FEATURE: Having a Highland Fling with Scottish Ballet

‘Ballet meets Trainspotting’ in Scottish Ballet’s current production of Matthew Bourne’s Highland Fling, and to celebrate the Glasgow performances Scottish Ballet invited Bloggers, Tweeters, Facebookers and Instagrammers to join them for a special insight event at Glasgow’s Theatre Royal yesterday .

Starting with breakfast and a chance to meet fellow online theatre writers, the day then continued with an insightful and entertaining talk from Scottish Ballet education officer Emma Jane McHenry. We were eloquently taken through the development of Matthew Bourne’s stunning re-interpretation of La Sylphide, from the inspiration to create the piece, the design process (with a chance to see the costumes up close) and an intriguing insight into how Bourne’s signature choreography has developed.

Next was the exclusive chance to watch the Company taking class on stage here at the Theatre Royal as the dancers rehearse scenes from this ‘romantic wee ballet’.

*(Look out for the photo-post of the class, coming next.)

The morning ended with the chance to meet and talk to three of the stunningly talented dancers: Owen Thorne, Brenda Lee Grech and Bethany Kingsley-Garner who insightfully talked us through the development of their characters and the difficulties and differences classically trained dancers have adapting to  Bourne’s choreographic style and artistic process.

This was a fantastic event,  not to be missed, a privileged insight into Scottish Ballet and its works, delivered by friendly, welcoming, knowledgeable and utterly entertaining staff and artists.

Scottish Ballet’s production of Matthew Bourne’s Highland Fling is touring to, Inverness, Aberdeen and Inverness throughout May 2013. For more information please visit www.scottishballet.co.uk