On the Nature of Daylight: A Q&A with Sophie Martin, former Principal of Scottish Ballet
- Olivia Godwin
- Jun 23
- 3 min read
A look at David Dawson's 'On the Nature of Daylight' being performed at Ballet Nights Glasgow on the 4th July at the Theatre Royal Glasgow. Performed by previous Principal of Scottish Ballet, Sophie Martin, along with Joan Ivars Ribes, we spoke to Sophie to hear more about the piece, and what she is looking forward to as she returns to the Scottish Stage.
British choreographer David Dawson is one of the leading dancemakers working in classical ballet today. His choreographic style transforms classical ballet in new ways and his signature works have been praised by critics and audiences worldwide. Between 2004 and 2012 he was Resident Choreographer for Dutch National Ballet, Semperoper Ballett and Royal Ballet of Flanders. He has been Associate Artist with Dutch National Ballet since 2015 and in 2025, he was appointed Resident Choreographer with The National Ballet of Canada. His piece, On the Nature of Daylight is a work that tries to explore the idea of love as both the ordinary and the extra-ordinary.
"It is something we all seek in life: true love. Yet, how are we to find our ideal partner? By chance or by choice? And what happens if we simply fail to meet up with the right person? A piece about the perfectly ordinary yet extraordinary mystery of love, choreographed to music by Max Richter that is balm to the soul. "- David Dawson
The piece will be performed at Ballet Nights Glasgow by Sophie Martin and Joan Ivars Ribes, both currently with Ballett am Rhein.
Joan Ivars Ribes was born in Spain and trained at the Institut del Teatre in Barcelona, the School of American Ballet in New York, and graduated from the Palucca University of Dance Dresden in 2020. He has performed in productions with the Semperoper Dresden, Kampnagel Hamburg, New York City Ballet, and the Prix de Lausanne Choreographic Project. From 2021/22, he danced with the Staatsballett Karlsruhe, performing leading roles including Albrecht in Giselle (David Dawson) and Mortimer in Maria Stuart (Bridget Breiner).
Dancing with Joan, is Sophie Martin, making a special return to the Scottish Stage. Sophie began her training at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris. In 2003, she joined Scottish Ballet under the direction of Ashley Page and became a Principal in 2008. In 2011 she received the Critic's Circle National Dance Award for Best Female Performance in Kenneth Macmillan's "The Song of the Earth". After 19 years in the company, Sophie moved to Germany as a member of Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe until 2024, and is now a member of the Ballett am Rhein from the 2024/25 season.
One of many returns in the programme, we spoke to Sophie to find out more:
When did you last perform in Glasgow and what excites you about performing at Ballet Nights Glasgow?
The last time I performed in Glasgow was in April 2024. Scottish Ballet brought back David Dawson’s Swan Lake and I was delighted to guest with the company for this production. I spent a lot of time in Glasgow’s Theatre Royal over my 19 years in Scotland so coming back to it feels like going back home. I’m particularly looking forward to sharing some time backstage with Eve (Mutso) and Constance (Devernay-Laurence) with whom I shared that very stage with most of those years!
What are you and Joan Ivars Ribes – also of Ballett Am Rhein – performing at Ballet Nights Glasgow?
We will be performing On The Nature of Daylight which is a beautiful piece made by David
Dawson. I first performed it in 2023 and I would always jump at the opportunity to do it again! I don’t think it’s been done in Scotland before.
What do you think audiences will particularly like about the piece?
While it’s a very demanding duet, with the right approach (and enough stamina!) it becomes
magical. I hope to share with the audience the sense of tenderness and abandon I get from dancing with my partner Joan.
And finally, tell us three things you miss about living in Glasgow and three locations you would visit in Glasgow if you had the time or if you were a tourist?
People make Glasgow! I miss my friends, a good fry-up and having such beautiful nature close
by. When I lived in Scotland I loved how fun and friendly Scottish people are and how lively Glasgow is. It will always hold great nostalgia for me. I arrived in Glasgow and Scottish Ballet at the age of 18 so I had half my adulthood there! I had such a great time touring, going to gigs, pubs, and events. I feel so lucky to have experienced it all in my twenties and most of my thirties. I am very much looking forward to this visit on the 4th of July...
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