My First Ballet: Swan Lake at Blackpool Grand
Gemma Gibb, Associate Editor
There’s no better introduction to the magic of ballet than seeing one of the most famous ballets of all time at Blackpool’s stunning Grand Theatre.
The English National Ballet aims to bring ballet to the widest audience possible. This brand new version of the tale of a princess who has been transformed into a swan by an evil scorcerer is especially for children aged three and above. With stunning costume, choreography, set design and technical skill that will be sure to leave little ones agog, expect to be on the edge of your seat as princess Odette is turned into a swan. Returning to human form only at night, the suspense continues as we wait to see if Prince Siegfried can save her or if he will succumb to the magician Rothbart’s dastardly scorcery.
This unique collaboration between English National Ballet and English National Ballet School is choreographed by Antonio Castilla, English National Ballet’s Ballet Master and performed by second year students of English National Ballet School.
With a narrator to help audiences follow the story and a short version of Tchaikovsky’s mesmerising music, all set within the beauty of the Grand Theatre’s enchanting Grade II listed building, we can’t think of many better first theatre or dance experiences than this.
Renowned as flamboyant architect Frank Matcham’s (the leading architect of the day’s) masterpiece in 1894 The Grand Theatre is renowned as one of the most beautiful theatre buildings in England. This stunning setting together with the chance to witness this re-telling of a masterpiece is sure to charm little and big audience members alike and perhaps ignite the passions of dance and theatre lovers and practitioners of the future.
A whopping 250, 000 people have enjoyed English National Ballet’s My First Ballet series so far which continues to capture imaginations and open up enjoyment of ballet as an art form to those who might not otherwise experience it.
