Act II from Swan Lake is visually stunning, featuring 30 swans gliding across the stage in unison. It is the first time we see Odette, and the first time Odette and Siegfried meet. The climax of Act II is the passionate White Swan pas de deux, when Seigfried and Odette declare their love for each other. Tchaikovsky's famous music will be played by the full orchestra of English National Ballet.

Dancers are athletes as well as artists, and every day they undergo rigorous training that is designed to give their bodies strength, agility and speed, but also elegance. Harald Lander's Etudes is a glamorous celebration of how daily ballet class moves from simple stretching at the barre to the steps showcasing virtuosity and bravura – jumps and pirouettes – which make performances so exciting. Etudes was premiered in 1948 and became almost a signature piece for English National Ballet following the Company's first performance in 1955. The music is taken from a Karl Czerny study and arranged by Knudage Riisager.

To finish off the programme a selection of pas de deux will be performed throughout the tour with differed repertoire each night. These will include Trois Gnossiennes, Three Preludes, Grand pas de deux from Don Quixote, Concerto, and the Bedroom pas de deux from Manon.

"… the sort of production we had thought they didn't make any more – clean, classical, true, timeless" The Daily Telegraph on Swan Lake

Also on tour in Spring 2008 will be Hynd's Coppélia returning to the Company's repertoire after five years. Ronald Hynd first created this enchanting production of Coppélia for the Company in 1985, and it has remained a major work in the repertoire. Coppélia provides a challenge for all the dancers in the Company, but particularly for the female principal dancer in the role of Swanilda. This role is not only technically demanding, requiring full use of classical technique, but provides a showcase for the ballerina's comic and character acting skills. Hynd has had a strong relationship with English National Ballet since 1970 and we are delighted to be working with his ballet once again.

English National Ballet's full Company of dancers will be performing, and Leo Delibes' score is played by English National Ballet's full orchestra.

"A joyful, colourful ballet which is suitable for children and adults alike" The Daily Express

Swan Lake arrives in Leeds

In April 2008 the Company will take its full production of Derek Deane's Swan Lake to the Grand Theatre in Leeds, currently on tour this autumn.

Arguably the most popular ballet ever created, Swan Lake tells the story of Prince Siegfried's powerful love for the Swan Queen, Odette, and their battle against the evil magician, Rothbart.

This Swan Lake was originally produced for English National Ballet by Derek Deane in 2000, based on a reworking of his 1997 in the round version. The in the round production has delighted audiences around the world and has been seen by an audience of nearly 400,000 in the ten years since its premiere.

Derek Deane's traditional production brings the romance and high drama of the grand Russian ballet tradition alive. Swan Lake is set to Tchaikovsky's magnificent score, which features some of the most beautiful music in the classical ballet repertoire.

Derek Deane's production was last seen at the Château of Versailles in July 2007. Over 22,000 enjoyed the three performances which were staged a floating platform on the Basin de Neptune.

Royal Festival Hall 2008

In July 2008 English National Ballet is delighted to perform at the Royal Festival Hall for the first time since 1997. This will be a welcome return to the Festival Hall which reopened in summer 2007 following a major refurbishment. English National Ballet has a long and happy relationship with the Royal Festival Hall, having performed there regularly from its formative years in the 1950s, right through to the 1990s.

The full Company will perform a triple bill of works including a new piece from Artistic Director Wayne Eagling, David Dawson's Reverence, and Lander's Etudes.

Following a critically acclaimed run of A Million Kisses to my Skin in 2007 at Sadler's Wells, British choreographer David Dawson's work returns to English National Ballet's repertoire with Reverence. Originally created for Mariinsky Theatre in 2005, Reverence is set to Gavin Bryar's String Quartet No.3 and was the winner of Russia's highest theatre award for visual arts, The Golden Mask for Best Choreography in 2006.

"Dawson seems to have found hidden potential for elasticity in the human body. An impetuous adagio leading to a finale-parting, no less keen and vibrant than the finale of Balanchine's Serenade."

Maria Ratanova, Kommersant-daily Theatre magazine

MacMillian Season 2008/09

Following the huge success of The Sleeping Beauty revival in 2005, English National Ballet will once again perform MacMillan's classic production in Autumn and Winter 2008/09. This will be joined by MacMillan's Manon on loan from Royal Danish Ballet. This will be the first time English National Ballet has performed Manon in its history.

MacMillan's production of The Sleeping Beauty follows the 'Serguyev/traditional Royal Ballet' text about King Florestan and his Queen as they celebrate the christening of Princess Aurora. Their special guests are the fairy godmothers who bestow their magic gifts on the infant. Just as the Lilac Fairy is to present her gift, the Fairy Carabosse, whose invitation has been overlooked by the master of ceremonies, arrives and takes her revenge by pronouncing that one day Aurora will prick her finger on a needle and die. The Lilac Fairy intervenes with the promise that Aurora will not die but fall into a deep sleep from which she will be awakened after 100 years by the kiss of a prince.

The production features MacMillan's own contributions to the story including the Garland Waltz in Act I, the variations for Prince Désiré and Aurora in Act II, the journey to the castle and awakening, and the Jewels divertissement in Act III.

In 2005 The Sleeping Beauty was enjoyed by over 100,000 people on tour and in London.

"The staging is visually a delight… this handsome Beauty is respectful of what this masterpiece means as apotheosis of classic ballet."

The Financial Times

Joining The Sleeping Beauty on tour will be Macmillan's masterpiece Manon. Innocent girl or femme fatale, Manon is young, beautiful and naïve and she is in love. Caught between two men vying for her affection, Manon becomes entangled in a web of passion, love and vanity, unable to choose. Student Renato des Grieux offers a pure love, but the promises and opulence of Monsieur G.M. entice Manon to the life of a courtesan. Kenneth MacMillan's thrilling tragedy brings to life Manon Lescault, the 1731 novel by Abbé Prévost. Music from Jules Massenet accompanies Manon as she weaves her way through the decadence and darkness of enlightened eighteenth century Paris.

English National Ballet will perform both The Sleeping Beauty and Manon during its Autumn Tour and at the London Coliseum. The tour opens in Bristol and visits Southampton, Manchester, Oxford and Liverpool culminating in a five week season at the London Coliseum.

Manon and The Sleeping Beauty will be joined by Hampon/Scarfe's The Nutcracker returning to the London Coliseum for the 7th successive year. Choreographed by Christopher Hampson and designed by Gerald Scarfe this production is colourful and vibrant and offers an eccentric retelling of this classic Christmas ballet. Clara, her Nutcracker doll and the magician, Drosselmeyer, take us on adventures in the Land of Snow and the Kingdom of the Sweets. Clara battles with a Mouse King, flies on an origami bird and falls in love with a handsome Prince. The Nutcracker is the ideal Christmas treat for all the family, and has proved hugely popular with audiences since its premiere in 2002.

"It's amazing how much better English National Ballet's Nutcracker is this year…the real change comes from the dancers, who have restored the required warmth and sparkle…the performances are very winning."

The Independent on the 2006 performances

English National Ballet is delighted to perform throughout the season with the full Company of 64 dancers and full orchestra. The international line up of dancers includes popular husband and wife partnership Agnes Oaks and Thomas Edur, as well as Daria Klimentová and Dmitri Gruzdyev; Elena Glurdjidze and Arionel Vargas; Erina Takahashi and César Morales, Fernanda Oliveira and Yosvani Ramos. -- www.ballet.org.uk