A Q&A with our latest young friend ambassadors Hannah Cubitt and Ishan Mahabir-Stokes and an exclusive Young Friends pin badge reveal

We’re excited to reveal the latest exclusive pin badge shared with our Young Friends. Especially for under 16s, our Young Friends membership includes collectable pin badges which represent our friendship and community.

The latest pin badge has been designed by Chelsea Frew, a Scotland-trained designer. It focuses on the movements of dancers in both company class and during their performances on-stage. Chelsea brings a dynamic flair to their work, with an approach that is all about embracing limitless exploration.

With every year of friendship you can start to build your collection. Wearing these exclusive badges shows that your part of our special community of Young Friends.

Bi-annually we invite two of our company dancers to be ambassadors for our young friend members. We sat down with Hannah and Ishan for a catch-up on ballet, friendship and advice.

What is your proudest career moment?

Hannah: Performing Mazelda on stage alongside my colleague and friend Ishan who played Zac [in Scottish Ballet’s The Snow Queen]. Our final performance was incredible.

Ishan: Performing the role of Zac in The Snow Queen was great fun, that’s definitely up there. Dancing in A Streetcar Named Desire at Sadler’s Wells in London was really nice, it’s my home crowd.

What is your dream role?

H: I would have said Swans in David Dawson’s Swan Lake but…I’ve done that now! I’d love to dance one of the fairies in The Sleeping Beauty. There are lots of productions that come to mind, rather than a specific role. I’d like to perform in Romeo & Juliet or William Forsyth’s In The Middle Somewhat Elevated. That would be stunning!

I: I think as is the case for many dancers, at some point I’d love the chance to play Romeo. But over the years I think I’ve realized I would equally enjoy Tybalt or Mercutio.

Why did you want to become a professional ballet dancer?

I: I suppose for me it was about what it would allow me to do; being creative, making art for a living, and performing with friends as part of a company. The idea of being part of a collective was really enticing for me.

H: I didn’t have a moment where I went “I want to be a professional ballet dancer!”. I was in the Scottish Ballet Associate programme and I just really enjoyed it. That was the main thing that made me want to audition for ballet schools. I went to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland to do a BA in Modern Ballet and really loved performing, learning, and seeing my growth over the three years. It was a journey that led me to be a professional, rather than something I aimed for.

What is your favourite step?

H: I love a grand jeté (big jump).

I: Probably a sissonne (scissor jump). I’m not super flexible but a sissonne makes me feel like I am.

What advice would you give to our Young Friends?

I: Follow your passions.

H: Believe in yourself because it’s so easy to lose confidence or compare yourself to others. Express yourself and have fun. Obviously, most of us face some tough moments but you can do anything you set your mind to.

Tell us something you like to do with your friends?

H: I feel like city life can be 100 miles an hour, so I love to get out of Glasgow, find a nice walk, go to the beach. I love spending time outside.

I: I go climbing with James Hobley, who is also a dancer with the company. It’s a different form of physical challenge and a nice way to be social while escaping the city.

Join as a Young Friend for just £2 a month and receive exclusive content from our Young Friend Ambassadors, a very special birthday video message from a dancer every year, a tour poster signed by the dancers and our brand new collectable pin badges to wear with pride. Additionally, during each tour there are very special Friends events taking place in the theatres where you can watch company class and join a Q&A with Scottish Ballet dancers.

Become a Young Friend