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The best dance shows: 2016 highlights

By CW Contributor on 20/12/2016

From classic films on stage to a very personal tragedy, the best dance shows 2016 offered a powerful range of talent

English National Ballet: Giselle, Akram Khan at Sadler’s Wells

Under its dynamic Artistic Director, Tamara Rojo, English National Ballet continued on its way to becoming one of the most vibrant ballet companies in Britain. Its commission of a new Giselle from the ever-imaginative Akram Khan proved inspired, if controversial. CW awarded it its highest accolade: 5 Stars.

WHEN

15 Nov 2016 – 19 Nov 2016, Also at 2pm on the 17th and 2:30pm on the 19th
20 Sep 2017 – 23 Sep 2017, Matinées Thursday and Saturday

WHERE

Sadler's Wells
Rosebery Avenue, London, EC1R 4TN

English National Ballet: She Said, photo Jeanette Kakareka (c) Perry Curties

English National Ballet: She Said: Sadler's Wells

ENB also jumped right into the controversy over the dearth of female choreographers in mainstream programming with She Said, a specially commissioned triple bill of works by women featuring Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Yabin Wang and Aszure Barton,.

WHEN

13 Apr 2016 – 16 Apr 2016, Also at 2:30pm on the 15th and 16th

WHERE

Sadler's Wells
Rosebery Avenue, London, EC1R 4TN

Life: BalletBoyz, Sadler's Wells ★★★★★

BalletBoyz brought us one of the most exciting, thought-provoking and amusing programmes of the year, with their double bill of work by the little known Pontus Lidberg (we want to see a lot more of his work!) and the well-established and always provocative Javier the Frutos.

WHEN

20 Apr 2016 – 24 Apr 2016, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM

WHERE

Sadler's Wells
Rosebery Avenue, London, EC1R 4TN

Crystal Pite & Jonathon Young Betroffenheit Wendy D photography

Crystal Pite and Jonathon Young: Betroffenheit, Sadler's Wells ★★★★★

Choreographer du jour Crystal Pite and actor/playwright Jonathan Young joined forces in what was undoubtedly the most harrowing dance/theatre piece to hit the London stage in 2016: Betroffenheit. Inspired by the death in a fire of Young’s teenage daughter, this tour-de-force piece brought us pain, horror, despair and ultimately redemption.

WHEN

31 May 2016 – 01 Jun 2016, 19:30

WHERE

Sadler's Wells
Rosebery Avenue, London, EC1R 4TN

Richard Alston Dance Company: Nicholas Bodych, Ihsaan de Banya & Elly Branud, photo by Chris Nash

★★★★★ Richard Alston Dance Company: An Italian in Madrid

Richard Alston showed once again his unique ability as a harmonious and often exhilarating dance maker with An Italian in Madrid, where he effortlessly fused the Bharatanatyam style of his guest dancer, Vidya Patel with his own very distinctive choreographic language.

WHEN

On 10 May 2016, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM

WHERE

Wimbledon New Theatre
93 The Broadway, London, SW19 1QG

La Fille Mal Gardée, Royal Ballet

It was hit and miss at the Royal Ballet, where Liam Scarlett’s Frankenstein and Christopher Wheeldon’s Strapless, two much anticipated new creations, were major flops; but new stars made their mark, among them their youngest principal, the delightful Francesca Hayward in Frederick Ashton's La Fille Mal Gardée.

WHEN

27 Sep 2016 – 15 Oct 2016, Matinees on the 29th, 30th and 15th

WHERE

Royal Opera House
Bow Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 9DD

Moira Shearer in The Red Shoes: new ballet Matthew Bourne, Sadler's Wells 2016

Matthew Bourne: The Red Shoes, Sadler’s Wells

And Matthew Bourne delivered himself of another major crowd-pleaser with his dance adaptation of the Powell/Pressburger epoch-marking film, The Red Shoes.

WHEN

06 Dec 2016 – 29 Jan 2017, Matinees on the 10, 11, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 27, 29, 30 & 31 December, and 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 26, 28, 29 January. Times vary.

WHERE

Sadler's Wells
Rosebery Avenue, London, EC1R 4TN

The best dance shows: 2016 highlights

From classic films on stage to a very personal tragedy, the best dance shows 2016 offered a powerful range of talent

English National Ballet: Giselle, Akram Khan at Sadler’s Wells

English National Ballet: She Said: Sadler's Wells

Life: BalletBoyz, Sadler's Wells ★★★★★

Crystal Pite and Jonathon Young: Betroffenheit, Sadler's Wells ★★★★★

★★★★★ Richard Alston Dance Company: An Italian in Madrid

La Fille Mal Gardée, Royal Ballet

Matthew Bourne: The Red Shoes, Sadler’s Wells

2016 Highlights

Best dance 2016

Looking back: The best exhibitions of 2016

London Theatre 2016 highlights: the best of the best

Looking back: the best TV shows in 2016