International Dance online UPDATE

Little did we know that the lockdown that’s put paid to live performances and kept us all in our own homes, would also give us an unmatched opportunity to view dance shows from all over the world!

As companies ranging from Moscow’s Bolshoi to New York’s Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and so many more besides, put some of their landmark productions online, here’s a selection of some of the best:

Dance Theatre of Harlem, the ballet company for African American dancers set up exactly 50 years ago by Arthur Mitchell, marks its significant anniversary with a seven-week season, in which it will stream some of its landmark ballets. The season started with the remarkable Creole Giselle, which sets the Romantic ballet in a 19th century plantation in the American South. Available through DTH's Facebook and Youtube Channel Sat, 6 June to Sunday, 7 June at 23:59 BST

For full details of DTH's Virtual Ballet Series, that includes includes talks and interviews as well as performances, visit the website or see our full preview here

Mariinsky Ballet, the prestigious St Petersburg company whose musical director is Valery Gergiev, has a full programme of dance, opera and concerts, mostly announced at short notice. It's worth keeping an eye on the website of this superb company
Click here to watch

Stuttgart Ballet, one of the most exciting companies in Europe, offers a variety of contemporary work little known this side of the Channel. We very much recommend Jiří Kylián's One of a Kind, which becomes available on the company's Website and YouTube channel on 4 June at 5 pm through 7 June at 9 pm

Ballet Zürich, Switzerland's most prestigious company, is streaming key works from its repertoire, interspersed with opera from its sister company. The next dance work to look forward to is Romeo and Juliet, in the version by company director Christian Spuck, that retains Prokofiev's powerful score. Available on the company's Facebook and website from 26 June at 5 pm BST to 28 June at 23:00 BST

Paris Opera Ballet offers a variety of opera and ballet performances. Verdi's Rigoletto and Puccini's La Bohème are the next to stream, followed by Alexander Ekman's dance work, Play, available 15 – 21 June
Click here to watch

Dutch National Ballet continues an exciting programme of classic and contemporary works. Available for a week from 6 June is Grimm, a mixed hip hop and ballet take on some of the most popular fairytales; and from 13 June at 6 pm BST a celebration of 25 years of choreography by David Dawson.
Click here to watch

Meanwhile, Dutch National Ballet has put together a short video entitled Safe Distance Ballet, in collaboration with G-Star RAW. It's a captivating and stylish affair – here it is!




Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, which lifted our souls with buoyant performances at Sadler’s Wells last winter, has opened up its YouTube page, where there’s a wide selection of its most engaging works. Guaranteed to dispel lockdown blues!
Click here to watch

Visit our separate pages for the Royal Ballet here... and English National Ballet here