Jungle Book Reimagined: Akram Khan suddenly looks like a choreographer in need of a hit
For the first few minutes of Akram Khan’s Jungle Book Reimagined, you think you might be embarking upon one of the shows of the year – and…
Le Bal de Paris, Barbican, review: glad rags, zebra heads and a virtual reality extravaganza
A woman with the head of a zebra, wearing a sophisticated little black dress, extends her hands in invitation. Together, we step from side to side as…
Ballet Black’s euphoric optimism lights up the Barbican
“What’s the point of Ballet Black?” So goes one of the many genuine verbatim comments about the company that are read out in voiceover at the start…
Rambert defies gravity in an unforgettable evening at Tate Modern
“Is that it?” So I was asked by one of two impossibly chic French women seated to my right on Saturday, at the abrupt end of Set…
Scottish Ballet hires ‘intimacy coaches’ to protect dancers during erotic scenes
“It is important that all our dancers, rehearsal staff and stage management are fully supported as we embark on rehearsing and performing scenes which include intimacy, sex,…
Henry Danton on remembering The Sleeping Beauty: ‘Our ballet made you forget the horror of war’
It’s 75 years ago this week that Henry Danton stepped onto the Royal Opera House stage, performing in the Sadler’s Wells (now Royal) Ballet production of Marius…
Acosta Danza, Sadler’s Wells, review: its beauty will leave you breathless
If you’re desperate for a weekend in Cuba, but can’t spare the time or money – or face the Covid-tastic hoopla – you could do far worse…
Pining for Strictly? Try London’s first five-star hotel with its own dance studio
“It’s a challenge for clever women, they overanalyse when they need to just relax and trust their partner,” sighed Viktoriya. As she pulled me into a waltz…
Carmen, EICC, review: Natalia Osipova is perfection in new minimalist dance drama
The celebrated dancer Natalia Osipova has been described by this newspaper as “one of the 12 greatest ballerinas of all time.” It is a bold claim, of…
Strictly Come Dancing 2021 Final: Rose and Giovanni lift the Glitterball in emotional finale
Rose Ayling-Ellis was the hot favourite going into the final – and even more so when competitor AJ Odudu was forced to pull out with an injury,…
Show-stealing AJ Odudu was everything a Strictly contestant should be
She’s trained ferociously hard over the past 13 weeks to maintain that dazzling standard. Of her fellow finalists, Rose Ayling-Ellis is a ballroom specialist, while John Whaite’s…
Dancer Erina Takahashi: ‘Whatever age you are, there are nerves, but it’s good to have nerves’
After I graduated, I joined the company and I’ve been with the English National Ballet ever since. As a child, I had The Nutcracker on video and…
Dancers fear for their careers after manager quits amid trans row
A group of dancers have claimed their careers have been put at risk by a leading choreographer who resigned following a transphobia row. Rosie Kay claimed last…
Is the BBC telling the truth about Strictly 2021 scores? The data says no
As you might have guessed, Craig is the meanest judge – or, put another way, the most rigorous. On average, the panel’s resident panto villain scores every…
Why women are being given boxing gloves and ballet shoes instead of antidepressants
The “social” element of social prescribing is also key. Hermione Ireland, 51, is MD of a wine publishing company, who has just started taking group boxing classes….