National dance company to move to opera house

Jersey's national dance company is moving into a new base.

Ballet d'Jèrri (BDJ) is to move from Fort Regent into studio space in Jersey Opera House in St Helier, which it says will help the company rehearse its expanding repertoire.

BDJ said the new central base would also allow the public to watch open rehearsals and join in workshops.

The dance company is celebrating the move by inviting islanders to a free open studio event on 2 May.

BDJ has been granted an interim license to use a small part of the opera house until the theatre is fully reopened.

In January the Jersey Opera House warned it must find an extra £1.5m if it is to complete its refurbishment.

The Government of Jersey invested more than £12m into the project that began in March 2020.

The refurbishment had been due to to be completed by the summer of 2022 but the complexity of the renovation work has resulted in delays.

BDJ's school programme will give children a chance to experience the new venue.

BDJ's director of youth programmes Helen Oliver said: "The physical nature of interpreting something through dance makes it so intrinsically relatable.

"The teachers have started to comment on the positive effect it is having on students' behaviour."

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