Neil Westmoreland

Neil Westmoreland PDTD Dip. (Dist) Biography

Neil was born in Hull, where he trained locally with Skelton/Hooper and with Dorothy Stevens M.B.E in Halifax. He was also a Yorkshire Scholar with Louise Browne O.B.E and received a scholarship to complete his training at English National Ballet School. Upon graduation he went overseas to join the corps de ballet of The Deutsch Oper Am Rhein Düsseldorf, Director - Heinz Spoerli and In 1996 he returned to London to join English National Ballet under the direction of Derek Deane, dancing in all of the extensive classical repertoire. Highlights include: Bigonzetti's 'XNTricities', Balanchine's 'Who Cares?' Performing alongside Marguerite Porter as Lord Capulet at The Royal Albert Hall in Derek Deane's 'Romeo and Juliet'. In 1998 he choreographed 'Charoca' for ENB’s Choreographic Evening. Neil joined Northern Ballet Theatre in 1999 and became a Soloist Artist, dancing and creating Principal and Soloist roles in the varied neo-classical and contemporary dance/drama repertoire including recreating the role of Lieutenant Pinkerton in the UK premiere of David Nixon's 'Madame Butterfly' dancing Romeo & Paris in 'Romeo and Juliet', Pip in 'Great Expectations' Mr Hyde in 'Jekyll and Hyde' Mitch and Pablo in 'A Streetcar named Desire' among many others. In 2003 Neil left NBT to develop as a freelance Artist/Choreographer/Teacher. He joined Matthew Bourne's New Adventures to play the title role in 'The Nutcracker!' Sadler's Wells and Far East Tour in 2004 and subsequently recreated the role of 'the Prince' in the 10th Anniversary of Matthew Bourne's critically acclaimed 'Swan Lake' Sadler’s Wells and Far East Tour 2005. Choreographic Credits: 2010 - 'Spring Awakening' for Move It 2010! (Kensington Olympia) 2009 - Choreographer on the documentary film - A History of Bedlam, (Seneca Productions) 2005 - 2010 'Laine Theatre Arts Summer Performance' (Epsom Playhouse) 2009/10 Performers College Graduate Showcase (Theatre Royal, Basildon) Teaching Credits include: Matthew Bourne's New Adventures, Royal Ballet School Boys Associate Programme and Summer School, English National Ballet School, Elmhurst School for Dance, London Contemporary Dance School (CAT Scheme), Laine Theatre Arts, Performers College, Dance School of Scotland, The Royal Academy of Dance, London Children's Ballet and Phil Winston's Theatreworks. Neil is Director of London Dance Theatre under the Patronage of Matthew Bourne. LDT offer Boys Sunday Dance Workshops at the Urdang Academy, London in Classical Ballet, Contemporary and Jazz, for young male dancers aged 11-18. www.londondancetheatre.co.uk He returns to New Adventures later this autumn to play 'the Father' and 'the Pilot' in Matthew Bourne’s revival of Cinderella - Sadlers Wells and World Tour 2011.