Sixty years of Cinderella at the ballet

The beginnings: dancers wait in the wings during rehearsals for a pantomime of Cinderella at the London Coliseum on St Martin's Lane in November 1936 Photograph: A. Hudson/Stringer/Corbis

Renowned Scottish dancer Moira Shearer as Cinderella in 1949, wishing she could go to the ball Photograph: William Sumits/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image

Sir Frederick Ashton, left, and Sir Robert Helpmann as the ugly sisters in a December 1972 Royal Ballet performance of Cinderella Photograph: Donald Southern/Getty Images

Kerry Biggin and Sam Archer in Matthew Bourne's Cinderella, performed by Sadler's Wells' resident company, New Adventures. On until 23 January 2011
Photograph: Marilyn Kingwill

The ball scene from Matthew Bourne's Cinderella
Photograph: Marilyn Kingwill

Kerry Biggin shows how to do ballet in glass slippers ...
Photograph: Marilyn Kingwill

Scottish Ballet's Cinderella, led by artistic director Ashley Page, stars Louisa Hassell and Kara McLaughlin as the ugly sisters. The production will play at Glasgow's Theatre Royal from 14 to 31 December and then tour Scotland and Northern Ireland
Photograph: Andrew Ross

Soon Ja Lee as the Fairy Godmother in the Scottish Ballet's version
Photograph: Andrew Ross

Marianela Nuñez as Cinderella in the Royal Ballet's production, showing in rotation at the Royal Opera House until 31 December
Photograph: Tristram Kenton

Nuñez alongside Thiago Soares's Prince in the Royal Ballet's show
Photograph: Tristram Kenton

A final shot of the Royal Ballet's Cinderella
Photograph: Tristram Kenton

A publicity image from the Birmingham Royal Ballet's version, on at Birmingham Hippodrome from 24 November until 12 December and then touring. Delia Mathews stars as Cinderella Photograph: Tim Cross