The best dance of 2023

By Teresa Guerreiro on 18/12/2023

2023 was a good year for dance in London, with quality, diversity and just the odd dud

Giacomo Rovero, Hannah Grennell in Secret Things by Pam Tanowitz. Photo: Alice Pennefather ROH 2023

The Royal Ballet, Pam Tanowitz Bill review ★★★★★

London was graced this year with two works by the extraordinary American choreographer Pam Tanowitz. Her compelling Song of Songs came to the Barbican in September, but the year started with Secret Things, a new Royal Ballet commission. Both must count among the true highlights of the year in dance.

Principal Constance Devernay-Laurence in world premiere of Scottish Ballet's Coppélia. Photo: Andy Ross

Scottish Ballet, Coppélia review ★★★★★

Under its dynamic artistic director, Christopher Hampson, Scottish Ballet continues to innovate with intelligence and verve. Their up-to-date, AI version of Coppélia proved hugely entertaining as well as thought-provoking

Turn It Out with Tiler Peck and Friends review ★★★★★

New York City Ballet doesn't visit these shores very often – more's the pity! – but the good news is, a visit is promised for the new year. Just to whet our appetite, a few NYCB stars, led by the thrilling Tiler Peck, lit up Sadler's Wells in March. Watching them felt like a privilege.

Riku Ito & Miki Mitzutani in Black Sabbath - The Ballet. Birmingham Royal Ballet Photo: Johan Persson

BRB, Black Sabbath – The Ballet review ★★★★★

Birmingham Royal Ballet produced perhaps the most daring show of the year with Black Sabbath – The Ballet, its high-octane homage to Birmingham's greatest export, the band without which there would have been no heavy metal.

Sadler's Wells, Gala Flamenca review ★★★★★

Sadler's Wells's Flamenco Festival returned in strength with a succession of fantastic shows by the likes of Sara Baras and Manuel Liñan, culminating in a rousing gala that blended old and new and featured a true legend of the genre, the great Carrete de Málaga.

TAB, Marcus Morelli in Petipa-Ratmansky's Harlequinade. Photo: Tristram Kenton

The Australian Ballet 60th Anniversary Gala review ★★★★★

Australian Ballet made a rare visit to Covent Garden where it presented Balanchine's glittering three Act ballet Jewels and a special Gala to mark its 60th anniversary. It was a welcome opportunity to get to know the antipodean dancers and see a lot of new choreography.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Revelations. Photo: Dario Calmese

Review: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Programmes 1 & 2

What a pleasure it always is to see the transporting dancers of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre! The company's most recent visit to Sadler's Wells, though slightly hobbled by injuries, provided the opportunity to see inspiring dancers in four programmes of works old and new, as well as the always fresh and rousing Revelations.

Vadim Muntagirov as Basilio in Don Quixote, The Royal Ballet. Photo: Andrej Uspenski ROH

The Royal Ballet, Don Quixote (2023) review ★★★★★

For the sheer pleasure of sitting in the theatre grinning happily for nigh on three hours, nothing beats Don Quixote. And the return of The Royal Ballet's current boisterous production, with its jolly japes and feats of virtuosity, made for a happy opening of the company's 2023/24 season.

Mark Samaras in the McOnie Company's Nutcracker. Photo Mark Senior:

McOnie Company, Nutcracker review ★★★★★

As we entered the Christmas season, which is to say, Nutcracker season, surely the award for the most original and appealing version of this hardy perennial belonged to Drew McOnie and his company for their reinvented Nutcracker; and to composer Cassie Kinoshi for her glorious jazz version of Tchaikovsky's score.

Production photo of The Nutcracker, The Royal Ballet. (c) 2015 ROH. Photo: Tristram Kenton

The Royal Ballet, The Nutcracker 2023 review ★★★★★

When it comes to a traditional version of The Nutcracker nothing can beat Sir Peter Wright's enchanting creation for The Royal Ballet – it conjures up all the joy and magic of the season, and shows off the company's dancers at their very best.