Irek Mukhamedov in rehersal © Bill Cooper Production details and performance dates LCB reviews Bruce Marriott reviews

I'm not that used to kids - except occasionally visiting friends when they are on some kind of best(ish) behaviour I suspect. Anyway I was pretty unprepared and ill equipped for the pandemonium I found when tens and tens of the little 'horrors' get together in a studio. The noise, the excitement, the running about all over! I'm a fish out of water and vaguely look around for rescue when Lucille Briance emerges from the hubbub and smilingly scoops me up me and plonks me in a comfy chair. I expect it's the onset of getting old when you tut tutt about kids making too much noise and rushing about. Next stop dementia...

I'm in Fulham at a less-than-state-of-the-art dance studio - the floor is pine boards even. But we have a piano, a choreographer, an assistant and Lucille Briance who runs the London Children's Ballet and makes it all happen - this year it's happening with a ballet version of The Prince and the Pauper. My brain adjusts as the rehearsals get going again and the repeating grind needed to get a section looking right. And perfection and quality is what's wanted from the nearly 60 children involved in a show.

Irek Mukhamedov and Matthew Edwardson in reheasal
© Bill Cooper

Getting into LCB productions in actually competitive and they draw from about 150 schools, of which kids from 40 schools have made it this year. Lucille makes it clear that they are looking for young dancers with attitude and ability to communicate as much as technical pizzazz - though it always helps of course. They also stretch the age range when they need and this year, in need of an older dancer, have an 18 year old in the show who has only been doing ballet (as opposed to dance) for 7 months - I see him later and his jumps are amazing, even Irek nods some approval!

LCB has now been performing for 9 years and they concentrate on narrative works, which gives the most enjoyment for kids and is popular with their mixed audiences. This year they are doing 8 shows in 4 days at London's Peacock and it will be mostly sold out - though please don't let me put you off 'phoning for tickets (020 7863 8222). They have great prices on tickets but also some shows sell seats to schools and charities for an absolutely paltry £1.

And the terrific thing is that their ballets are nearly always new: new steps, new music, new costumes. Lucille keeps her tabs on who is coming through and in recent years Cathy Marston and Poppy Ben David have produced notable works. There is professional design - just look at the pictures of what Kate Ford is doing this year with Prince and the Pauper. The costumes are also made professionally and so fit well... but a small army of friends help finish them which saves much money. This year they have 120 costumes in the production and the budget is about £12,000. The results are professional-looking productions that are great to watch and stretch the young dancers too. And after all how many brand new full-length ballets do you get to see premiered in a typical year - often none I think.

Lady Jane Grey, The Prince and Princess Elizabeth
(Rebecca Hartley, Matthew Edwardson and Jordan Cather)
© Bill Cooper

This is all done without the benefit of public funding. Briance has tried and continues to look for such support but bureaucracy struggle with the one-off likes of London Children's Ballet which is neither a repatory company or school. They deserve something and it would enable them to do some dates outside London for example. I saw the show a couple of years ago and was impressed by the all-round professionalism of it. And because of those standards and the good price on seats new people come along to see what the ballet 'thing' is - don't just think of them as a kid's show. These are young dancers doing new and unique works for everybody.

Occasionally, while we've been chatting, the hubbub gets too much and Irek claps his hands and scowls a bit to get everybody paying attention, and around the loop they go again - do the steps, more feedback and adjustment. Irek is really pushing the theatrical side of working on stage and that's tough at times. For speed he works out the movement elsewhere and then concentrates in the studio on showing them what's needed - and in the showing you see all that Irek control and commitment and that's when they really look of course. I finish by asking Irek what's different about working with such young dancers: "They make too much noise and don't always pay attention enough!". He was serious but it was said with a knowing smile. I'm getting old in good company I thought!