Ashley Page
Artistic Director
After graduating from the RoyalBalletSchool, Ashley Page joined the Royal Ballet in 1976, becoming a Principal dancer in 1984. He danced most of the leading roles in the classical repertoire and in the ballets of Ashton and MacMillan, who both created roles for him. He was increasingly cast in modern works by Tetley, Alston and Bintley in a wide ranging series of parts that displayed his strong technique, and dramatic and partnering skills. His first choreography for the Royal Ballet was A Broken Set of Rules in 1984. It was immediately apparent that an interesting and startling new voice was being heard. To understand the choreography of Ashley Page one has to examine the powerful crosscurrents at the confluence of classical ballet and Cunningham technique. The turbulence one would expect to find at such an unlikely juncture is all evident in Page’s work: in the surging dynamics; unpredictable configurations of dancers; and the sense that his choreography draws upon a diverse and limitless vocabulary of steps. Certainly the Cunningham influence is not blatantly apparent, nor is the strong danse d’ecole tradition in which Page was steeped throughout his training as a dancer. What confronts the viewer is a brilliant hybrid: exotic, dramatic and full of natural innovation. Page cites Richard Alston as an important mentor during his formative development as a creator, and he contributed three works – Carmen Arcadiae, Soldat and Currulao – to Rambert Dance Company’s repertoire between 1986 and 1990, under Alston’s directorship. His burgeoning reputation led to choreographic commissions for the Turkuaz Modern Dance Company; Second Stride; Western Australian Ballet; and significantly, the Dutch National Ballet in 1992, where his piece Touch Your Coolness To My Fevered Brow marked a looser and less classical style. There were also works made for television, including an adaptation of Soldat. The Royal Ballet commissioned many pieces, including the hugely successful Fearful Symmetries which won a Time Out Award in 1994 and an Olivier in 1995.
Page is justly famed for his collaborations with important composers and visual artists in pursuit of the philosophical ideal of the gesamtkunstwerk (total work of art). The list of contemporary music makers is an impressive one: Michael Nyman; Colin Matthews; David Lang and Michael Gordon; Orlando Gough; Bruce Gilbert and John Adams. The artists, no less so: Howard Hodgkin; Deanna Petherbridge; Jack Smith; Bruce McLean; Jon Morrell; Stephen Chambers; and most felicitously, in terms of Scottish Ballet, Antony McDonald. When Ashley Page was appointed as Artistic Director of the Company in 2002 he made a commitment to apply his considerable energy to developing the boundaries of Scottish Ballet. In an astonishingly short time he has formed a repertoire of modern classics: Ashton, Balanchine, (five works to date), Alston, Davies, Petronio, van Manen, Pastor, Robbins, Loosmore and Forsythe. His own choreography has formed an important part among the works designed to stretch the abilities of his dancers such as: Fearful Symmetries (1994); 32 Cryptograms (1996); Room Of Cooks (1997), Cheating, Lying, Stealing (1998); Acrid Avid Jam (2001); The Nutcracker (2003); Nightswimming into day (2004); The Pump Room (2005), Cinderella (2005), and most recently Pennies from Heaven (2008) as well as this, the critically acclaimed production of The Sleeping Beauty first premiered in 2007.
By 2004 critical recognition of the Company’s resurgence under Ashley Page was forthcoming from several quarters. Most notably Scottish Ballet received the TMA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance. The triumphant return to Edinburgh International Festival 2005 after a twenty year hiatus garnered not only praise but a coveted Herald Angel Award, as did the Fringe Festival performances of Page’s own work by two of the Company’s contemporary performers. Ashley Page was also nominated in the dance category at the South Bank Show Awards 2005 for his work with Scottish Ballet.
In 2006, the Company made its much anticipated and highly successful return to the London stage (Spring Season 2006), seven years since the Company last toured to London and for the first time under the direction of Page. In June 2006 Ashley Page was awarded OBE for services to dance in the Queen’s 80th Birthday Honours list, and in 2007, he served as a juror at the prestigious New York International Ballet Competition. So far, 2008 has seen Scottish Ballet announced the winner of the Critics’ Circle National Dance Award Company Prize for Outstanding Repertoire (Classical).
Mike Dixon
Quotes
“It’s at this point that you really begin to appreciate just how much - how skilfully - Page has redefined the choreography of this nineteenth-century classic ballet ... You simply have to experience it for yourselves and take pride in the fact that this is our national company.”
The Herald on Page's The Sleeping Beauty
“Page’s own choreographic masterpiece ... Gladiatorial athleticism and geometric precision, a testament to just how far Page has pulled up his dancers’ technique.”
The Observer on Page's
Fearful Symmetries
"In terms of performance levels, artistic achievement and overall production levels, the evening was an eye-opener"
Sunday Express on Scottish Ballet's Spring Season 2007
“Scottish Ballet is once again a force to be reckoned with, a company of fine dancers who deserve to be seen far and wide ... Page and McDonald have peppered the show with just enough silliness for the season, while retaining the intelligent charm and elegance befitting a national ballet company.”
The Sunday Times (Ecosse) on Page's Cinderella
"It’s the show we’ve all been waiting for – the one that firmly places Scottish Ballet centre stage again. It’s sheer theatre and sheer entertainment."
Daily Mail on Page's The Nutcracker
Paul Tyers
Deputy Artistic Director
Paul was born in Leicester, training at the Rambert and Royal Ballet Schools. As a Principal dancer with Scottish Ballet, Paul has danced many leading roles for the Company. He subsequently became Répétiteur, and then Ballet Master in 1986. Paul was promoted to the role of Assistant Artistic Director in 2002 and Deputy Artistic Director in 2005.
Maria Jiminez Arrechea
Ballet Mistress
Maria trained at Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and Dance of Madrid, Spain. She was Ballet Teacher at School of Dance Maria de Avila in Zaragoza between 1991-2001, and during this time was Official Teacher for III, IV, and V National Dance Competition of Torrelavaga, Spain. She then became Ballet Mistress and Repetiteur for Ballet de Zaragoza where she remained until 2004.
Maria studied Benesh Notation at the Benesh Institute, Royal Academy of Dance, London, and in addition, she is qualified in Therapeutic Massage. During her career Maria has worked with choreographers such as Maria de Avila, Antonia Francheschi, Mark Baldwin and Richard Alston. Her own choreographies include Allegro Vivace, 2000, Suite Holberg, 1997 and Sinfonia n. 1 1994.
Amanda Eyles
Ballet Mistress
Amanda trained at the ArtsEducationalSchool, Tring and at RambertAcademy, London. She spent a year teaching ballet and contemporary dance before taking the Professional Diploma in BMN at the Benesh Institute. Her career in notation started with The Royal Ballet and continued with Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet, which became the Birmingham Royal Ballet. She joined English National Ballet as a Benesh notator and was promoted to Ballet Mistress.
Throughout her career she has worked closely with many choreographers on new work, including Peter Wright, Derek Deane, Michael Corder, Mauro Bigonzetti and Richard Alston. She has also been closely involved with reviving and rehearsing existing works, as well as all the classics. Amanda joined the Royal Academy of Dance as Benesh Lecturer and Assistant Director of the Benesh Institute in 2000 and returned to English National Ballet as Rehearsal Director in 2001.