A DAZZLING display of mesmerising dance and ballet captivated the jam-packed audience at the Alhambra Theatre tonight.

Ballet British Columbia, Canada's leading contemporary company, played its only Yorkshire dates in Bradford, as part of their first-ever six-date UK tour.

The show was a triumph of agility and storytelling.

Up to 18 dancers took to the stage in three separate choreographed pieces; 16+ a room, Solo Echo and Bill, each lasting just over 20 minutes.

It was elegant and energetic throughout, blending the classic and contemporary.

The performance got under way with 16+room, a fast-paced group display full of strident poise, which captivated the crowd and set the tone for the rest of the evening.

The highlight for me was the second section, which opened to gasps of delight from the audience as sparkling snow fell gently on to the stage against a pitch black sky. Dreamy expressions of composer Johannes Brahms' piano and cello sonatas followed on, accompanying the dancers' movements perfectly.

The third section, Bill, had a more contemporary feel, with dance music used as a background to the dancers' often abrupt style of movement. For this, the group were dressed in flesh-coloured bodysuits as many of them took it in turns to perform solo stints under expressive lighting.

The group's appearance was arranged due to Bradford Theatres' membership of Dance Consortium, a group of 19 large-scale venues which brings the best in international dance to the UK.

Columbia's two-night run will finish tomorrow night.