A Daring Dance: The Unlikely Tale of Gentleman Jack's Ballet Adaptation
In a bold move, Northern Ballet is reimagining Sally Wainwright's hit TV series Gentleman Jack as a ballet. Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, the choreographer behind the production, has revealed that she never heard of the 19th-century landowner Anne Lister when the project was first proposed to her. However, after binge-watching the series, she knew she had to bring Lister's story to life through dance.
What drew Lopez Ochoa to Lister was not just her audacious nature, but also her intelligence and smarts. "How she behaved around men to get what she wanted," Lopez Ochoa said, highlighting Lister's ability to use her brains to navigate a male-dominated world. As someone who has faced similar challenges in her own career as a female choreographer, Lopez Ochoa could relate to Lister's unapologetic attitude.
Lister's story is one of love and loss, particularly with regards to her relationships with two women: Mariana Lawton and Ann Walker. The ballet will focus on these two women, exploring the complexities of their love for each other in a time when same-sex relationships were not widely accepted. Lopez Ochoa is determined to create a nuanced portrayal that avoids clichés and stereotypes, opting instead for a more sensual and sinuous style.
To achieve this, the dancers playing Lister and her partner will wear flat shoes rather than pointes, allowing them to move with greater freedom and intimacy. The pas de deux will be reimagined to prioritize emotional connection over acrobatic lifts, creating a more realistic and relatable portrayal of love between women.
Lopez Ochoa hopes that the ballet will inspire a similar impact on audiences as the TV series has had on fans worldwide. She acknowledges that there is still a lack of representation for lesbian dancers in the world of ballet, and she wants to challenge this by creating a character that embodies Lister's spirit.
As Lopez Ochoa prepares to bring Gentleman Jack to life on stage, she is confident that her vision will be met with resistance – but also with excitement. "Let's get raunchy!" one of the dancers quipped during rehearsal, reflecting the same energy and passion that defines Lister's story. With its bold choreography and unflinching portrayal of love and desire, Gentleman Jack: The Ballet promises to be a game-changer in the world of classical dance.
In a bold move, Northern Ballet is reimagining Sally Wainwright's hit TV series Gentleman Jack as a ballet. Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, the choreographer behind the production, has revealed that she never heard of the 19th-century landowner Anne Lister when the project was first proposed to her. However, after binge-watching the series, she knew she had to bring Lister's story to life through dance.
What drew Lopez Ochoa to Lister was not just her audacious nature, but also her intelligence and smarts. "How she behaved around men to get what she wanted," Lopez Ochoa said, highlighting Lister's ability to use her brains to navigate a male-dominated world. As someone who has faced similar challenges in her own career as a female choreographer, Lopez Ochoa could relate to Lister's unapologetic attitude.
Lister's story is one of love and loss, particularly with regards to her relationships with two women: Mariana Lawton and Ann Walker. The ballet will focus on these two women, exploring the complexities of their love for each other in a time when same-sex relationships were not widely accepted. Lopez Ochoa is determined to create a nuanced portrayal that avoids clichés and stereotypes, opting instead for a more sensual and sinuous style.
To achieve this, the dancers playing Lister and her partner will wear flat shoes rather than pointes, allowing them to move with greater freedom and intimacy. The pas de deux will be reimagined to prioritize emotional connection over acrobatic lifts, creating a more realistic and relatable portrayal of love between women.
Lopez Ochoa hopes that the ballet will inspire a similar impact on audiences as the TV series has had on fans worldwide. She acknowledges that there is still a lack of representation for lesbian dancers in the world of ballet, and she wants to challenge this by creating a character that embodies Lister's spirit.
As Lopez Ochoa prepares to bring Gentleman Jack to life on stage, she is confident that her vision will be met with resistance – but also with excitement. "Let's get raunchy!" one of the dancers quipped during rehearsal, reflecting the same energy and passion that defines Lister's story. With its bold choreography and unflinching portrayal of love and desire, Gentleman Jack: The Ballet promises to be a game-changer in the world of classical dance.
I mean, reimagining Gentleman Jack as a ballet? Genius! Anne Lister's story is so underrated, it's amazing they're giving her the spotlight. And I love how Annabelle Lopez Ochoa is bringing a modern sensibility to the piece - ditching pointes for flats is a game-changer. It'll be interesting to see how the pas de deux plays out, but I'm all for prioritizing emotional connection over acrobatic lifts. Can't wait to see this and hopefully it'll spark some conversation about representation in ballet 
! I mean, who wouldn't want to watch Anne Lister's story come alive on stage? But wait, what if they mess it up? 
I mean, how can they possibly do justice to such an incredible woman and her story? And don't even get me started on the choreographer's claim that she never knew who Anne Lister was before watching the TV series. Like, really? 
What's next, someone saying they've never heard of Beyoncé because they're a fan of country music? 
Bring on the passion and energy, and let's get ready to see some amazing performances!
And to think the choreographer didn't even know who she was when she first got approached – that's just wild! 
. And I'm sure it'll be a total game-changer in the world of classical dance – we need more representation like this! 
... just kidding, kind of. But seriously, I think this ballet is going to be amazing and I'll definitely be checking it out when it premieres!
. It shows she's not afraid to take risks and challenge the status quo. And I'm so down with her mission to create a nuanced portrayal of love between women that avoids clichés and stereotypes 
. It's about time we see more diverse representation in the world of ballet, especially when it comes to LGBTQ+ stories. Can't wait to see how this production turns out! 
75% of the audience is expected to be female, with a median age of 28... that's like, totally on point for a ballet about love and identity 
Did you know that LGBTQ+ representation in classical dance is still woefully underrepresented? 
. I'm predicting this ballet will break some serious box office records... 
40% increase in ticket sales predicted for the first month of performances 
.
i'm also super excited for the pas de deux to be reimagined as an emotional connection over acrobatic lifts. can't wait to see how it all comes together!!!
and i love how they're pushing the boundaries with the flat shoes and more sensual choreo. it's all about capturing that intimate, emotional connection between women in a time when same-sex relationships were super taboo. can't wait to see how it all comes together on stage! 
. I'm all about it – let's get raunchy and see some real passion and energy on that stage! 
can't wait to see this ballet come to life! 
I love that they're going for a sensual and sinuous style, avoiding clichés and stereotypes. It's great that Annabelle Lopez Ochoa wants to challenge the lack of representation for lesbian dancers in ballet - it's about time we saw more diverse stories on stage! 
she faced so much oppression and violence just for being herself and her love life. and now they're gonna bring it to the stage with a pas de deux that prioritizes emotional connection over acrobatic lifts? that sounds like a breath of fresh air 
i hope it gets a lot of attention but also some criticism because let's be real, ballet hasn't always been the most inclusive or representative of all dancers and artists 
! I mean, who wouldn't want to see Anne Lister's story reimagined through dance? The way they're pushing boundaries with the flat shoes and pas de deux focus on emotional connection over lifts is genius 
. The fact that she's drawing inspiration from Lister's intelligence and smarts really resonates with me - we need more female leads in dance who aren't just passive pretty faces 
and that pas de deux is gonna be SO sensual and intimate