Shadows by Dutch National Ballet
Three works themed on war, hope and power, the earliest, Kurt Jooss’ The Green Table from 1932, as perennial as war itself
Reviews
Colour and energy: The Royal Swedish Ballet in Don Quixote
A feast of dance, music and colourful costumes with the added bonus of Madeleine Woo and Dmitry Zagrebin in the roles of Kitri and Basilio
Celebrating life and belonging: And by Charlotte McLean
Although each new turn provides [her] body with new ways to think and move, in Mclean’s world freedom is also a vulnerable act.
Out of the tragedy of war, a new Giselle from the United Ukranian Ballet
A glorious production that reminded us that, against the all odds, the arts can carry on
Dance and drama but strangely disconnected in Civilisation by Jaz Woodcock-Stewart and Morgann Runacre-Temple
I felt I was in one space having two separate experiences: one ‘drama’ with a very limited script, and one dance
Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker: The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988
Another de Keersmaeker ride and a half. Full of questions, many unanswered. Which is why I, and I imagine many others, keep returning
Ballet fun with Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
Their en travesti brand of ballet humour, poking affectionate, gentle fun at traditions and stereotypes, still makes for an amusing, enjoyable evening
Legend and Legacy: a gala tribute to Rudolf Nureyev
As good as the gala is, dance and dancers have moved on. To really understand Nureyev, time spent with DVDs and YouTube would be well rewarded
Tanz im August: new takes on flamenco and ballet, and a dash of hip hop
Sometimes more performance-oriented than dance-driven, the festival demonstrated how the various arts languages are increasingly combining
The National Youth Ballet delight in re|generation
Without doubt, the highlight is Jonathan Payn’s beautifully crafted Iken, a gently lyrical classical ballet to Benjamin Britten’s Simple Symphony
Tanz im August: from dance manias to Northern Ireland society and Zulu rickshaw drivers
Featuring Oona Doherty’s ‘Navy Blue’, Robyn Orlin’s ‘We wear our wheels with pride…’, Mette Ingvartsen’s ‘The Dancing Public’ and more