thu 23/10/2025

dance

Akram Khan's Giselle, Sadler's Wells review - the migrant crisis in a ballet thriller

Jenny Gilbert

Of the many good reasons for seeing Akram Khan’s 2016 remake of Giselle – his work is often a headline event, for one – the most compelling is the company performing it. English National Ballet used to be the poor relation of its plusher sister national flagship in WC2. Not any more.

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La Bayadère, Mariinsky Ballet review - a parade of delights

Hanna Weibye

There are half as many performances of La Bayadère in this Mariinsky tour as performances of Swan Lake (four vs eight).

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Contrasts, Mariinsky Ballet review - company shows off range of its powers

Hanna Weibye

There are two approaches to a triple bill: make all three pieces similar so you get one crowd with definite tastes, or make them very different so you have a chance of pleasing everyone. The Contrasts bill that the Mariinsky ballet showed at the Royal Opera House was, as its title suggests, firmly in the latter camp.

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Swan Lake, Mariinsky Ballet review - Xander Parish lacks the spark of wildfire

Hanna Weibye

It's a Cinderella story: Xander Parish was plucked from obscurity in the Royal Ballet corps and trained by the Mariinsky to dance the greatest roles in the repertoire.

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Don Quixote, Mariinsky Ballet review - gentle charm, impressive principals

Hanna Weibye

One of the most Russian things you can do in ballet is dance Don Quixote, which is 100 percent set in Spain. Don't think too hard about it, and definitely don't think too hard about the plot (which is barely there).

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Scottish Ballet, Sadler's Wells review - striking and memorable dance

Hanna Weibye

Years ago, MC14/22 (Ceci est mon corps), the Angelin Preljoçaj piece with which this Scottish Ballet double bill opens, made a deep impression on Christopher Hampson.

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Ashton triple bill, Royal Ballet review – fond farewell to Zenaida Yanowsky

Hanna Weibye

Nicely covering the many bases of Frederick Ashton's genius, the Royal Ballet triple bill which opened last night is a chance to see both the company and its founder choreographer on top form.

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m¡longa, Brighton Festival review - sensual tango explosion

Thomas H Green

Watching tango dancers Gisela Galeassi and Nikito Cornejo own the apron of the stage during the second half of m¡longa, the brain finds it difficult to process what the eyes are seeing. The pair seem to be one writhing, dark-toned dervish of jutting, sensual, passionate movement. Back and forth they go, he spinning her round his body like a silk scarf, fluid as mercury; her feet attacking the stage, staccato, kicking out, kicking down, so fast it really is the proverbial blur. Nigh...

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Symphonic Dances, Royal Ballet review - a truly interesting creation

Hanna Weibye

Liam Scarlett must be worked off his feet. Just at the Royal Ballet, he made a full-length work, Frankenstein, last year and is currently working on a new Swan Lake; and now last night he has premiered a new abstract work, Symphonic Dances at the Royal Opera House.

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Ghost Dances: Rambert, Sadler's Wells review - vital and joyfully precise dancing

Jenny Gilbert

There is a South American theme to Rambert’s latest triple bill, two new commissions made to chime with an oldie but goldie, the rhythms of Latin social dances linking all three.

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