A magnificent theatrical evening: Akram Khan’s Giselle
It delivers on every level, as do the company who fully engaged both physically and emotionally
David Mead
What is happiness? Umanoove/Didy Veldman’s The Happiness Project
Packed with fabulous and absorbing dance as Veldman and her outstanding cast explore ideas of happiness
The Royal Swedish Ballet recreate Bournonville’s Ponte Molle
Bournonville returns to his beloved Italy for a light-hearted love story and, naturally, an excuse to dance.
Questions of identity to the fore in Quang Kien Van’s Lunar Shadows
Questions of identity and belonging give plenty of food for thought.
A revisioned and meaty Don Quixote from the Semperoper Ballet
A revisioned plot now offers five meaty principal roles, generous in both dance and characterisation.
Yao Jin’s Marguerite charms: Hong Kong Ballet in Lady of the Camellias
With its sensual angst and tormented passion, Lady of the Camellias makes for a perfect ballet. In theory.
Wiener Staatsballett: Balanchine, Liang, Proietto
Liang’s Murmuration suits the company to perfection
Dance and digital technology in Alexander Whitley’s Pattern Recognition
The concept is not without interest, but this is a long 55 minutes
Ballet leads the way in the National Dance Awards nominations
The nominations for the 17th National Dance Awards (covering the period September 2015-August 2016) are out. Organised by the Dance Section of the Critics Circle, the body of professional dance critics in the UK, they again celebrate the vigour and diversity of Britain’s thriving dance culture. Having said that, ballet featured particularly strongly this year … Read more
Startlingly beautiful: Under Siege by Yang Liping
Sadler’s Wells, London November 3, 2016 DavidMead At nigh on two hours without an interval, Under Siege (十面埋伏, which literally translates as ‘ambush from ten sides’) by Yang Liping (simp. 杨丽萍/trad. 杨丽萍) is far too long. Indeed, it seems to have grown 20 minutes since the programme (which reckoned 100 minutes) was printed. Is she … Read more