The ballet group’s move to the city center will bring dance to Bradford’s communities

A BALLET company is to open a new base in a building in Bradford city center this summer and hopes to attract dancers from across the city’s communities.

The Resurgence project will be based in the Latitude building – the former HMRC offices on Nelson Street.

The group will combine “elite” programs for dancers with offering community outreach activities that aim to open up opportunities for people who might otherwise struggle to participate in the world of ballet.

Based on the fourth floor of the building, the not-for-profit, community interest company is busy creating a large open studio space, a mid-sized studio and areas for strength training and conditioning, as well as space for personal trainers.

Martin Howland at the studio under construction in Latitude (Image: Newsquest)

And one of the organisation’s founders hopes their dancers can play a big part in future City of Culture celebrations, as well as providing a boost to the regeneration of Bradford city centre.

The community interest company says its aim is “to provide free technical training to communities regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability or circumstances”.

The group is led by artistic director Martin Howland – a Brighouse dancer who successfully auditioned for the Royal Ballet School aged 11.

Martin Howland, Artistic and Technical Director (Image: Newsquest)

He toured the world as a dancer before moving into teaching and training.

Kay Reardon is the director of operations for the company and is also a former dancer who has moved into teaching, particularly for children in disadvantaged areas.

It currently offers courses and training in Leeds but plans to move to Bradford to give more opportunities for people to take part in what is often seen as an activity closed to many people.

Outreach in Leeds has seen children in the city’s Meanwood area offered free ballet lessons, and Project Resurgence aims to offer similar projects in Bradford.

Latitude (Image: Newsquest)

Mr Howland said: “The space should be ready by mid-August in preparation for the start of the academic year.

“We want to give people the means to access dance and aim to provide training they can afford. We’re trying to make a platform where everyone can find it at affordable prices.”

Although the organization currently focuses on dancers aged four to 18, the aim is to expand to all ages, offering sensory sessions for young children, classes for parents and babies and dance training for people of all ages.

Mr Howland said: “We want classes for every age range from 0 to 90.”

Martin Howland, artistic and technical director, in the new studio space (Image: Newsquest)

He said there was a “big call” for ballet classes, particularly for beginners, and the move to Bradford would hopefully meet that need.

Mr Howland said around 120 children currently attend weekend classes and when the Bradford studio opens it will bring hundreds of people into the city center on a regular basis.

There will also be a cafe space for parents in the building.

He added: “It will also have a first – a rehabilitation space inside the studio. If a dancer is injured, they will be able to train and take part in lessons. There will be a rest and recovery room next to the studio.

“We’ll be doing shows – that’s part of the plan going forward and we want to keep it in Bradford.”

He said the move to the city center comes at a good time, with the City of Culture just months away and the Brit School preparing to open a Northern Academy in the city center in the coming years.

Hoping his students will play a role in 2025, he said: “They are people we want to talk to once we get a bit more exposure. We hope we can fuel the City of Culture.”

He also hopes to partner with other businesses in Bradford, adding: “We don’t want people to have to go to Leeds to buy equipment, we want everything to stay in Bradford.”

The Latitude building was one of two HMRC offices in the city center until it closed in 2019.

It has since been transformed into a more flexible space, with different floors rented out to different companies and organizations. Part of the space was occupied by Regus, a company that offers serviced office space.