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 Scottish Ballet |
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SB Reviews
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Jarkko Lehmus weblog a dancer tells it like it is...
SB Web Site
These words were updated in May 2008. For posterity we keep old versions of this page... June 2006 SB page June 2004 SB page December 2002 SB page |
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Scottish Ballet are in the vanguard of modernising ballet in the UK and receive much favourable comment from critics, the arts establishment and fans in Scotland and beyond.
It has not always been so and just 8 years ago (2000) the company was at an all-time artistic and audience low. In August 2001 the Board decided to reposition the company as 'a major force in contemporary dance' with a 'broadly based modern repertoire'. Ashley Page (ex Royal Ballet dancer and choreographer) became Artistic Director in the summer of 2003. Since then the repertoire has been totally renewed with the emphasis on 20th and 21st century works, and modern twists on well-known story ballets. And its success in doing this was recognised at the 2007 National Dance Awards when the company won the prize for outstanding repertoire. Page is universally acclaimed for pulling the company's standards right up, acquiring some classic modern pieces from around the world and attracting a cracking bunch of dancers, if the applause for the steps he produces is not always quite so hearty. After dominating the creation of new work Page is now inviting others to work with the company and such wider diversity is encouraging for all. Ballet, often accused of being trapped in its past, held firm by a conservative audience, needs to try fresh and bold initiatives like this. While critically acclaimed, it is not yet clear if 'new ballet', as delivered by SB, will becomes as valued as the old, but initial signs are encouraging as the company builds its audience back up towards the highs it enjoyed in the 1990's. |
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