The Nutcracker, Opera House, Manchester, November 21 to 23 - INTERNATIONALLY acclaimed ballet choreographer Christopher Hampson is being kept on his toes by his extraordinary success. The award winning choreographer from Middleton returns to home ground this month with a spectacular showcase of his work.

Hampson, aged 29, has already enjoyed a high profile successful career as a ballet dancer.

Now he is fast becoming one of the world's most exciting new choreographers.

He comes to Manchester's Opera House theatre with the English National Ballet.

And the return to the Manchester stage marks a career that has come full circle.

Hampson presents his new production of The Nutcracker -- with costume and set designs by Gerald Scarfe.

But his first brush with the popular ballet came 21 years ago, when he was eight years old.

He explained: "I knew I wanted to be a ballet dancer from an early age.

"When I was a child I attended the Northern Ballet School in Manchester. This meant whenever The Nutcracker came to town I would usually be asked to play one of the children in it."

Hampson accepts that for a young boy growing up in Middleton, his choice of career was not among the most obvious.

He said: "It was unusual wanting to be a ballet dancer.

"But what really attracted me was being in the theatre. My mum and dad would take me to the theatre when I was young.

"It was the sense of theatre which attracted me more than the ballet."

Hampson progressed on to a successful career as a dancer, performing on stage with the English National Ballet for more than seven years. However, he decided to retire three years ago.

He said: "It was a conscious decision. I could have carried on dancing but I was getting bored. I knew my decision could have been make or break for me."

As it turns out Hampson has never looked back. His latest work, has attracted a £250,000 sponsorship from HIT Entertainment's dancing mouse, Angelina Ballerina.

It is the single largest sponsorship deal received in the English National Ballet's 52-year history.

He said: "There is a really phenomenal look to this production.

"It is great as a choreographer being involved in the design and look of the show.

"As a dancer you can get quite selfish -- you are more worried about your performance and your own body than anything else. This is a great way to express myself and enjoy working with people.

"I think we have pushed The Nutcracker on to another level. We are well aware that it traditionally attracts new audiences, people going to the ballet for the first time. We equally know that lots of people take children to see it, so the production has to appeal to young as well as old. We opened this tour in Bristol and the reaction was great."

The Angelina Ballerina sponsorship will include special matinee performances on the Friday and Saturday of the show's run. The Angelina character will personally welcome children into the theatre and introduce them to the story of the ballet from the stage before the performance begins.

Hampson said: "Angelina Ballerina's involvement does automatically make the production more acceptable to children. After all, they are our next audience.

"I do believe ballet is more integrated into society. The English National Ballet believes in the importance of regional touring. We have one of the most extensive schedules in this area, but I still think there is a long way to go. But we will keep trying and pushing. Films like Billy Elliot help enormously -- they are really positive.

"As for myself, I like all sorts of ballet, but what I need out of them all is for them to be entertaining.

"The theatre has a role in society and for the two or three hours of performance, an audience has to be swept away."

Hampson recently won the Barclay Theatre Award for his choreography on Double Concerto, a piece included in a triple bill which will run on separate nights to The Nutcracker. He said: "That has to be my most outstanding achievement in dance. I had never won an award before. The Double Concerto is a classical ballet for the full company and involves 40 dancers. It is a tutu ballet. It is wonderful and very fresh."

And does he have any advice to the hundreds of Bolton youngsters who enjoy ballet?

"Ballet is very gruelling. It is a very disciplined art form. My advice would be to work hard at training. It is also something that must be enjoyable as you are doing it. I would also advise young people to go to the theatre as often as possible."

Hampson is next off to Atlanta to negotiate for a new ballet to be staged next year. At Easter 2003 he jets off to New Zealand where he will be doing the choreography for a new version of Romeo and Juliet with the Royal New Zealand Ballet.

The Nutcracker appears at the Opera House, Manchester, on November 21 to 23. The triple bill, including Double Concerto, Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes and The Rite of Spring, will be staged November 19 and 20.

For tickets telephone 0161 242 2524.