Scottish Ballet Blog

Alice - behind the scenes

Blog Author — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 10:50:41 GMT

With Alice only three weeks away, everyone is hard at work here at Scottish Ballet HQ. We've been posting behind the scenes snaps on Facebook and Twitter over the past couple of weeks, but in case you missed them, you can take a peek at the photos below, and you can watch our making of films here.

Constance Devernay, Katie Webb, Nathalie Dupouy and Laura Joffre as the Insects

Tama Barry as the Hatter, Sophie Martin as Alice and Victor Zarallo as the March Hare.

Antony McDonald and Luke Ahmet in fittings for the Gryphon.

(l) Sophie Martin in fittings for Alice; (r) Quenby Hersh learns the make up look for the Cheshire Cat.

Peek at the set: (l) painting the roses red; (r) set model for the kitchen; (below) kitchen set.

Cinderella opening night

Blog Author — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 14:55:59 GMT

The 2010/11 tour of Cinderella opened at Theatre Royal on Tuesday night, and as usual, we had lots of goodies for our guests.

Our neon pink gift bags - Cinderella's Stepmother would approve! - and beautiful shoe cupcakes from Cupcake.

Our goody bags for this tour contained Christmas spice candles from The Candle Store, a special offer for the spa at Blythswood Square, serum from Bioeffect, a voucher for a spray tan at Vita Liberata, whisky from Highland Park and, of course, sweeties.

Your Development and Press teams in action...

The Company performed to a very busy Theatre Royal, and reviews are starting to pop up - we'll be posting them online very soon. If you haven't booked your seats yet, there is still time to snap up tickets, and there are gorgeous new photographs (see below) up in our gallery if you would like a peek at the costumes before you go.

Cinderella goodies!

Blog Author — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 14:03:47 GMT

If you're coming to see Cinderella in the next couple of weeks, you might want a souvenir from the show, so here's a quick peek at the new goodies we have in store - perfect to treat yourself or as a Christmas present with a difference!

Among the new goodies are bright pink Cinderella t-shirts and cosy navy hoodies (above), alongside stickers, bags, postcard sets (featuring images from a range of Scottish Ballet shows including the poster for our brand new ballet Alice), pencils, tea towels and the Cinderella souvenir programme. Click here for the full range.

Merchandise will be available at all performances of Cinderella, and you can also shop online.

You SHALL go to the spa!

Blog Author — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 15:22:17 GMT

Blythswood Square’s Cinderella Spa Packages in association with Scottish Ballet

(Above) Scottish Ballet’s Cinderella (dancer Martina Forioso) prepares for the ball in style this Christmas at Blythswood Square’s luxury spa with a special speedy Cinderella polish and fizz package as part of a range of decadent new Cinderella spa packages. Photograph by Ian Macnicol.

We all have moments when we could do with our very own fairy godmother to transform us from rags to riches. Whether you’ve been slaving away or have something special to attend, Blythswood Square’s brand new Cinderella Spa Packages, in association with Scottish Ballet, will take care of your every whim, perfectly pampering you from tiara to toe and transforming you to the belle of the ball!

For ladies who cannot afford to waste time, Blythswood Square’s Cinderella Deluxe Spa package is the ultimate whirlwind transformation (pumpkin not included). Following a personal skin consultation spa guests will enjoy a tailored Anne Semonin Phyto-Aromatic Facial for effective, visible results; a seaweed foot experience to remedy the effect of any pinching glass slippers; a luxurious hand experience that will buff, polish and like Scottish Ballet’s Cinderella herself have you saying ‘You may kiss my hand’ to your very own Prince in no time, as well as a light lunch and use of all the facilities. You’ll be ready to attend the ball and unlike Cinders, the effects will last way past midnight…

Those in need of a rapid revamp, Blythswood Square’s Speedy Cinderella Spa Package will on hand to dust your delicate digits with a shape and polish as well as offering an indulgent glass of fizz to relax you in your speedy spa session.

Blythswood Square ’s Speedy Cinderella Spa Package is £25, and the Cinderella Deluxe Spa Package is £255.

For further information and booking, visit www.blythswoodsquare.com or telephone 0141 240 1622.

Slippers for Slippers Day

Blog Author — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 14:50:59 GMT

Last Tuesday, things looked very different at Scottish Ballet HQ as dancers and staff took part in Slippers for Slippers day and wore slippers to work instead of shoes!

Scottish Ballet staff show off their footwear

Artistic Director Ashley Page leads rehearsals

Great slipper action from Scottish Ballet's Junior Associates...

...and the Mid Associates. Comfier than pointe shoes!

Slippers for Slippers day was held to raise awareness of Scottish Ballet raising money towards the Cinderella Shoe Appeal through The Big Arts Give this December - click here to learn more and find out how you can donate.

If you’d really like to get into the spirit, why not hold your own Slippers for Slippers day to raise money for Cinderella’s enchanted footwear? We are inviting businesses, community groups and schools to wear their slippers to work or classes and pay a small donation to do so. You can also send us your photos through Twitter or to heather.crumley@scottishballet.co.uk, and we will share them online! Keep an eye on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest slippery goings on.

Even Marketing Monkey took part...

Photo blog: The Cinderella countdown begins!

Blog Author — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 14:06:15 GMT

With only three weeks until opening night, the countdown to Cinderella has well and truly begun (tick, tock, tick, tock...), and on Friday, we headed into the centre of Glasgow to spread a little Cinders magic.

In the morning, we took our beautiful Fairy Godmother (aka Laura Joffre) to a sparkling Princes Square for a photocall to launch our Fairy Godmother competition. The photos appeared in the Scotsman and the Evening Times over the weekend, but here are a couple of behind the scenes snaps.

Princes Square's twinkly new tree Our Fairy Godmother strikes a pose

Then as it began to get dark, Cinderella made her mark on the City Chambers in George Square, and certainly attracted a few admirers!

The City Chambers by day...

... and with the Cinderella effect!

Company launch party

Blog Author — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 11:42:21 GMT

Scottish Ballet has just launched Company, a brand new membership scheme for people in their 20s and 30s who want to access fantastic ticket discounts and restaurant deals.

The launch event on Thursday 11 November was a great success- we had delicious canapés from Cookie, beer from BrewDog and amazing cocktails from anCnoc.

Everyone seemed to have fun…

DJ Richard Lannoy from cult music label nonclassical mixed up beats and the Cinderella score to spectacular effect.

We gave out prizes including a Russell and Bromley voucher, Inverarity Wines with illustrated Timourous Beasties labels and the gorgeous Scottish Ballet: 40 Years book. As well as having areas showing Scottish Ballet’s stunning Cinderella costumes, Daniel Warren’s beautiful films and makeup artists demonstrating star looks.

The goody bags proved popular and the drinks flowed, let’s hope all our Company events are this successful!

Photographs by Rob Cartwright.

If you like dance, music, fashion, photography or art, why not join Company to discover Scottish Ballet from a whole new perspective? Join and gain access to buy one get one free tickets (saving £s), fantastic discounts on some of Glasgow’s best restaurants as well as invites to the best parties in town.

///// Click here to buy your membership at only £20 per year /////

Here comes the maths bit…

If you book two £24 tickets to Cinderella they’d usually cost you £48, with Company membership you pay just £24 for the two tickets.

Why not treat yourself to a meal at One Ten Bar and Grill and get a 17.5% discount, just by flashing your card? Or do you fancy coming to an exclusive event at Vivienne Westwood in Princes Square? You can if you are a Company member!

With many other discounts and offers available exclusively to Company members over the course of the year, one £20 membership could end up saving you over £150.

What are you waiting for? Join Company and see Scottish Ballet in a whole new perspective. Click here for more information about members only discounts or here to join for only £20.

Geometry and Grace - what you said!

Blog Author — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 13:36:09 GMT

We'd like to say a huge thanks to everyone who came to see Geometry and Grace - the atmosphere for each and every performance was fantastic. We have loved hearing what you thought of the show on Twitter and Facebook, and here are a few of our favourite comments:

"The programme was spellbindingly beautiful. Such precision, passion, expression and skill in such difficult pieces as your dancers conveyed are the mark of the greatest professionalism and artistry. Well done a hundred times, and thank you thank you thank you. Ashley Page has produced another tour de force with this top rank troupe of dedicated dancers - each one a star." Gabriella, via the website

@scottishballet LOVED Still Life & Fearful Symmetries. Wonderful show, and so lovely to have live orchestra. Well done! You do Scotland proud!

Milngaviefest, via Twitter

Sophie Martin and Erik Cavallari in Ashley Page's Fearful Symmetries. Photo by Andrew Ross.

Loved every minute, fantastic performance! Can't wait till Cinderella in January now x

Aberdeen_gal, via Twitter

@scottishballet new autumn programme was an absolute triumph - never seen the company better!

Panpromoters, via Twitter

Tomomi Sato and the Company in Frederick Ashton's Scènes de Ballet. Photo by Andrew Ross.

Wow, Scènes de Ballet by @scottishballet was stunning! Tomomi Sato's lines were so clean and precise and the whole piece was so clean!

Gavin, via Twitter

Scottish Ballet's Geometry and Grace. A fantastic programme, and the orchestra were HOT!

Gillean, via Facebook

Eve Mutso and Owen Thorne in Val Caniparoli's Still Life. Photo by Andrew Ross.

Still Life was amazing the best thing sb have ever done in my opinion - was very inspiring!

Jonathan, via Facebook

Geometry and Grace was fab. How cool to see the world premiere of Still Life too. Eve and Sophie especially were strikingly beautiful to watch throughout. Well done to all!

Pamela, via Facebook

Photo blog: Doors Open Day

Blog Author — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 16:36:26 GMT

On Saturday, Scottish Ballet led guided tours around our headquarters at Tramway. Over 300 people came through our doors and we'd like to say thank you to everyone who came along. Here are a few snaps of what they saw...

Cinderella and the Prince costumes in wardrobe

The costume store

The famous shoe cupboard! Costume from Val Caniparoli's Still Life

The Stepsister's ballgown from Cinderella

Sets from Pennies from Heaven in the technical workshop.

Opening night for Geometry and Grace

Blog Author — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 13:57:20 GMT

Geometry and Grace opened at Theatre Royal on Thursday, and as is tradition at Scottish Ballet, we welcomed our guests in style!

The press desk: it was all yellow.

Fridge protection for our macarons (baked by Michelle Crawley), and the finished product!

Goody bags

Our goody bags contained lots of lovely products gifted to us by companies, including a vanilla and coconut candle from The Candle Store, miniature whiskey from AnCnoc, a four-step facial treatment from PureLogicol, an exclusive offer for the Blythswood Spa, chocolate from Waitrose Byres Road, a pen from tour sponsors Adam & Company and Jelly Belly Jelly Beans.

Keep an eye on Twitter (www.twitter.com/scottishballet / @scottishballet) for your chance to win one of our goody bags!

A huge thank you to everyone who helped, and an extra special thank you to Michelle for the macarons. There were lots of happy faces, including SB's Marketing and Communications team: