Retired dancer returns to stage four decades on
balletLORENTA former professional dancer has come out of retirement to return to the stage that inspired him to take up his career almost 40 years ago.
Geoff Hopson, 53, from Stockton, returns to Darlington's Hippodrome on 16 May to play the King in a ballet production of Snow White.
The venue, formerly known as Darlington Civic Theatre, is where Mr Hopson first discovered his passion for dance at the age of 16.
After an international career, Mr Hopson said he was "excited" to return to the stage where it all began.
He said he was inspired to become a dancer after seeing an all-male cast in a Gang of Five production at the venue.
Mr Hopson, who retired after an injury when he was 34, said: "When I saw the five male dancers perform in Darlington all those years ago, they were everything I wanted to be.
"They were athletic, powerful, graceful – I saw what they were capable of and knew it was what I wanted to do.
"I didn't even tell my mother I was studying to be a dancer until I was in my second year of training, so I definitely didn't come from that sort of theatrical, performing background."
Geoff HopsonHe said his return to Darlington was made even more special by the fact that the role was choreographed especially for him by balletLORENT's artistic director, Liv Lorent.
After retiring, Mr Hopson went into teaching, lecturing at Teesside, Northumbria and Sunderland universities and delivering workshops in primary schools.
He said: "I came out of retirement because I love everything about this show – it's clever and funny and smart and sad.
"I was incredibly lucky to find my passion in life and I don't know what I'd have done without it."