The past season brought some fascinating dance creations to audiences across the world, as well as a number of co-productions, with new and established choreographers making waves in different territories. There are plenty of exciting new works to pique your interest during the upcoming season too – here are some that caught our eye.
English National Ballet: Rhythm Riot
Rhythm Riot is sure to be an explosive season opener in a triple bill comprising Balanchine’s intensely exciting Symphony in Three Movements (1972) alongside two world premieres. The first is Korean-born Jae Man Joo’s Auguries of Innocence, which draws inspiration from the poetry of William Blake. Set to the music of Pēteris Vasks, with set and costume design by Thomas Mika and lighting by Mark Henderson, expect to be drawn into both the natural and spiritual worlds.
Micaela Taylor’s Bow Out is inspired by the Nicholas Brothers and Bill ‘Bojangles’ Robinson and their inimitable 1930s dance routines. Music is by Philip Patrick Harper Bucknor, aka. Tru. Meanwhile, Candice Mac has designed sets and costumes and Jessica Hung Han Yu is responsible for lighting. It promises to be energetic, displaying the company’s versatility and vitality. See this triple bill at Sadler’s Wells from 24th September with all music played live by the English National Ballet Philharmonic.
National Ballet of Japan: City Lights
Following the runaway success of Alastair Marriott’s version of Giselle for the National Ballet of Japan, as well as their notable win at the National Dance Awards for Outstanding Company after their London season in 2025, Marriott will be hoping for another hit with City Lights, based on the much-loved Charlie Chaplin film at Tokyo’s New National Theatre from October.
A romantic comedy, Chaplin’s original score has been adapted and orchestrated by Timothy Brock and will be played live by the Tokyo Philharmonic, conducted by either Brock or Misato Tomita. With set and costume designs by Dick Bird and lighting by Ellen Ruge, it will undoubtedly be a handsome looking production. On top of all this, NBJ boasts at least four different principal casts.
BlacBrik: The Brown Suite
BlacBrik made a big impression after their breakthrough performances with Ballet Nights. Now the dynamic choreographer-dancer duo Darius Drooh and Nahum McLean bring The Brown Suite, a full-length work produced by Fundamentally Dance and Jamiel Devernay-Laurence, to UK stages for a twelve venue tour.
Set in 1970s New York, it is a narrative work of fiction with music by James Brown, Etta James and Sam Cooke. The audience is invited to get into the groove as relationships unfold and love, heartbreak and rivalry ensue. Joshie Harriette is responsible for lighting design and scenography, and costumes are by Maybelle Laye. With a cast of seven, BlacBrik are on a mission to send you dancing all the way home.
Queensland Ballet: The Nutcracker
Derek Deane is to create a new Nutcracker for Queensland Ballet which will be premiered at Brisbane’s Glasshouse Theatre at QPAC in December. With sets and costumes by award-winning designer Lez Brotherston and lighting by Damien Cooper, it is likely to be a sumptuous looking, festive experience on a grand scale. Deane has promised fresh characters alongside the traditional ones and each performance will be accompanied by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
Rambert: It’s a Sin
After the international success of Rambert’s Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby, the company will be hoping to replicate this success with It’s a Sin choreographed and directed by Benoit Swan Pouffer. Russell T Davies wrote the award-winning Channel 4 series and Davies is producing it alongside Pet Shop Boys and Glyn Fussell. With music by Roman GianArthur, it is set in 80s London as the AIDS crisis is beginning to unfold. It will be an emotional rollercoaster, described as raw, visceral and devastating. Combine all these elements with Rambert’s extraordinary dancers and It’s a Sin will surely be a winner. It premieres at Manchester’s Aviva Studios next February.
Dutch National Ballet: Prey
A co-production with Finnish National Ballet, Dutch National Ballet’s Prey is a full-length production by British choreographic duo Jessica Wright and Morgann Runacre-Temple, better known as Jess and Morgs. Ever-more in demand internationally in the last few years, Jess and Morgs have become known for their innovative fusion of dance and video as well as their choreographic invention.
In Prey, they explore the relationship between humanity and nature, the constant threat of ecological upheaval and the consequences of climate change. With a commissioned score by Mikael Karlsson, sets by Michael Levine, costumes by Annemarie Woods, lighting by DM Wood and Dutch National Ballet Orchestra playing live, it opens in February with almost two weeks of performances.
Birmingham Royal Ballet: The Maiden of Venice
Carlos Acosta’s The Maiden of Venice for Birmingham Royal Ballet has been postponed from September 2026 until February 2027. His reimagined version of Marius Petipa’s La Bayadère has been relocated to Venice but the essence of the story, of love, betrayal and murder, remains intact. Acosta has kept the original Minkus score, arranged by Gavin Sutherland, and retains the famous Kingdom of the Shades. Given the setting, audiences can expect magnificent costumes and set designs (Anna Fleischle) and lighting (Lucy Carter). Opening at Birmingham Hippodrome, it subsequently tours to Plymouth, Sunderland, Salford and Southampton. The Royal Ballet Sinfonia will perform live.
GöteborgsOperans Danskompani: Bare State
GöteborgsOperans Danskompani will give two premieres under the collective title of Bare State. The first of the new works, as yet unnamed, is by sibling choreographers Imre and Marne van Opstal. Their international profile has grown rapidly and this will be their third commission for the company.
Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber are equally in demand across the world and will be creating the second world premiere on this programme. Smith and Schraiber created I Cannot Love Without Trembling for the company a few years ago which received critical acclaim. Bare State opens at the end of January, with live musicians.
The Royal Ballet: Once more to this star
The Royal Ballet’s William Bracewell will collaborate with choreographer Pam Tanowitz on a new creation set to a piano arrangement of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring and an original score by Ted Hearne. We are told to expect the unexpected! It can be seen at the Linbury Theatre in February next year.
See listings of upcoming dance world premieres and new productions.
