Matthew Paluch

Choreography isn't easy, so choreographic platforms like International Draft Works (2025) are of the utmost importance. The movement lab returns to the Royal Ballet and Opera's Linbury Theatre for another insight into where present day choreography, of ballet companies, is going.

Forgive the urban legend - but they say no one does a funeral like the Irish…and WAKE by THISISPOPBABY, a UK debut now showing at the Peacock Theatre, would suggest this statement is indeed fact rather than hearsay.

The Royal Ballet continue The Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels Festival with Balanchine: Three Signature Works. And the triple bill is also an excuse to celebrate Patricia Neary. Neary has been setting Balanchine works for 57 years, and been a member of the RB family for a long time. This programme is her final one in London, and she'll be missed by all, as her staging capabilities speak for themselves.

The Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels Festival continues at Sadler’s Wells with Outsider by Rachid Ouramdane & Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève. It's an experience which goes something like: Yes, no. And no.

The Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels Festival continues across venues in London with the Lyon Opera Ballet presenting Merce Cunningham Forever. Cunningham needs no introduction…yet somehow we see very little of his work performed in the UK. It comes down to the Europeans (again) giving us an insight into serious, modern dance, and an experience of his canon.

Oh Drum TAO…what to say? There's many good things about their show The Dream - but then there's some undeniable, less positive realities. The troop are from Oita, Japan. Formed 31 years ago, and has been on the road since. Bizarrely the current shows at the Peacock Theatre are their long-awaited London debut. In a way, this production is ideal Peacock fodder: commercial, accessible but with a sound foundation.

Galas aren't always the easiest of watches; endless pas de deux with bravado at the forefront of proceedings. That said - some rosters are too good to pass on…hence why I attended the Ballet Icons Gala 2025 at the London Coliseum on March 9th.

Scottish Ballet return to Sadler’s Wells with a triple bill. One film, and two live pieces. All of the work is contemporary dance based, and acts as a vehicle for the company dancers to show off their well honed, dance capabilities. I wonder if a classical piece could have balanced things out and allowed the dancers to show their full range of talents?

February 2025 is the inaugural month of Sadler’s Wells East, London’s newest dance house with a 550-seat theatre, six dance studios, and a public performance space all under one roof. Dance has found a new home in East Bank, Stratford/London’s latest cultural and educational district, and Irish choreographer Emma Martin makes her London debut with the 2019 solo work Birdboy.

The prizes continue at Sadler’s Wells with both a Bloom and Rose contender showing their work.

Competition in the Arts...now there's a loaded statement! Nonetheless, London has a new biennial event, or rather two, in the form of the Rose, and Bloom Prize.

Northern Ballet return to the Linbury Theatre for a triple bill of diverse works…or is it really a double bill with an additional third piece that's just five minutes long?!

The one thing we can always count on is a new reading of The Rite of Spring. Welcome to London the Dewey Dell, 2023 production at the Purcell Room on the Southbank.

Cranko took the predictable love melodrama - I want you, I don't, actually I do, well now I don’t - and turned it into a full-length, 3 act ballet. It divides people - some love, some less so. I definitely think it has strong moments throughout, and an overall, refined structure that can't be denied. Add to that the layered, textured sets by Jürgen Rose and Tchaikovsky's lusher than lush score, and things are likely going to work out.

Teaċ Daṁsa return to Sadler’s Wells with Michael Keegan-Dolan's latest work: NOBODADDY (Tríd an bpoll gan bun). The title is a dark character that features in the poems of William Blake, but the blurb confirms that Dolan's reading is one of “an ode to the peacemakers and the bringers of good things” - so in that sense what's the point? As the two aspects appear to cancel each other out.

The forty year celebration of Sheffield based Forced Entertainment comes to a close with six performances of If All Else Fails at the Battersea Arts Centre. Performed and devised by Cathy Naden & Seke Chimutengwende, Tim Etchells of Forced Entertainment directs the duo in the improvisational informed “absurd test that fails to find the answers”.

Ballet Black return to the Royal Ballet and Opera's Linbury Theatre with their current double bill Heroes. It's a quick night with around one hour of dance, but an unsuccessful one choreographically.