Two households, both alike in dignity is where the story of Romeo and Juliet begins. A tale written by the Bard about star crossed lovers and their untimely fate is a story that has transcended across stages, screens, and novels to entertain audiences across the world. In fact, in recent times there has been a musical, a play, and now a ballet to enthral. And whilst this tale may be told countless times, it still is a tale that never grows old. 

The ballet powerhouses at Northern Ballet have reignited their rendition of this Shakespeare tale. Having lost most of the set and costuming to a flood in the early 90's, they have worked tirelessly to restore this timeless classic to it's former glory and allow it to capture the hearts of audience's again. 

Whilst the cult 1990 classic Tim Burton film Edward Scissorhands might not be the most obvious choice for a ballet, Matthew Bourne has yet again worked his magic to create something quite wonderful and special. Originally on stage in 2005, this production is back on tour and leaving audiences in love with the tale of the boy that has scissors for hands. 

As a young teen obsessed with anything Tim Burton, Edward Scissorhands was a film that had a special place in my slightly odd, emo heart. To see it adapted from the screen into a Matthew Bourne ballet was nothing short of perfection and truly transported me into the world of a much loved tale. 

 Matthew Bourne is an icon in the ballet world, creating masterpieces of theatre that take you to other worlds and put a new spin on old classics to tempt and impress audiences. From Edward Scissorhands to Romeo and Juliet, Matthew Bourne has taken the idea of a ballet and turned it on its head, creating showstoppers that engage new audiences and win over traditional ballet enthusiasts.

Whenever I think about ballet, I always think about my Grandma. She ran her own dance school and saw students take to the big stages. So whenever I sit in an audience about to watch one on stage, I always seem to think 'What would Grandma think of this'. And honestly, I think Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty would have blown her away. 

Matthew Bourne is a creative genius that in my eyes can do no wrong. Every show he creates is one that takes your breath away and sticks with you long after you leave a theatre. I'm going to be honest and say that I feel incredibly privileged to have seen so many of his shows. But the Nutcracker! was one show that I had yet to tick off that elusive list. The sickly sweet show about whimsical adventures and longing for happiness is one that I can finally say I saw and adored!

Nutcracker! Is currently on at the Mayflower Southampton before continuing on its UK tour and I was invited to see just how sweet this show really was. I opted to bring Max's best friend with me to this one. She is a dancer and I knew that she would be the best judge of how truly magical this show really is for a younger audience (and it didn't disappoint at all!). 

 The story of Don Quixote is one that I can be honest and say I have never heard of. The tale of Don Quixote and his hapless assistant Sancho Panza as they head off on a wild Spanish adventure and meet Kitri and Basilio, young lovers who are forced apart by class and greed. 

The absolutely brilliant Birmingham Royal Ballet took this story and danced. Alongside direction from the utterly brilliant Carlos Acosta, you are immersed in a world of Spanish ballet mixed with beautiful orchestrations and staging that will leave you in awe of its beauty. It is everything you would want and more in a ballet and I felt so fortunate to be invited along to review it at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton.  

There's something magical and captivating about watching the ballet. Seeing the dancers flow and float across the stage in such fluid movements is awe inspiring and honestly leaves me wide eyed in amazement. The sheer talent that graces a stage during a show is staggering and I will never not admire each and every dancer that goes on stage night after night.

I was invited to watch the brilliant Acosta Danza ballet company at the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton and was beyond excited to watch and immerse myself in a show like no other. The Mayflower Theatre in Southampton have such an eclectic mix of dance shows on and you never know what you are going to expect. One thing you can count on though is a show to remember.

My grandma was a dance teacher. A magnificent one that taught small children how to plié and tap dance. She was obsessed with Strictly Come Dancing and would sit for hours talking to anyone that would listen about the dancers footwork and extensions. Unfortunately none of her children or grandchildren were as graceful when it came to dancing as she was, but we all took a bit of her spark and love for dancing with us. When The Mayflower, Southampton invited me to see Northern Ballet's adaptation of The Great Gatsby, I knew it was going to be special. 

Photos by Bill Cooper