wants it.<P>It won't be an easy job. Thay are down to 5 principals from memory and are heavily dependent on guest Principals and mega productions in large venues to raise money. <P>I think the phrase 'challenging role' might well appear in the job description.

I am not sure if Stephen Jefferies is such a strong contender. Personally I have some reservations about a number of his artistic policies for the Hong Kong Ballet in the past 5 years, especially after comparing the company to the National Ballet of China which danced here last month. By the way, I guess that an announcement should be due from the Hong Kong company before Christmas as to whether Jefferies' contract will be renewed after next summer.<P><p>[This message has been edited by Kevin Ng (edited October 12, 2000).]

grace, note my use of the word, 'most'.

'Standards soared when Derek Deane arrived at English National Ballet, but programmes have been unadventurous. Now, frustrated by lack of money, he is leaving.' <P><A HREF="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/et?ac=000148269364269&rtmo=fsvVwDNs&atmo=99999999&pg=/et/00/12/5/btdeane.html" TARGET=_blank><B>Derek Deane talks to Ismene Brown.</B></A><BR>