All About Scotland

Scottish Ballet
Scottish Ballet is Scotland's national dance company. As a truly national company, Scottish Ballet performs at theatres in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness and in smaller venues throughout Scotland. The Company's long history of touring internationally includes visits to China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Portugal, Ireland and the rest of the UK. Scottish Ballet's many recent awards include the 2004 TMA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance in recognition of its modernisation programme and dynamic performances.

Strong, classical technique lies at the root of all of the company's work. Its broad repertoire includes new version of the classics, seminal pieces from the 20th-century modern ballet canon, signature pieces by living choreographers and new commissions.

Its education initiatives and classes include work with people of all ages and abilities and its Associate Programme encourages young dancers to train for a career in the industry. As part of this commitment to broadening audiences, Scottish Ballet was the first dance company in the UK to offer live audio-description for the visually impaired; it maintains a programme of regular audio-described performances today.

In 2008, the company will take up residence at the new Tramway complex in Glasgow, creating a ballet production and presentation facility of a scale and artistic mix unrivalled in the UK. The move to Tramway will enable Scottish Ballet to forge stronger connections to the international arts scene and help to put Scottish dance on the world map.

Ballet West
Based in Taynuilt in Argyll, Ballet West is Scotland's national centre for young dancer development. It is primarily a youth company committed to performing professional quality classical work to as wide a range of people as possible. Ballet West undertake semi-professional productions, outreach, summer and school workshops and have an on-site ballet school.

Ballet West has run very successful Aspiring Professional classes in Edinburgh and Glasgow for several years and in 2002, extended their programme to include classes in Perth and Aberdeen. In all venues the courses involve classes in ballet and jazz aimed specifically at talented students who aspire to a career in professional dance or who would enjoy and benefit from a series of classes with top class professionals.

Scottish Dance Theatre
Based at the Dundee Rep Theatre, Scottish Dance Theatre has a formidable, highly acclaimed repertoire of dances that push boundaries and expectations to bring audiences across Scotland authentic choreographic voices from near and far, here and now. The work of international artists and director Janet Smith sits alongside creations by newly emerging talent, offering audiences an excellent experience that moves, entertains, challenges and delights. SDT also invest in the exploring and platforming of new work arising from within the company and support the development of the next generation of choreographers.

The dance company was born in 1986 as a service to the local community but gradually began to tour further afield and won critical acclaim on a national level. In 1991 the company, then called Dundee Rep Dance Company, won the highly prestigous Digital Award for Dance.

Guided by Smith, one of the most inventive, respected and established artistic directors in Britain today, SDT's size and status have grown and the company's choreography has developed a sophistication of craft and maturity of vision, highly regarded for its originality, clarity and simplicity.

The company are currently fundraising for a new dance studio which will transform working conditions and help extend links with the local community.

X Factor
The X Factor Dance Company was formed in 1990 by artistic director Alan Greig. An immediate impact was made on the Scottish dance scene. X Factor has firmly remained as one of Scotland's most consistently innovative and thought-provoking dance companies, enthralling critics and audiences alike with their unique repertory of work.

The X Factor appeal lies in the ability to communicate with the audience by confronting real and universal issues with intelligence and humour. Greig's work is rich in collaboration with writers, lighting designers and specially commissioned sound scores. His choreography has explored a wide variety of subjects, drawing inspiration from movies, music and the complexities of emotional and sexual relationships.

The X Factor has an eclectic and inventive repertory of works which includes Standing Room Only (1992) a high-speed, site-specific promenade, Sexual (1997) a controversial exploration of gay sex addiction, Unspoken (2000) a celebratory duet of sensual beauty and humour and The Dearly Departed (2002), a fascinating look at the various religious beliefs on what happens after death.