Carlos Acosta On Before at the Festival Theatre Edinburgh

Although, like most children of my generation, I wanted to be a ballet dancer, lack of money and an even greater lack of talent meant that I never did have dancing lessons and my interest over the years has wanted.

But a friend in the south of England is a huge fan of the man hailed as 'the world's favourite dancer', so when I heard he was coming to Edinburgh I invited her up for a few days and said I'd get tickets.

Thank goodness for my friend, for introducing me to this phenomenal performer. Just looking at the images beforehand had me in total awe.

Throughout the 95 minute production words such as fluid, faultless, mesmerizing and masterful came to mind as he contorted his body, every fibre of his being under his complete control. Even just the raising of an arm was an art form.

Acosta created On Before 10 years ago as an homage to his late mother, and is his most personal work. It tells the story of a doomed relationship between a man and a woman, set to a diverse musical repertoire ranging from Handel to Cuban contemporary composer Omar Puente, culminating in a moving finale featuring a live choir – in Edinburgh's case, the heavenly sounding Edinburgh University Singers -performing Morten Lauridsen's O Magnum Mysterium.

Joining him in nothing more than a spotlight or two on a stage whose blackness added to the depth and drama of the piece, was a founding member of Acosta's own Cuban dance company Acosta Danza, Laura Rodriguez, whose extraordinarily bendy body seemed to melt into Acosta's, while he lifted her as if she weighted nothing more than a feather.

The Cuban dancer has now retired from classical ballet and concentrates on his dance company, as well as being director of Birmingham Royal Ballet. And as it demanded curtain call after curtain call on the first of his two-night visit to Edinburgh, his audience knew that it was indeed privileged to see him perform at the start of what can only be described as an exclusive tour.

Carlos Acosta On Before continues touring:

Feb 27-28 Theatre Royal Plymouth

May 6-7 Birmingham Hippodrome

July 19-21: Buxton Opera House