Matthew Paluch

There’s been a number of skill-based shows in London of late, and joining the current trend is Afrique en Cirque created by Yamoussa Bangoura, at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.

Bangers, written by Danusia Samal was first performed at the Soho Theatre in 2022, and in Edinburgh in 2023. It returns for a third stint at the Arcola Theatre and one can understand why. 

Before I Go, first seen during the Brixton House's Housemates Festival in summer 2023, is a one hour work written by Tobi King Bakare that centres on Ajani, a young, black man who has issues with communication when it really matters.

National Youth Dance Company has been running since 2013, and acts as “England’s Flagship youth dance company”, the brainchild of, and run by Sadler’s Wells. The (Guest) Artistic Directors read like a who’s who of present day contemporary dance royalty, and 23/24 sees Oona Doherty take up the prestigious role.

Two for the price of one isn’t always a good deal, but Deux Grandes Dames with Melissa Errico & Isabelle Georges at Crazy Coqs - Brasserie Zedel is a dynamic vehicle for the two “tall” & “leading” ladies.

The Next Generation Festival continues at the Royal Opera House with Rambert School. The programme includes six new commissions for the third-year, graduate students, and the restaging of three Akram Khan works for the second-years.

Debut Sounds: Sound in Motion is the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s annual concert showcasing the LPO’s Young Composers. The concept sees five composers and eight choreographers collaborating to create the final works shown, with the music played by musicians from the LPO Foyle Future Firsts Development Programme, alongside LPO players, all led by representatives of the LPO Fellow Conductors.

The Next Generation Festival continues at the Royal Opera House with two performances by the BundesJugendBallett AKA German National Youth Ballet. The group was founded by Hamburg Ballet director and chief choreographer, John Neumeier in 2011, and has been directed by Kevin Haigen since its inauguration.

The Next Generation Festival at the Royal Opera House continues with the first outing for The Royal Ballet School's annual performance dates

The final Ashton Worldwide bill at the Royal Opera House (23-24 season) was a Gala programme performed by the Sarasota Ballet in the Linbury Theatre

We're back for more Ashton, with a variation on the initial Royal Ballet programme

The Ashton Worldwide (2024-2028) international festival continues at the Royal Opera House with the Royal Ballet on the mainstage in Ashton Celebrated. The company is performing two mixed bills with slight repertoire changes.

'wit, charm and elegance' are the words used to describe the work of Royal Ballet founding choreographer Sir Frederick Ashton (1904-1988). English ballet, or rather style wouldn't exist without him, so The Frederick Ashton Foundation have understandably instigated the Ashton Worldwide (2024-2028) international festival to celebrate the man, his work, and the impact it continues to have on the ballet world.

Marin is regarded as a major force in French modern dance, and one can understand why when appreciating the work's overall accomplished structuring…but that doesn't mean it will be an unequivocally enjoyable experience for all.

Is there anything similar to The Sleeping Beauty overture? With Tchaikovsky filling the theatre with full-blown fairy tale drama - it's quite the opener.

“When are we old? How can experience and embodied knowledge be brought into creative play? And what is the role of dance in questioning the idealisation of youth in our culture?”

The Elixir Festival returns to Sadler’s Wells with the same, integral mission: “rethinking perceptions around dance and age.”

The evening includes ten works and the premise is an important, and pressing one: where is ballet (as we know it) going…?

Life With Oscar is an autobiographical monologue written, and performed by Nicholas Cohen that takes the audience on a trip to the darker side of La La Land.

Inger's Carmen is successful in two key ways: firstly it tells the existing narrative of Carmen incredibly clearly, secondly it actually does so with “new resonance' - who'd have thunk it.