Latin flair: São Paulo Dance Company
All three pieces call for a great deal of ensemble work, executed with such control and precision that at times they seemed to be come a single entity.
UK
Matthew Bourne’s Edward Scissorhands
The fabulous cast are on a par with any West End musical as they give everything, dancing and projecting character for all they are worth
Ockham’s Razor: Tess
The circus work is skilful. Joshua Fraser’s use of a cyr wheel to symbolise Alec’s immorality and avarice is effective and very well executed
Alina Cojocaru presents La Strada
La Strada really lights up when Kobborg and Cojocaru come together. She doesn’t just smile her way through their duet, she radiates happiness
Extended Play: How to Build a Universe
The work flips easily between physical theatre and playful contemporary dance, at its best in unison sequences that are invariably tightly performed
The Royal Ballet: Manon
Period melodrama brought to vivid life. Love, jealousy, criminality, sexual abuse, murder… And Francesca Hayward was near perfect in the title role
A patchwork narrative of treacherous journeys: Kin by Gecko
The creases of individuality have not been ironed smooth… delightfully unpolished in its finer details, and yet musically and choreographically tight.
New Movement Collective: Les Noces – The Departure
The new Les Noces choreography, very much collaborative, embodies Stravinsky’s music absolutely. There’s a powerful sense of direction of travel.
A classic classic: English National Ballet’s Giselle
A pleasure to watch in every respect: the dancing is a joy, and the costumes and sets some of the best around.
Scottish Dance Theatre: Pirates!
A show full of imagination and fine physical theatre and dance. It may be aimed at youngsters, but this grown up enjoyed it a lot too!
A Gothic delight: Matthew Bourne’s Edward Scissorhands
Trumps both The Royal Ballet and the English National Ballet’s traditional Christmas Nutcrackers… a Christmas fairytale like no other