New Adventures (company)

New Adventures (company)
Name	New Adventures
Type	Private
Industry	Entertainment
Founded	1993
Founder	Celia Bannerman; Matthew Bourne (artistic association)
Headquarters	London
Key people	Matthew Bourne; Arlene Phillips; Darcey Bussell; Julian Fellowes
Products	Dance productions; touring shows; education programs

New Adventures (company) is a British dance production company known for contemporary reinterpretations of classical ballets and original narrative choreography. Founded in the early 1990s and associated with leading figures in British dance, theatre and film, the company has produced works that toured internationally across venues such as Sadler's Wells Theatre, Royal Opera House, and festivals including Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Brighton Festival. Its repertoire and collaborations span partnerships with institutions like English National Ballet, Royal Shakespeare Company, and broadcasters such as BBC and Channel 4.

History

Founded amid the revival of contemporary dance in 1990s Britain, the company emerged alongside companies like Rambert and Birmingham Royal Ballet as part of a reshaping of British performing arts after the influence of figures such as Margaret Brooke and Anthony Dowell. Early seasons included reinterpretations of works by choreographers connected to Nijinsky traditions and homages to productions staged at Covent Garden and touring circuits across Europe and the United States. The company developed signature productions that reworked narrative ballets—drawing comparisons with reinterpretations by Pina Bausch and revivals at the Vienna State Opera—while engaging creatives from West End theatre and independent film.

Throughout the 2000s the company expanded its touring footprint to venues like Barbican Centre, Lincoln Center, and Sydney Opera House, and entered into co-productions with orchestras including London Symphony Orchestra and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The company weathered shifts in public arts funding linked to policy decisions from Arts Council England and adjusted its programming in response to commissioning trends from institutions like Jerwood Arts and trusts such as Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

Services and Products

The company produces full-length dance productions, stripped-down touring shows, and shorter works for festivals such as Glastonbury Festival and Latitude Festival. It offers education and outreach programs delivered in partnership with conservatoires like Royal Academy of Dance, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, and universities including University of the Arts London. Publishing and recorded media outputs have appeared on platforms associated with BBC Two and Sky Arts, and DVD and streaming releases have been distributed via outlets similar to Warner Music Group and Universal Music Group subsidiaries. The company also provides residency and development services aligned with venues such as Tricycle Theatre and Harlow Playhouse.

Corporate Structure and Leadership

Operated as a privately held production company, governance includes a board drawn from patrons and industry leaders associated with Royal Society of Arts, British Council, and private philanthropists linked to foundations like The Wellcome Trust and Prince's Charities. Artistic leadership has featured choreographers and directors with profiles in Dance UK networks and award recognition from institutions like the Laurence Olivier Awards and National Dance Awards. Executive management has engaged consultants from KPMG and McKinsey & Company for strategic planning, and legal counsel with experience in intellectual property cases heard at venues such as Intellectual Property Enterprise Court.

Major Projects and Collaborations

Notable productions and collaborations include reinterpretations staged with involvement from creatives connected to Julian Fellowes, orchestral partnerships with BBC Symphony Orchestra, and casting draws from performers represented by agencies active in Royal Ballet and English National Ballet. Co-productions have been mounted with international companies and festivals such as Teatro alla Scala, Sadler's Wells, and Paris Opera Ballet festivals, and joint commissions with cultural ministries from countries represented at Venice Biennale and Cannes Film Festival events. Cross-disciplinary projects brought together designers and directors with credits on National Theatre productions and screen collaborations involving figures from BBC Films and Working Title Films.

The company has engaged choreographic exchanges with institutions like New York City Ballet affiliates and educational collaborations with schools linked to Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Touring projects have included residencies at cultural hubs like Southbank Centre and Tate Modern where site-specific pieces intersected with visual art programs curated alongside major exhibitions from collections such as Victoria and Albert Museum.

Financial Performance and Funding

Revenue streams derive from ticket sales at venues such as Royal Albert Hall, touring guarantees from promoters, educational contracts with public bodies and private donors, and royalties from broadcast deals with entities like ITV and Netflix-adjacent distributors. The company has benefited from grants and commissioning funds from Arts Council England, project funding from trusts including Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Goldsmiths' Company, and philanthropic support comparable to contributions from Prince's Trust. Financial adjustments followed sector-wide impacts from events like the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting emergency relief applications to schemes administered by UK Government bodies and partnerships with commercial sponsors drawn from global brands experienced in arts patronage such as Barclays and Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Reception and Impact

Critical reception in outlets with coverage like The Guardian, The Telegraph, The New York Times, and The Stage highlighted the company’s inventive storytelling and reinterpretation of canonical pieces, while academic analysis in journals associated with Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press examined its choreographic vocabulary and cultural positioning. Awards and nominations from institutions including the Laurence Olivier Awards and recognition by cultural organizations such as British Council signaled influence on contemporary dance practice in the UK. The company's outreach and education initiatives have been cited in policy discussions involving Arts Council England reports and contributed to career pathways for performers who later joined companies like English National Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet.

Category:British dance companies