English National Ballet Presents My First Ballet: SWAN LAKE

Arriving onto the Opera House Manchester stage this 28-29 April, English National Ballet and English National Ballet School are to present a new version of the well-known classic, Swan Lake, as part of its delightful My First Ballet series.

Created especially for children as young as three and adapted to an hour in length with a narrator to help young audiences follow the story, My First Ballet: Swan Lake is the perfect introduction to the magic of ballet. Featuring choreography by Antonio Castilla, English National Ballet's Ballet Master and Repetiteur, and Dramaturgy by Lou Cope, this new version follows the familiar story of Swan Lake, but told from a different point of view.

Antonio Castilla, Choreographer of My First Ballet: Swan Lake, said: "I'm very excited to be working on this project and to be charged with telling our young audiences this wonderful story. In this new version of My First Ballet: Swan Lake, we have put the focus on Odile, rather than Odette, with the narrative following her journey and the difficult decision she must make, allowing us to explore important themes of friendship, forgiveness and honesty."

Since its inception in 2012, over 250,000 people have enjoyed the series which has included the hugely successful My First Ballet: Cinderella, Coppélia and Sleeping Beauty.

Tamara Rojo CBE, Artistic Director of English National Ballet, said: "Our My First Ballet series is a brilliant way of introducing new audiences to the joy of ballet. It allows us to present popular ballets in which the narrative, choreography and music are condensed, but the ballet itself is not compromised. I look forward to sharing this new version of Swan Lake with young audiences across the country, and I hope they leave the theatre feeling inspired and excited by what ballet has to offer."

The My First Ballet series is performed by students of English National Ballet School, providing them with valuable rehearsal and performance experience within a professional touring company.

To coincide with My First Ballet: Swan Lake, English National Ballet will host on-stage creative dance workshops, aimed to provide a gateway into the world of ballet. Children and their parents/ guardians will have the opportunity to learn extracts from the production with English National Ballet dance artists and get up close to costumes and scenery.

For more information, please go to www.ballet.org.uk/myfirstballet