A fabulous new dance and music extravaganza will be staged in Edinburgh this Hogmanay and across Scotland in the New Year thanks to £343,000 funding from the Scottish Government's Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund, Culture Minister Michael Russell said today.

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay organisers Unique Events have joined forces with Dance Base and the Festival Theatre Edinburgh to create major new production – Off Kilter – an accessible, fresh celebration of Scotland’s eclectic, unique music and dance styles.

The production will premiere new works from world renowned choreographers Mark Morris and Scottish Ballet’s artistic director Ashley Page. There will also be commissioned works from traditional dance expert Frank McConnell and Scottish Dance Theatre artistic director Janet Smith, with music from Martyn Bennett to Calvin Harris. Off Kilter will debut at the Festival Theatre this Hogmanay before embarking on a Scottish tour from January 2010 which will see it performed in Glasgow, Perth, Inverness and Aberdeen.