A WELSH dance company did its best to bring ballet to the masses, Billy Elliot-style, when it performed in an unlikely North-East venue last night.

The Cwmni Ballet Gwent brought ballet to Bishop Auckland, County Durham, with a performance of Romeo and Juliet at the town hall.

Choreographer Darius James said: "If people hear a Russian name, they think they must be good, but we are from Wales, and people think we should be singing and playing rugby.

"We do not go for the safe options, because we want to challenge the dancers. Having said that, we get a lot who are expecting to see tutus."

The group does not get any arts council funding, so they tour constantly and perform five times a week so they can pay the dancers a decent wage.

Their contemporary retelling of the tragic love story was performed to a dramatic musical score. With a minimum of props, they captivated the audience with breath-taking fight scenes and superbly choreographed routines.

The intimate surroundings meant the audience felt part of the action, but the greatest tragedy was the fact that these nationally renowned dancers, with their impressive performance, were not playing to a full house.

Emily Flanagan