About Us
Overview
New Adventures is an iconic and ground-breaking British dance-theatre company, famous for telling stories with a unique theatrical twist.
Our Story
We create world class productions and engaging projects, reaching thousands worldwide every year.
Since 1987, Matthew Bourne and New Adventures have delighted, inspired and nurtured people of all ages and backgrounds: audiences, artists and the next generation. Under Matthew Bourne’s inspired leadership, knighted in the 2016 New Years’ Honours List for services to Dance, the Company has won the Manchester Evening News Dance Award four times and been given a Special Theatre Managers Association (TMA) award for its commitment to national touring and audience development.
In 2015 Matthew Bourne received a special UK Theatre Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre and in in the same year, New Adventures also won the Stef Stefanou Outstanding Company Award at the National Dance Awards.
New Adventures has received numerous international awards and 12 Olivier Award nominations, including six wins.
Since 1986 Matthew Bourne has created 13 full-length productions and a triple bill of short works.
[MATTHEW BOURNE] HAS FILLED THE THEATRE WITH WARMTH AND LOVE, QUALITIES OFTEN LACKING ON THE CHILLIER SHORES OF CONTEMPORARY WORK
Sarah Crompton for The Sunday Times
This award-winning repertoire has inspired and thrilled millions worldwide. Perhaps best-known for its now legendary Swan Lake with its corps de ballet of menacing male swans, New Adventures’ intriguing twists on the ballet classics also include Nutcracker!, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, The Car Man based on the opera Carmen and Highland Fling based on La Sylphide set in contemporary Glasgow. Bourne has also been inspired by film and literature in his innovative productions of Edward Scissorhands, The Red Shoes, Dorian Gray, Play Without Words, The Midnight Belland Lord of the Flies, which united professional dancers and young men with no previous dance experience. Early Adventures re-visited some of Bourne’s early works for Adventures in Motion Pictures and toured to mid-scale theatres across the UK as part of the Company’s 25th and 30th Anniversary celebrations.
IN AN ERA WHEN DANCE COMPANIES ARE SUPPOSED TO FIGHT FOR FUNDING AND JUSTIFY THEIR EXISTENCE, NEW ADVENTURES CAN MAKE AN OUTSTANDING CASE FOR ITSELF.
The Times
New Adventures tours to more UK and international venues and gives more performances each year than any other UK dance company. The Company is British dance’s biggest export, performing seasons at the world’s most iconic venues including the Royal Albert Hall, Sydney Opera House, New York City Center, The Kennedy Center and the most prestigious Festivals such as Edinburgh, Ravenna and Chekhov International Festivals. It regularly tours to Asia and the USA.
A pioneer in taking dance to wider audiences through the medium of film, most of New Adventures’ productions have been filmed for television broadcast or cinema screenings. The recording of Swan Lake by Sky Arts 3D became the first ballet to be shot in 3D for cinema and DVD release.
BRITAIN’S MOST POPULAR AND MOST UNCLASSIFIABLE DANCE COMPANY.
San Francisco Chronicle
New Adventures supports the artistic and professional development of artists at all stages of their careers. Investing in the future of dance and theatre, every year New Adventures engages in inclusive projects with thousands of people of all ages and ability, as well as emerging artists across the UK. Projects have also been delivered in China, Singapore, Japan, South Korea and across the USA.
In 2014, the national tour of Lord of the Flies visited 13 cities, engaging over 8,000 young people in dance activity, many for the first time, delivering 80 performances and reaching some 75,000 people as audiences. Following the success of the show in the UK the production had its first international season at Arts Centre Melbourne, Australia in 2017.
We are committed to finding and developing diverse young talent from across the UK. Since our production of Lord of the Flies we have been continually supporting them on their journey into training and professional work. The company have delivered various initiatives, including Swan School, two week-long intensives designed to prepare graduate level dancers for the audition process. The 2018/19 revival of Swan Lake was the first New Adventures production to feature dancers from the young cast of Lord of the Flies. New Adventures continues to work with universities and conservatoires to support the next generation of artists as well as, Overture, an exceptional professional development opportunity for dance practitioners working in communities across England.
As part of our projects and workshop offering, in 2022-23 we led 185 Take Part activity sessions with 7,301 attendances. We aim to bring thrilling and ambitious opportunities to children, young people and communities.
The work of New Adventures would not be possible without the generous support of our principal funder Arts Council England and supporters from the UK regions we visit and around the world.
Matthew Bourne
Meet our Artistic Director Sir Matthew Bourne OBE.
Sir Matthew Bourne OBE is widely hailed as the UK’s most popular and successful choreographer and director.
Since 1986, he has been creating and directing dance for musicals, theatre, film as well as his own highly successful, award-winning companies.
Matthew is the creator of the world’s longest running ballet production, and has been recognised by numerous international awards. He was knighted in the Queen’s New Year Honours 2016 for services to dance, and awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award – one of the most coveted honours in the world of dance – in recognition of his outstanding services to the art of ballet.
DANCE-THEATRE MARVEL, MATTHEW BOURNE… ONE OF DANCE’S TRUE ORIGINALS
The Telegraph
IT'S A BLISTERING, GROWN-UP PIECE OF NON-VERBAL STORYTELLING...CREATED BY THE PEERLESS MASTER OF POPULAR DANCE THEATRE.
The Daily Express
Interview with Matthew Bourne (Dec 2023)
By Kate Wyver, The Stage
Company Values
Our core values are at the heart of everything we do.
Audience
Our audiences are why we do what we do. Entertaining and engaging audiences is our passion. We proudly tour extensively to venues across England, Scotland and Wales every year, as well as globally with our live, online and broadcast productions. We strive to be widely accessible and welcoming to both our loyal and new audiences.
Adventure
Since the beginning we have been bold, maverick and adventurous. 30 years on we continue to push boundaries and defy expectations in dance, storytelling and ambition. We are committed to reaching as many people and places as possible through our productions and projects.
Family
We have a shared commitment to supporting, developing and investing in all members of the New Adventures company and everyone involved with our work in whatever capacity – performers, creatives, crew, staff, practitioners, audiences, participants, trustees, students, interns, volunteers and partners. We all matter.
Our Team
Meet the team of people from across different departments and roles, who enable us to bring our work to audiences across the globe.
Associate Artists
Senior Leadership Team
Robert
Noble OBE
Group Managing Director
Jennie
Green
Executive DirectorSenior Management Team
Sam
Archer
Dancer and Take Part Producer - Schools and Young People (Maternity Cover)
Sian
Brackett-Hayes
Take Part Producer - Talent Development
Leah
Fox
Senior Take Part Producer - Partnerships
Zeynep
Gunaydin
Take Part Producer - Communities
Alex
Towers
Take Part Producer - Schools and Young People (Maternity Leave)
Press and Marketing
Press - Simon Raw for RawPR
Marketing & Media - Elaine McGowan for EMG
Ambassadors
Patricia Ward
Kelly
Ambassador
Will
Kemp
Ambassador
Myleene
Klass
Ambassador
Zizi
Strallen
Ambassador
Layton
Williams
AmbassadorGreen Adventures
Setting the stage for sustainable touring.
The Green Adventures Working Group, along with Environmental Sustainability Manager Andrew Ashton, ensures New Adventures is responsible for its environmental impact.
All organisations must work to lessen their environmental impact, take responsibility for their actions, and increase sustainability for future generations. In 2018 we joined an ever-growing group of community and cultural leaders committed to taking bold, strategic action against the climate crisis.
As a large-scale touring company reaching audiences all over the UK and beyond, we have an opportunity to inspire and inform on environmental sustainability. Reducing environmental impact will require a collaborative effort, including funders, administrative teams, receiving venues, designers, creatives, logistics coordinators, service providers, and more.
We are proud to be working alongside Theatre Green Book, a collective initiative of theatre makers across the world to ensure our work is as sustainable as possible. By following their guidance and participating in their networks we can continually grow our sustainability efforts and share our successes and challenges with others in the industry who are also working towards the same goal.
Green Adventures Working Group
Andrew
Ashton
Environmental Sustainability Manager / Green Adventures Representative / Dancer
Kaasam
Aziz
Head of Content
Isaac
Peter Bowry
Dancer
Gavin
Eden
Dance Artist
James
Miller
Assistant General Manager
Huw
Morris
Trustee
Aysha
Powell
Chief Operating Officer
Kat
Themans
Development Manager Alex
Towers
Take Part Producer - Schools and Young People (Maternity Leave)Environmental Manager and Green Champion, Andrew Ashton, reveals 3 ways New Adventures is creating solutions for a sustainable future in theatre in this short film.
Click here to read Julie's Bicycle's case study on our environmental journey with green touring.
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Access
Opportunities
Find out about recruitment for jobs, upcoming auditions and opportunities.
New Adventures Auditions 2026
Are you a graduate or experienced dancer with an interest in dance theatre and a passion for New Adventures’ award-winning productions? Applications are now open for our 2026 auditions.
What we are looking for
- Dancers with at least 3 years’ vocational training (classical, contemporary, and/or musical theatre)
- Highly skilled in dance and performance and an interest in narrative-based work
- A passion and understanding for the work of New Adventures
- We encourage applicants who identify as global majority, i.e. Black, Asian, brown, dual-heritage, etc, as we recognise their underrepresentation in the sector
Where: London, UK
When: Friday 6 – Sunday 8 February 2026, recalls on Sunday 15 February 2026
Deadline for applications: Friday 5 December 2025, 10am
How to apply
Please send one document with your name as the document name to auditions@new-adventures.net including your:
- CV
- Covering letter (no longer than one side of A4, this can be in bullet points or full sentences, whatever you feel more comfortable with)
- One headshot
- One dance photograph
All cover letters should include the following:
- Who you are (including your pronouns)
- Why you would like to work for New Adventures
- Any workshops or projects you’ve previously done with the company
- Whether you are legally able to work in the UK or if you would need a UK work permit
- It is not essential, but if you do have a showreel, please add the link to it too.
Batch applications from agents must include covering letters from dancers.
- We’re happy to receive applications in alternative formats such as voice recording.
- If you require support in applying or if you have any access requirements, please email auditions@new-adventures.net, where you can also arrange a telephone call.
- Travel bursaries are available on a case-by-case basis, please email to discuss your situation.
New Adventures is committed to ensuring our work is accessible to everyone. Please complete this equal opportunities form in addition to your application:https://forms.office.com/e/NgK3MGqDTF
Successful applicants will hear from us via email by Friday 9 January 2026.
Unfortunately, unsuccessful applicants will not be contacted.
What the audition involves:
It will be an hour long and you will learn 2 pieces of contrasting repertoire from our productions to perform in front of the audition panel. You have time to do your own warm up and we do not expect you to prepare anything. If you have any questions at all before your audition, you can contact auditions@new-adventures.net and we’ll be happy to support you. Everyone in the room wants you to show your best self and we hope to give you a joyful welcome to New Adventures!
LGBTQ+ community performance project
For the third year running, we're partnering with Farnham Maltings and Surrey Libraries to create an original movement performance. This piece will be based on the themes explored in the show.
You don't need a background in dance and we encourage disabled participants to take part. All you need is to be an adult (18+) member of the LGBTQ+ community living in Surrey who is interested in creating and performing.
There are no costs to take part. We can also assist with transport costs if you need it. If you are successful and have access requirements, we are committed to removing any barriers to access that we can.
TASTER SESSIONS
Our Taster Sessions are the perfect way to dip your toe in. No experience needed just bring your energy and an open mind.
Dates:
Saturday 25th October 2025, 10am – 4pm
Saturday 29th November 2025, 10am – 4pm
Saturday 20th December 2025, 10am – 4pm
To sign up or find out more, get in touch with Zeynep at office@new-adventures.net
