BALLET WEST

dancers put on an impressive performance to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its first Oban performance of The Nutcracker.

More than 200 people packed into the Corran Halls last Friday and Saturday for the opening of a new touring production that will visit nine venues across Scotland. The largely new performance of The

Nutcracker featured two of the original cast.

Guest principal Sara-Maria Barton starred as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Senior Principal Dancer and Vice Principal Jonathan Barton was The Snow King.

Ballet West has come a long way since its first performance of The Nutcracker when it was a fledging local dance school.

It’s now a highly acclaimed professional training school in Taynuilt with more than 70 students from across the world.

Ballet West’s Principal and Artistic Director, Gillian Barton, said: ‘I was very happy with the performance and it was well received by the audience. They are always very supportive and encouraging.

‘It was hard to imagine where all the years have gone, it feels like only yesterday that we were staging our first

Nutcracker.

‘ We’re looking forward to taking it on tour.’

Paisley Town Hall is the next venue for the tour tomorrow (Friday). There will also be debut performances at the Tour Digital Arts Centre, Helensburgh, and the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.