This autumn Scottish Ballet plans a return to stage and screen with Gene Kelly’s ballet Pas de Dieux, giving a new twist for its UK premiere. One of the first choreographers to bring the ‘American style’ to Europe, the legendary icon Gene Kelly was invited to create an original work for the Paris Opera Ballet in 1960. Dancing the lead role of Aphrodite was the ‘Étoile’ of Paris, Claude Bessy, who had worked with Kelly in Hollywood and encouraged him across the Atlantic. His Pas de Dieux was highly acclaimed at the time and is now being given a new set of wings for its UK premiere.

In collaboration with Kelly’s widow, Patricia Ward Kelly, Scottish Ballet’s CEO and Artistic Director Christopher Hampson and designer Lez Brotherston have revived the original ballet and added a delightful new twist.

Set within the glamour of Paris in 1960, Starstruck recreates a world where 'jazz meets ballet, gods masquerade as mortals, and the stars align'. Set to Gershwin’s effortlessly cool Concerto in F, with extracts from Chopin; Starstruck is set to be the evening of entertainment audiences have been waiting for.

It is hoped that Starstruck will mark Scottish Ballet’s long-awaited return to the stage, with an autumn tour of Scotland planned, subject to venues being able to reopen to significant capacity. The production is also being created as a new feature-length film, with tickets available to the public later this year. The news of this new film comes hot on the heels of Scottish Ballet winning the prestigious ‘Best Dance Film’ at the National Dance Awards for its first feature film The Secret Theatre at Sunday’s awards.