It was more like a classier Strictly Come Dancing than a night at the ballet.

But I loved the pzazz of English National Ballet's Strictly Gershwin.

And I was thrilled to bits to see the dress rehearsal last night at the Royal Albert Hall.

I admit it. I've been too snobby to go to ballet at the Albert Hall, so I've missed all those over-the-top productions with 60 swans (and fireworks and 1812 cannons).

But what do you know ... it's brilliant. You're so close to the dancers, that you can see exactly who's who, see every muscle, see them gasping to get their breath back. (Well, you could where we were sitting, almost in the orchestra, so we were sideways on more than in-the-round.) It was rather like viewing it inside out, which wouldn't please everybody, but was rather fascinating. The Ginger Rogers gowns were simply fabulous, sparkling with crystals ... so shimmery, they looked as if they could dance on their own.

The conductor was jigging and jiving (I wonder if he jiggles to Swan Lake?)

And lovely Daria Klimentová - star of that fly-on-the-wall documentary that I was so hooked on that I watched every episode twice over - she was exquisite. And she's nearly 40.

She wasn't dancing with Vadim Muntagirov, the 20-year-old Russian dancer who partners her so well.

Actually, he wasn't on very good form last night. When he's not dancing with Daria, he looks a bit tentative and gauche; he looked too much like a Tchaikovsky prince, too young and inexperienced to let himself go. (Makes you realise that it's not only the older woman who gains by dancing with a younger man.)

I gasped when Tamara Rojo stumbled and fell over ... poor girl.

But to my huge disappointment, though I could hear the voice of choreographer Derek Deane shouting GO, Go, Go ... from the wings, he wasn't rude or mean to anyone.

Of course, there weren't any TV cameras to play up to.