Nadia Abdulla, Director of PearlProductions

With completely original choreography and music, SYMBA introduced African tribal themes and martial combat into mainstream ballet, telling a story of morals, love and trialling times.

Musicians and dancers at the University came together in November at the University of Bristol Students’ Union's Winston Theatre.  They produced the first full-scale ballet staged at the venue, with a 40-strong orchestra - the largest amount of live musicians performing there at the same time.

SYMBA was the brainchild of 22-year-old Maths and Physics graduate Nadia Abdulla who set-up PearlProductions to bring together creative talents from across the University, and raised money for a charity close to her heart – Macmillan Cancer Support, in recognition of the support they gave her mum, who was diagnosed with breast cancer 10 years ago. Money raised through ticket sales also went towards Bristol-based Meningitis UK in recognition of the struggle fellow dancer Onor Crummay faced when struck down by the deadly disease in 2008.

Nadia put her ballet training and production experience into action, creating an imaginative, modern ballet, while PhD student Matthew Pearson has worked alongside masters students Jake Bright, James Prideux and Olivia Thomas to compose the music.