Scottish Dance Theatre will take part in the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony, taking place at The Hydro on 23 July.

As part of the ceremony, Joan Clevillé, Artistic Director of Scottish Dance Theatre, is choreographing a section that brings together Glasgow-based professional dancers and community participants, offering Scottish Dance Theatre a meaningful opportunity to collaborate with and platform the creative talent of the city. Developed in close collaboration with Ceremony Director Roxana Cole and overall Choreographer Emily Jane Boyle, the section forms part of a wider Opening Ceremony.

While details of the full ceremony remain under wraps, Scottish Dance Theatre’s involvement will draw on the spirit of community, connection and solidarity that defines Glasgow. These themes resonate strongly with Scottish Dance Theatre’s own history, from its grassroots beginnings in Dundee to its role today as Scotland’s flagship contemporary dance company.

The invitation comes during a landmark year for Scottish Dance Theatre, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary season and has recently been named Best Mid-Scale Company at the Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards. The company’s participation represents an extraordinary moment of national and international visibility, with thousands experiencing the ceremony live at The Hydro and many more watching across the world through broadcast and digital coverage. It recognises Scottish Dance Theatre’s contribution to Scotland’s cultural life and its continuing role in connecting artists, audiences and communities through dance.

Joan Clevillé said: “It is a real privilege for Scottish Dance Theatre to contribute to the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony, especially during our 40th anniversary season.

As Scotland’s flagship contemporary dance company, we are proud to be part of a national celebration that speaks to Scotland’s outward-looking identity and its connection to the wider world. Dance feels deeply connected to the spirit of the Games: both celebrate the beauty, strength and resilience of the human body, and both bring people together across cultures, languages and borders.

The ceremony also offers Scottish Dance Theatre am extraordinary moment of visibility, with thousands experiencing it live at The Hydro and many more watching across the world through broadcast and digital coverage. We are particularly excited to collaborate with Glasgow-based dancers and community participants, and to help platform the creative talent, warmth and generous spirit of the city.”

Participation in the Opening Ceremony comes in the middle of Scottish Dance Theatre’s 40th Anniversary Season. The company debuted the world premiere of their anniversary double bill last month, which will head out on the road from October. Featuring original works by internationally acclaimed choreographers Emilie Leriche (US/Sweden) and Edouard Hue (Switzerland), the programme celebrates four decades of bold, innovative performance and international collaboration. The anniversary double bill Rotten Work by Leriche and The Game of Life by Hue. 

Meanwhile, they will be bringing Ray and Little Ray, two intimate and personal performances that celebrate the power of movement and dance, to small scale and rural venues across Scotland. Originally created by Meytal Blanaru for Scottish Dance Theatre in 2022, Ray has since been reimagined with the support of Starcatchers as Little Ray, an early years companion piece designed for children 3-5 and their caregivers. 

To cap off the anniversary celebrations, on 31 October Scottish Dance Theatre invites artists, audiences and communities who have shaped four decades of shared history to come together in a special Anniversary Gala to celebrate the company’s legacy and look forward to its future. 

Tickets for the Opening Ceremony are available to buy now at www.glasgow2026.com.