Leonidas and Alex Fashanu, aged 13 and 11, will join the professional cast of balletLORENT’s new production, Hansel & Gretel and the Witch, onstage this week.
Leonidas, known as Leo, was just six when the Scotswood-based dance company first discovered his “raw potential”. Leo, who is also a keen table tennis player, caught the eye of balletLORENT during a workshop at St Paul’s CofE primary school in 2019.
Younger brother Alex then came to the company’s attention a couple of years later and the pair have now appeared in a number of productions, including Rapunzel in 2023 and Snow White in 2024. Hansel & Gretel and the Witch will be Leo’s fourth outing with balletLORENT and Alex’s third.
The brothers, who are currently students at St Thomas More Catholic School in Blaydon, will share the stage with the professional cast and eight other children.
The young people, aged from 7-13, will appear in two scenes. Leo and Alex, as two of the more experienced performers, are supporting some of the younger dancers as they practice their roles.
Leo, an enthusiastic Scout, who hopes to one day work in video games development, said: “At first being on stage feels surreal, like you’ve never done it before. But once you do it, it feels like you’re kind of on top of the world and you can do anything.
“I like to dance because it shows how creative I can be by just moving with my body and how I can express what I have without needing to use words.”
Alex, a keen football and basketball player, said: “It feels very nerve-wracking. My body’s like shaking, but then when I go on stage I’m happy.
“Dancing helps me to get all my energy out. I like doing it because it’s very fun to do and it just shows how creative I am. I want to be a footballer, a pilot or a dancer when I’m older.”
All of the young people taking part are members of balletLORENT’s Youth Academy for ages 7-13 or Creative Studio, a newer session for teenagers. Both groups meet weekly at the dance company’s John Marley Centre studio.
Leo said: “I enjoy being part of the Youth Academy because it lets me be with people I wouldn’t normally be with, but also just connect with people who have the same interests in dance and movement as me as well.
Alex added: “I like seeing people that are very creative and they enjoy doing things like dancing and playing.”
James MacGillivray, education and projects manager, balletLORENT, said: “Leo and Alex are wonderful examples of what the balletLORENT Youth Academy is all about. It’s not just about learning dance; it’s about giving young people the space to explore their creativity, build confidence and discover what they’re capable of.
“Both boys bring their own personalities, enthusiasm and imagination to the work, and it’s been a pleasure to see them grow as performers over the years.
We want the Youth Academy to be a place where young people feel they belong, can connect with others who share their interests, and are encouraged to express themselves in their own way. Seeing Leo and Alex, and all the talented children of the Youth Academy develop their skills and take their place alongside our professional company is incredibly rewarding.”
Hansel & Gretel and the Witch, which features a totally new ending that will surprise fans of the classic fairy tale, opens at Northern Stage on 29 October 2026 before touring next year.
Suitable for ages 5+, it is narrated throughout by north east-born actor Gina McKee (Our Friends in the North, Hebburn, Bodyguard), making the show the perfect first dance experience.
From an alluring sugar glass house in the woods, to an “all you can eat” merry-go-round, a regenerating witch and a supporting cast including two giant chickens, audiences are invited to “expect the unexpected” as balletLORENT’s creative team add new flourishes to this well-loved bedtime story.
balletLORENT’s Hansel & Gretel and the Witch
29 October–1 November 2026
Northern Stage, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RH T: 0191 230 5151
Tickets from £12 https://northernstage.co.uk/whats-on/hansel-gretel-and-the-witch/
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