Geoff Hopson will return to Darlington's Hippodrome to play the king in Snow White A former professional dancer has come out of retirement to return to the stage that inspired him to take up his career almost 40 years ago returns to Darlington's Hippodrome on 16 May to play the King in a ballet production of Snow White formerly known as Darlington Civic Theatre is where Mr Hopson first discovered his passion for dance at the age of 16 Mr Hopson said he was "excited" to return to the stage where it all began He said he was inspired to become a dancer after seeing an all-male cast in a Gang of Five production at the venue who retired after an injury when he was 34 said: "When I saw the five male dancers perform in Darlington all those years ago graceful – I saw what they were capable of and knew it was what I wanted to do "I didn't even tell my mother I was studying to be a dancer until I was in my second year of training so I definitely didn't come from that sort of theatrical Geoff Hopson was inspired to take up dancing when he was a teenager He said his return to Darlington was made even more special by the fact that the role was choreographed especially for him by balletLORENT's artistic director Northumbria and Sunderland universities and delivering workshops in primary schools He said: "I came out of retirement because I love everything about this show – it's clever and funny and smart and sad "I was incredibly lucky to find my passion in life and I don't know what I'd have done without it." 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Contact formContact formRelated topicsBalletStockton-on-TeesDarlingtonRelated storiesDance teacher hangs up ballet shoes at 89 The ballet scholar who inspired generations of dancers Related internet linksballetLORENT Ukraine war volunteer smuggled stash of grenades and ammunition from front line Hartlepool youngster celebrates second anniversary of new kidney she calls George Man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after police called to 'stabbing' Plans to transform Darlington house into multiple occupation home submitted Plans to turn seaside town butcher’s shop into new micro pub What to expect at 'choral spectacular' Information about BBC links to other news sitesTop storiesNo 10 resists Labour calls for winter fuel rethink Labour MPs rage over election results - but party divided on next steps Conclave: How Vatican keeps its papal vote secret Experience the VE Day flypast from inside a Red Arrows cockpit in 360 video Deliveroo deal shows UK still can't hang on to big firms Americans used to be steadfast in their support for Israel. Those days are gone Attenborough at 99 delivers 'greatest message he's ever told' 'I'm an NHS dentist who took on 4,000 new patients - now I can't afford to treat them' VE Day moments so far - and what's still to come Future Earth newsletter: Get exclusive insight on the latest climate news from Justin Rowlatt Your first look at the new series hosted by Dannii Minogue A story of love, loss and hope in the face of disaster Solid gold, six armed robbers and an audacious heist The ultimate crash course in interior design is back Visa applications for some nationalities could be restricted No 10 resists Labour calls for winter fuel rethink Germany's Merz falls short of majority in vote for chancellor Russia accuses Ukraine of drone attack on Moscow days before WW2 parade Darlington city councilwoman Elaine Reed has been arrested and charged with assault and battery (WPDE) — A Darlington County councilwoman and her son are charged in relation to assault incidents in October 2024 was arrested and charged with assault and battery in the third degree was arrested and charged with assault and battery in the second degree RELATED: Darlington City councilwoman charged with assault warrants said Elaine advanced closely to the victim in an "aggressive manner with her arm raised," pushed them and scratched their face with her right hand The warrants also said she kept swinging her arms and hand to be "pulled away by a bystander." There was audio/video surveillance recording this incident warrants said Lorand grabbed a victim's neck during a conversation and shoved them repeatedly against a vehicle Officials said that the victim in this incident was diagnosed with four fractured ribs on their right side The Darlington Police Department and the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office requested the SLED investigation Elaine and Lorand were booked into the Darlington County Detention Center This case will be prosecuted by 12th Circuit Solicitor’s Office at the request of the 4th Circuit Solicitor’s Office (WPDE) — A student at Mayo High School in Darlington has been charged in connection with threatening comments according to Darlington County School District Communications Director Audrey Childers school administrators were made aware of rumors that a student had made threatening comments She added that administrators immediately notified enforcement Childers said the student did not return to school and has since been charged TRENDING: 1 injured after vehicle collides with building in Florence She further stated that the safety of our students and staff is our highest priority Childers has asked us to reach out to the Darlington Police Department for more information We are waiting to hear back from police on the specific charges of the teen Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInDARLINGTON COUNTY (WMBF) - Darlington County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to a report of a shooting on Saturday The sheriff’s office says they determined there was no danger to the community after arriving at the scene in the Darlington area. Sheriff Michael August requested the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) to investigate this incident (WPDE) — Deputies are investigating another robbery at Darlington County Dollar General Deputies were on scene Saturday evening at the Dollar General on North Marquis Highway near Hartsville Darlington County Sheriff Michael August said it’s the second time the store has been robbed in the past month DARLINGTON, S.C. -- Denny Hamlin did his job so his pit crew could do its most stellar stop at the perfect time Hamlin came into the pits after a final caution in third place and told himself to hit every mark And that's what the Joe Gibbs Racing group did, pulling off a perfect winning moment that sent Hamlin out with the lead. He took over on the final restart and held off William Byron to win the Goodyear 400 on Sunday his fifth at Darlington Raceway and his second straight this season Hamlin said he hung on throughout as Byron and others looked like they might pull out victory Hamlin waited out his time and then pounced as he broke away during the green-white-checkered finish I can do it at a high level and look forward to winning a lot of races this year," Hamlin said Hamlin won for a second straight week after his success at Martinsville Hamlin chose the outside lane for a final restart and shot out to the lead and pulled away from series points leader Byron and NASCAR wins leader Christopher Bell It was then time for Hamlin's Joe Gibbs Racing pit crew to shine as it got him out quickly and in the lead was second with Hamlin's JGR teammate Bell in third "There are two people I really love right now my pit crew and Kyle Larson," Hamlin said to a round of boos from those in the stands Hamlin credited the past two victories to his pit crew "The pit crew just did an amazing job," he said Blaney had thought he was clear to his first-ever Darlington victory after getting by Reddick late When he saw the caution flag for Larson's spin who sought was to become the first NASCAR driver in nearly 25 years to lead every lap on the way to victory He got shuffled down the standings during the last round of green-flag pit stops and could not recover "It was looking like it was going to be a perfect race and we were going to lead every lap," he said it was too late to get back up there," Byron said had high hopes for a second Darlington win But he slid into the inside wall coming off the second turn on lap three and went right to garage where his team worked the next couple of hours to get him back on track Larson returned on lap 164 after falling 161 laps off the pace Greg Biffle the last NASCAR driver to win consecutive Cup Series victories at Darlington in 2006 and 2007 drove the pace car for the Goodyear 400 on Sunday flying rescue missions with his helicopter into areas of the Southeast affected by devastating Hurricane Helene in September Biffle was planning a weeklong trip to the Bahamas when his phone started going off about people stranded in parts of Western North Carolina "I went to the hangar and the power was out," Biffle said "We got the hangar down open with the tug and got the helicopter out Biffle then flew the next 11 days from "sunup to sundown." "It was pretty tough going for the first week." Biffle won the Myers Brothers Humanitarian Award for his work The series goes to Bristol on April 13 before taking its traditional Easter break (WPDE) — The State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is investigating a shooting Saturday evening on West Park Drive off of Hoffmeyer Road Neighbors said they saw a police car from Florence on the scene Darlington County Sheriff Michael August said he can’t release much information due to the nature of the shooting READ NEXT: Deputies investigating another robbery at Darlington Co. Dollar General On Sunday, deputies said there's no danger to the community. Credit: Viewer footageA 16-year-old boy has been charged with criminal damage after several new build houses were damaged in Darlington on the Huworth Moor new build estate off Neasham Road following reports that a male was driving a JCB into unoccupied houses officers found seven houses had been damaged Officers were also called to reports of a dumper truck being stolen in Middleton St George on Friday A 16-year-old boy was arrested and later charged with criminal damage no insurance and two counts of aggravated vehicle taking He has been remanded into custody and will appear at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court tomorrow (Monday 5 May) Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To know.. Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInDARLINGTON SC (WMBF) - A Darlington city councilwoman and her son are in trouble with the law The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division charged Councilwoman Elaine Reed with third-degree assault and battery and her son with second-degree assault assault and battery on Thursday The charges against the two stem from reported assaults back in October of last year 5 at the 800 block of Timmonsville Highway Elaine then had to be pulled away by a bystander as she allegedly went toward the victim while swinging her arms arrest warrants state that Lorand grabbed the victim by the neck during a conversation on Chestnut Street and shoved him repeatedly against a car leaving the victim with four fractured ribs Elaine and Lorand were both released from the W Glenn Campbell Detention Center on Thursday on personal recognizance bonds The 12th Circuit Solicitor’s Office will prosecute the case at the request of the 4th Circuit Solicitor’s Office The State Law Enforcement Division charged Elaine R DARLINGTON — The State Law Enforcement Division charged City Councilwoman Elaine R was charged with third degree assault and battery was charged with second degree assault and battery According to a SLED arrest warrant, Elaine Reed injured a person Oct. 5, 2024, on Timmonsville Highway in Darlington County She allegedly advanced on the person with her arm raised when the person pushed her away SLED says Elaine Reed scratched the person on the face with her right hand and continued to advance toward the person while swinging her arms She allegedly had to be pulled away by a bystander Lorand Clayton Reed allegedly grabbed the person by his neck and shoved him repeatedly into a vehicle The person was later diagnosed with four fractured ribs on his right side The arrest warrant for Elaine Reed took listed the address of the Elks Lounge as where the incident took place The address was redacted for the incident involving Lorand Reed When asked if the two incidents were related SLED spokeswoman Renee Wunderlich would only say the investigation into the events is ongoing Reach Hinson at 843-998-3449 or at ghinson@postandcourier.com News tips/online questions: peedee@postandcourier.com Delivery/subscription questions: subserve@postandcourier.com Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Find sanctuary city resources from the City of Portland's Immigrant & Refugee Program including free legal services and state resources for reporting hate crimes Oregon Walks invites neighbors to join for Walk and Wag: Morning Stroll in Brentwood Darlington on Sunday Oregon Walks promotes walking and advocates for safe and attractive walking conditions as an essential part of thriving The walk is part of the Get There Brentwood Darlington activation Get There Brentwood Darlington is a PBOT campaign to raise awareness about the recently completed walking and transit improvements in the neighborhood and encourage local residents to use the new infrastructure in their daily lives or regularly visit the neighborhood are eligible for financial incentives; that's because the financial incentives are intended to help people build new habits around walking and riding transit utilizing the newly built infrastructure PBOT added to their neighborhood.  See something we could improve on this page? Give website feedback The City of Portland ensures meaningful access to City programs, services, and activities to comply with Civil Rights Title VI and ADA Title II laws and reasonably provides: translation, interpretation, modifications, accommodations, alternative formats, auxiliary aids and services. Request an ADA accommodation or call 503-823-4000, Relay Service: 711 503-823-4000  Traducción e Interpretación | Biên Dịch và Thông Dịch | 口笔译服务 | Устный и письменный перевод | Turjumaad iyo Fasiraad | Письмовий і усний переклад | Traducere și interpretariat | Chiaku me Awewen Kapas | अनुवादन तथा व्याख्या and Tall—now the Columbus Crew’s general manager then a newly hired assistant to previous GM Tim Bezbatchenko—had just learned Darlington Nagbe was available to be acquired from Atlanta United “We initially couldn’t believe that this could be true,” Tall recalls who’d won MLS Cups with the Portland Timbers and Atlanta was one of the most respected players in Major League Soccer a slim but sturdy 5’9” holding midfielder known for his precision passing and contagious serenity on the pitch leading the Zips to their first national championship in 2010 and winning the Hermann Trophy as the best player in men’s college soccer Connect with the Columbus you don't know. Subscribe to Columbus Monthly's weekly Top Reads newsletter wanted to come home to the Buckeye State to raise their three young children around their relatives most of whom are still based in Northeast Ohio who’d been a father figure to Nagbe in Akron and Portland Nagbe told Atlanta he’d jump at any chance to get back to Ohio the team obliged by trading him to Columbus it was a long anticipated return to his roots it was a jumpstart for the future of a franchise that had been rescued from relocation but was coming off a losing season “It immediately accelerated our ambitions of winning the league,” Tall remembers calling Nagbe a “centerpiece” and “the best foundation that we could have wished for.” Nagbe has become one of the most important players in Crew history the team won the MLS Cup in Nagbe’s first season here Nagbe played a pivotal role on that squad but missed the final after testing positive for COVID-19 he was on the pitch when a revamped Crew claimed the 2023 championship making Nagbe one of only 10 players in league history to win MLS Cup four times “That was my favorite trophy that I’ve won,” he says reflecting on his career one recent afternoon at the Crew’s training facility “The biggest part was I had all my friends and family there the most people I’ve had at a championship game Biggest of all was my kids are getting old enough to remember it.” has become the cornerstone Tall envisioned Every other player (and coach) who was on the Crew when he joined the team has moved on fulfilling his role as captain by setting a tone in the locker room and controlling the flow of play on the pitch “Everything I thought it would be.” He doesn’t take this storybook existence for granted—especially not when he remembers he almost wasn’t born at all From Liberia to the Columbus CrewLast fall Nagbe told his life story in The Players Tribune a website founded by Derek Jeter that publishes articles by athletes he recounted the precarious circumstances of his own birth: His pregnant mother wandering the streets of war-torn Liberia after going into labor was ushered by rebel soldiers to a midwife who helped baby Darlington into the world “I wrestle with that story to this day,” Nagbe wrote “Those rebels easily could have killed my mother They spared her life and gifted me the opportunity to have mine he fled the West African nation with his mother and brother to join his father The family spent a decade following his dad around Europe as he bounced from club to club As a Black African child growing up in predominantly white regions he discovered the unifying power of soccer across cultures and his mom moved the kids to East Cleveland Nagbe no longer stood out due to his skin color but he fit in even less than he had in Europe due to his wildly different cultural background one that only resolved when Nagbe joined a travel soccer club and started to feel at home for the first time ever The narrative Nagbe unfurled was powerful—and surprising considering how close to the vest he usually plays things only going through with it at his wife’s urging “That story really helped give people perspective on why I am the way that I am.” “He’s the first person I ever met who everyone loves him,” says Steven Moreira one of Nagbe’s closest friends on the team Moreira recalls spending hours with Nagbe on team road trips goofing off and cracking jokes Yet you don’t get elected captain just for being friendly “Given his background and circumstances of his childhood he was always a more mature type of guy,” says Crew goalkeeper Evan Bush who was Nagbe’s teammate at Akron and reunited with him in Columbus never seemingly has a bad day,” Bush continues “And that’s kind of been him since day one He’s got a unique way of being able to have that joy and that fun with the guys but then when it comes time to flip a switch and work There’s a lot of guys that can’t do that.” a fellow holding midfielder a decade younger than Nagbe has learned a lot from him both strategically and philosophically “The one message he’s told me all the time is just to be myself,” Zawadski says especially as a young player trying to make a huge impression.” He praises Nagbe as a stabilizing force: “When things do get difficult Those close to Nagbe note that his confidence never tips over into cockiness So he was impressed when Nagbe was willing to listen to his advice a rock of stability who dictates the tempo of play and rarely loses possession for his team doling out one-touch passes rather than holding onto the ball to draw defenders away from his teammates “He could have been an old guy: ‘I have my way of playing,’ ” Nancy says He and his coach agree he has reached a new tier of excellence because of it Nancy’s instruction dovetailed with Nagbe’s carefully studied approach to soccer some onlookers hoped he’d emerge as a dynamic attacker but he gravitated toward a playing style that mirrors his personal affect the more I understood how much possession matters,” Nagbe says that care for his teammates is a pillar of Nagbe’s game “There are many things he does on the field that you don’t notice he will tell you that he is covering for his teammates because he doesn’t want them to look bad,” Tall says It’s not seen … And that’s just who he is.” But when his roommate invited him to lunch at Barley House restaurant one afternoon was dating a woman on Akron’s softball team a fellow softball player who Nagbe knew casually from class like our eyes just locked,” Felicia Nagbe remembers “And then we just sat next to each other and played cornhole at the restaurant and hung out that night And we just continued to hang out every day until he got drafted.” That trajectory has continued for a decade and a half family has meant Felicia first and foremost: “If I could spend every second with her Darlington Nagbe says he doesn’t have hobbies like video games or playing music and when asked about her husband’s pastimes beyond soccer the main thing his wife mentions is research: “If he’s looking into buying something he will go down a rabbit hole.” He leaves work at work whether that’s helping with math homework—“He’s very detailed like how he is playing soccer”—or hustling the kids to their various activities The family often gets together with Darlington’s mom nieces and nephews within a couple hours’ drive from their Dublin home Proximity to his relatives is one reason Nagbe who once was connected to the legendary Glasgow club Celtic F.C. never made much effort to play in Europe as many players of his caliber do Bush sees that choice as one more way Nagbe has bucked expectations to be true to himself “I’ve seen a lot of guys that become professional players and lose sight of who they are,” Bush says “Darlington’s done the exact opposite of that Every decision that he’s made through his professional life has been with his family in mind.” One pursuit Nagbe does carve out time for is mentoring kids at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Ohio He’s been volunteering with Boys and Girls Clubs since his days in Portland It takes more effort to keep up his investment in the organization these days but Nagbe stays connected because he wants to be for others what strangers in Liberia once were for his mom Nagbe’s work with the Boys and Girls Clubs earned him the Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award given to MLS players “who are dedicated to fostering equity and inclusion enriching lives and improving communities.” Those are goals Nagbe hopes to keep striving for when his playing days come to an end Tall thinks Nagbe is performing at such a high level that he could probably last another five years; Nancy notes There’s also the question of what might come next for Nagbe after he retires as a player—besides more time with Felicia and the kids but I can never come to something exactly that I want,” Nagbe says most of my knowledge has been within the game so if I can give back to the game however way possible He quickly adds a disclaimer: “But I plan on remaining in Columbus This story appeared in the May 2025 issue of Columbus Monthly. Subscribe here. (WPDE) — Darlington City councilwoman Elaine Reed was arrested and charged with assault and battery in the third degree Reed was booked at 12:05 on Thursday after being charged by the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) She's been on the City Council for a number of years and is considered an activist in the community she's being advised not to comment on the charge filed against her Reed said she does plan to make a comment at "the right time." Glenn Campbell Detention Center on bond Thursday evening ABC 15 is working to learn more about the details of the charge (WPDE) — A victim has been identified after a Darlington County shooting killed one man according to the Darlington County Coroner RELATED: 1 dead after shooting in Darlington County; SLED investigating The shooting happened on Wednesday morning around 2 a.m on West Lynches River Road in the Lamar area Sheriff Michael August told ABC15 he was on his way to the scene around 3 a.m and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) are investigating