Vikki Jane Vile

It has been some time coming. For nearly 15 years English National Ballet enthusiastically performed Wayne Eagling’s Nutcracker, a traditional but rather staid production with a fuzzy narrative and lacking opportunity for the company to shine.

This year’s festive crowd pleaser from the Royal Ballet does not feature a growing Christmas tree nor a Kingdom of Sweets. Instead, an alternative is offered in the form of Frederick Ashton’s 1948 Cinderella, revived eighteen months ago after a lengthy absence and seen again now for the festive season.

Derek Deane’s Swan Lake has quite the reputation. First premiered in 1997 it became known for its corps de ballet of 60 swans (with freelancers hired to beef up ENB’s ranks) and then in 2010, a BBC documentary tracked its rehearsals and opening night, not always depicting everyone in the most flattering light, but the spectacle of all those white tutus made it an audience favourite. Now it’s back to conclude the first season under new Artistic Director Aaron S. Watkin. 

Leeds based Northern Ballet always pack a punch when they visit London every May, and this time was no different, with Massimo Moricone’s slick and captivating Romeo and Juliet. This year’s touring production held extra poignancy, with the costumes and set requiring full restoration and repair from a devastating warehouse flood in 2015.

English National Ballet’s Emerging Dancer award returned to Sadler’s Wells after a two year absence, with a unique opportunity for the most junior members of the company to shine. With his feet now firmly under the desk, Artistic Director Aaron S. Watkin hosted the evening, the first of his tenure, with six Artists of the company performing a classical and contemporary pas de deux in three assigned pairs. 

New York City Ballet are at Sadler’s Wells for the very first time, and returning to London for the first time since 2008 in a rare event for dance fans in the capital. Now under the direction of Jonathan Stafford, they arrive with a diverse quadruple bill, presumably designed to offer something for everyone. NYCB boasts some of the finest dancers in the world, they are precise technicians who have honed their craft and have a unique identity but the overall effect lacks the punch audiences will be craving after such a long absence.

If you came for anything other than wall-to-wall superlatives for the Royal Ballet’s A-team and Liam Scarlett’s superior production of Swan Lake then you’ll be disappointed with this review, because yet again, for the fourth time in six years, ballet heaven is delivered with a side of perfection. It may be programmed regularly but on this showing it’s little wonder why. 

Fresh from no fewer than 40 performances of Wayne Eagling’s Nutcracker (a production which now seems to thankfully be going into retirement) English National Ballet, are back less than a week later to round off their Coliseum season, this time it’s Mary Skeaping’s Giselle which they last performed seven years ago. 

It’s exactly four years since English National Ballet brought Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella to the Royal Albert Hall. It sat happily in my memory, from 2019, as a visual spectacle; the opulent ball scene, those slapstick sisters and Julian Crouch’s fantastical designs. Now it returns, these elements still intact however the central choreography still feels weak, meaning the Principals do not dazzle as they always should, however the immersive experience of the Albert Hall and the charm of the corps still hold vast appeal. 

Perhaps it’s already clear, but this is a rather subdued triple bill to bring the 22/23 season to a close. Earnest in tone and at times devastating in appeal. 

Ballet Black is now in its 21st season, Cassa Pancho’s company entering somewhat of a new era after the retirement of company favourite, Cira Robinson and the addition of some junior members to its ranks.

A visit from Leeds-based Northern Ballet every Spring at Sadler’s Wells is always a highlight of the dance calendar, and never more so when at their glittering best with their unique dance interpretation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.

After a long, hard run of Nutcracker, both London’s premier ballet companies are providing somewhat of a Tchiakovsky exhibition with English National Ballet offering Swan Lake and now the Royal Ballet giving one of their signature works, The Sleeping Beauty, an extended run until June.

There’s not much to say about Wayne Ealing’s 2010 Nutcracker from English National Ballet that has not already been said. It’s left to the dancers to keep the production a lively Christmas treat, and fresh from Tamara Rojo’s departure as Artistic Director, how are the company shaping up? It’s all looking rather promising, actually … 

Time for the annual treat that is an ENB mixed bill at Sadler’s Wells, on this occasion featuring a couple of lockdown greatest hits, and a bold new production of The Rite of Spring. 

Ivan Putrov’s annual celebration of the male dancer returns to the Coliseum with a diverse programme of work, old and new. “Ballet conjures up an image of tutus and pointe shoes,” he says, keen to showcase what else the art form can offer since 2012.

A celebration of ZooNation and their greatest hits from the last 20 years was always going to pack a punch, but Kate Prince’s Company of charismatic hip-hop dancers can do wit, comedy, pathos and poignancy too.

Comprising over fifty Ukrainian refugee dancers, the United Ukrainian Ballet’s debut in London was always going to be a moving and courageous showing.

Save for COVID, German Cornejo and his company of Tango dancers have thrilled audiences with their sultry, authentic displays of the much loved Ballroom dance for countless seasons in London. It may have been predictable but it was enjoyable and well executed. Now for their return post-pandemic, they are trying something new, but unfortunately it’s a much poorer vehicle for displaying the talents of highly skilled dancers.

Cassa Pancho’s Ballet Black turned 20 last year and to mark this milestone they celebrated with a double bill of two works seen at the Barbican earlier this year and now touring; one an out and proud affirmation on their journey as a company and the second a tribute to their ancestry and heritage.