A TEAM of world class dancers led by one of the most important names in the business is heading to a village hall near you from today.Newly appointed choreographer to the Royal Ballet, Wayne McGregor, has created a production for village halls and community centres throughout Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk.

A TEAM of world class dancers led by one of the most important names in the business is heading to a village hall near you from today.

Newly appointed choreographer to the Royal Ballet, Wayne McGregor, has created a production for village halls and community centres throughout Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk.

The tour has been organised by Ipswich-based dance organisation DanceEast and is an annual event aimed at giving more families and children the opportunity to watch dance, without having to travel to London or pay high ticket prices.

Mr McGregor, who took on the role of choreographer to the Royal Ballet in December, has long established links with Dance East. He has also worked on films such as Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and on West End shows such as Woman in White.

Performed by Random Dance, the associate company of DanceEast, the show is called digit01 and takes audiences on a fantasy journey to a world where time and space is altered, to meet strange digital characters and virtual personalities.

Inspired by Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Did There, the sequel to Alice in Wonderland, the piece has been created for children aged seven and over.

Mr McGregor admitted his decision to get involved with the village hall tour has created a few surprises.

He said: “We do get people asking why we would want to go to village halls.

“But it's about the value of local communities and giving people the opportunity to see dance without having to travel anywhere.

“With Random I have always had a policy that as well as travelling all over the world doing performances we also really and genuinely want to connect with our audiences.”

Mr McGregor said digit01 had been made with the idea of trying to capture children's imaginations.

“It's a show I made quite a long time ago and the idea was that I wanted to create work for young people. It is based around stories and I wanted to try to get them to work with something abstract.

“It has been performed many times all over the world now and the people who have seen it have been impressed.”

As well as the touring performances, Mr McGregor and Random dance will also be holding a series of workshops in schools.

n. Tell us what you think of the tours. Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or email eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk

Tonight - New Wolsey Studio, Ipswich, 7pm.

Sunday March 4 - Deben High School, Felixstowe 3.00pm

Friday March 9 - Constable Memorial Hall, East Bergholt 7.00pm

Wednesday March 14 - Debenham Community Centre 7.00pm

Friday March 16 - Shotley Village Hall 7.00pm

Sunday March 18 - Woolpit Village Hall 3.00pm

Thursday March 22 - Stradbroke Sports & Community Centre 7.00pm

Friday March 23 - Saxmundham Market Hall 7.00pm

Saturday March 24 - Somersham Village Hall 7.00pm