La Fille mal gardée review " a sheer rush of happiness by Luke Jennings

Royal Opera House, LondonOsipova and McRae vie with a Shetland pony in Royal Ballet's impeccable Ashton Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 2:00am on April 26, 2015☆⚑

Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch: Gebirge; Theo Clinkard " review by Luke Jennings

Sadler's Wells; the Place, London A nightmare vision from Pina Bausch insinuates and alienates, while Theo Clinkard takes his twisting, looping time to delightful effect Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 2:00am on April 19, 2015☆⚑

Miann/Scottish Dance Theatre review " a Celtic Rite of Spring by Luke Jennings

Queen Elizabeth Hall, LondonFleur Darkin's heartfelt Miann grapples with form and mysticism Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 2:00am on April 12, 2015☆⚑

Royal Ballet triple bill review " falling in step with Nigel Farage by Luke Jennings

Royal Opera House, LondonThe Ukip leader is an unlikely feature of Hofesh Shechter's new work. Before that, a fine Balanchine act Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 2:00am on April 5, 2015☆⚑

Bayadère " the Ninth Life; Ann Maguire gala " review by Luke Jennings

Linbury Studio; Sadler's Wells, LondonShobana Jeyasingh reclaims La Bayadère but the spell remains. And schoolteacher Ann Maguire is honoured by dancers including her daughter Continue read…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:00am on March 29, 2015☆⚑

Swan Lake review " McRae and Obraztsova never really fire by Luke Jennings

After this run, and 28 years, a new Swan Lake is on the cards for the Royal Ballet. It's a huge opportunity… Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 4:00am on March 22, 2015☆⚑

Modern Masters; Vincent Dance Theatre " review by Luke Jennings

Sadler's Wells; Shoreditch town hall, LondonEnglish National Ballet put a fresh spin on three 20th-century classics. And hats off to fearless, funny Charlotte Vincent Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 4:00am on March 15, 2015☆⚑

Phoenix Dance Theatre mixed programme 2015 review " challenging but approachable by Luke Jennings

Curve, Leicester and touringCaroline Finn's New Adventures winner, Bloom, is the standout in Phoenix's fine mixed programme Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 4:00am on March 8, 2015☆⚑

Royal Ballet: Draft Works review " Blommaert and Sambé stand out by Luke Jennings

Linbury Studio, Royal Opera House, LondonThe Royal Ballet's annual showcase of its own dancers' choreography was short on risk " and women Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:00am on March 1, 2015☆⚑

Ballet Black triple bill " an erotic Jack and Jill meet voodoo pirates by Luke Jennings

Linbury Studio, LondonWorks by Kit Holder, Will Tuckett and Mark Bruce showcase the company's considerable rangeIn Ballet Black's 14th season, director Cassa Pancho offers a contrasting prog…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:00am on February 15, 2015☆⚑

The Associates review " a revealing triple bill from Prince, Shecter and Pite by Luke Jennings

Sadler's Wells, LondonAs Sadler's Wells celebrates three of its favourite choreographers, Crystal Pite emerges as the clear winner Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:00am on February 8, 2015☆⚑

Royal Ballet: Onegin review " wondrous performances overcome a flawed concept by Luke Jennings

Royal Opera House, LondonThiago Soares, Marianela Nuñez and Vadim Muntagirov make John Cranko's piece hard to resist Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:00am on February 1, 2015☆⚑

Plexus review " Aurélien Bory's illusion of meaning by Luke Jennings

Sadler's Wells, LondonKaori Ito's movements amid a forest of vertical cables are a delight to watch, but what do they signify?Aurélien Bory is a Toulouse-based choreographer working a…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:00am on January 25, 2015☆⚑

BalletBoyz: Young Men review " far too many sorrowful cradlings by Luke Jennings

Sadler's Wells, LondonChoreographer Iván Pérez's attempt to conjure up the horrors of trench warfare is overlong and over-beautified Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:00am on January 18, 2015☆⚑

Swan Lake review " Cojocaru and Vasiliev at cross-purposes by Luke Jennings

Coliseum, LondonThe lead principals seem to be dancing in different ballets as an impeccable corps proves the star turn in English National Ballet's Swan LakeIf there's an abiding image of D…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:00am on January 11, 2015☆⚑

Rising stars of 2015: dancer Luke Schaufuss by Luke Jennings

The latest in a string of ballet dancers from the renowned Schaufuss family looks set for stardom at Birmingham Royal BalletSee the Observer's rising stars of 2015 in fullRising stars of 201…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 4:00am on December 28, 2014☆⚑

'Ballet is ruthlessly Darwinian' by Luke Jennings

Royal Opera House, LondonAkane Takada's triumph last weekend in the wake of Natalia Osipova's fall midway through Don Quixote reminds us of the very real physical risks involved in ballet Co…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 5:45am on December 23, 2014☆⚑

Peter Pan review " Neverland, minus the magic by Luke Jennings

Grand Theatre, LeedsNorthern Ballet's upbeat flight of fancy ticked all the narrative boxes but was thin on choreography Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:00am on December 21, 2014☆⚑

Edward Scissorhands; The Mad Hatter's Tea Party review " a stunning director's cut from Matthew Bourne by Luke Jennings

Sadler's Wells; Linbury Studio, Royal Opera House, LondonThe wonders just keep coming in Bourne's magical new version of Edward Scissorhands. And Kate Prince brings riotous energy to the Mad…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:00am on December 14, 2014☆⚑

Luke Jennings: 2014's most exciting dance moments by Luke Jennings

From Giselle possessed to a celebration of female flesh, the Observer's dance critic picks his favourite scenes from 2014Susannah Clapp: the 10 standout theatrical performances of 2014The Ob…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 4:15am on December 7, 2014☆⚑

The Nutcracker review " ballet doesn't come much more Christmassy by Luke Jennings

Birmingham HippodromeBirmingham Royal Ballet's classic Nutcracker continues to deliver festive magic and some striking performancesBallet doesn't come much more Christmassy than Birming…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:06pm on December 6, 2014☆⚑

Don Quixote review " the evening belongs to Marianela Nuñez by Luke Jennings

Royal Opera House, LondonThe Royal Ballet's brightest star proves irresistible in Carlos Acosta's Don Quixote Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:06pm on November 29, 2014☆⚑

Mikhailovsky Ballet " the St Petersburg company wows Manhattan by Luke Jennings

Lincoln Center, New YorkThe Mikhailovsky Ballet's US debut is an eye-popping showcase of refined technique and insouciant star turnsThe Mikhailovsky Ballet of St Petersburg makes its US debu…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:06pm on November 22, 2014☆⚑

Royal Ballet triple bill a purely surface rendering of Audens Age of Anxiety by Luke Jennings

Royal Opera House, LondonLiam Scarletts lavish new ballet distances us from WH Audens mystical imagination Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:05pm on November 15, 2014☆⚑

John; Torobaka review by Luke Jennings

National Theatre; Sadlers Wells, LondonLloyd Newsons tale of a man seeking love in a gay sauna is bleak but compassionate. And Akram Khan and Israel Galván square up with kathak and flame…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:05pm on November 8, 2014☆⚑