Choice: Dance

The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Grand Theatre Leeds (0113-222 6222) 7.30pm

The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Grand Theatre Leeds (0113-222 6222) 7.30pm

Not many people know this, but the latest animation hit Anastasia is based on the Kenneth Macmillan ballet. OK, I'm lying, but art does have a habit of imitating art. Take the latest work by Christopher Gable for Northern Ballet Theatre, who brought you the hugely popular Dracula and A Christmas Carol (see what I mean?). Cynics will believe it to be nothing but a cheap spin on Disney. Well, I'm sure Gable was not unaware of the cartoon, but there's a perfectly respectable tradition of dancing Hugo's 1831 novel. Jules Perrot (more famous for giving the world Giselle) created Esmerelda in 1844, while Roland Petit created Notre Dame de Paris in 1965 with Yves Saint Laurent on hand to run up the costumes. The question they're all asking is "Will they include the goat?". Esmerelda, as you all know, had one. Meantime, I'm looking forward to more ballets inspired by Disney: Dumbo, Herbie Rides Again, 101 Dalmatians?

David Benedict