Scottish Ballet is celebrating a double win at this year’s National Dance Awards, with two major awards going to the team behind Mary, Queen of Scots.

The National Dance Awards are organised by the Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle each year to celebrate the vigour and variety of Britain’s thriving dance culture. They bring together over 60 dance writers and are the only awards given by the body of professional dance critics in the UK.

The winners were selected from 75 nominations drawn from a record 379 recommendations submitted by the UK’s dance critics, reflecting what National Dance Awards chair Graham Watts described as “a wonderful year for dance in the UK”.

Principal dancer Roseanna Leney picked up Outstanding Female Classical Performance for her powerful take on the title role, earning praise for a performance both technically sharp and emotionally charged.

“Roseanna Leney – who dances Mary in a fabulous black velvet dress – embodies the Scottish queen with, by turns, great sensuality, joy, fear, defiance and, ultimately, dignity.”
The National, August 2025

Choreographer in Residence Sophie Laplane was recognised, winning Best Classical Choreography for her bold and imaginative work on the production.

“Astonishingly, this is Laplane’s first full-length ballet. As Scottish Ballet’s resident choreographer, she has created numerous short works and dance films, all of which suggested her potential for more. Well, that potential has been realised, and not only is Mary, Queen Of Scots the best thing Laplane has ever done, it’s one of the most visually captivating and emotionally arresting shows ever to emerge from the Scottish Ballet stable.”
The List, August 2025

These achievements mark an exciting moment for Scottish Ballet, and shine a well‑deserved spotlight on the talent. Huge congratulations to Roseanna and Sophie on this brilliant achievement.

Read more about it, and see the full list of winners here