Ballet superstars in Frankfurt for a night to savour

David Motta Soares and Maia Makhateli in Carmen

David Motta Soares and Riho Sakamoto in the Black Swan pas de deux from Swan Lake

Inés McIntosh and Constantine Allen in the pas de deux from Le Corsaire

James Pett and Travis Clausen-Knight in Imago

Patricio Revé and Marianela Núñez in the grand pas de deux from The Nutcracker

The finale of the Ballet Brilliance Gala

By Vikki Jane Vile, 02 December 2025

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“chemistry was raging as they shared knowing little glances and pulled off the most challenging jumps”

Reviewed at Jahrhunderthalle, Frankfurt am Main on 30 November 2025

Mixed Programme (Gala) (Marius Petipa, Sir Kenneth MacMillan, Alberto Alonso, James Pett, Travis Clausen-Knight, Marco Goecke, Sir Wayne McGregor, Hans van Manen)

Maia Makhateli, Dancer

David Motta Soares, Dancer

Riho Sakamoto, Dancer

Timothy van Poucke, Dancer

Constantine Allen, Dancer

Inès McIntosh, Dancer

James Pett, Dancer

Patricio Revé, Dancer

Marianela Núñez, Dancer

Travis Clausen-Knight, Dancer

National Ballet of Japan’s Raymonda is a feast of excellent dancing

Naomi Mori, 25th April

National Ballet of Japan’s Raymonda is a gem in the repertoire, despite shortcomings in the plot. Lavish production designs, stunning classical choreography and excellent dancers makes this a ballet lover's heaven.

*****

Acosta's Don Quixote for BRB: polished but not quite enough panache

Jonathan Gray, 23rd April

Carlos Acosta's Don Quixote for Birmingham Royal Ballet returned to Sadler's Wells with polished but low-key interpretations across the board.

***11

Natalia Makarova's La Bayadère: a night to remember in Oslo

Vikki Jane Vile, 17th April

Norwegian National Ballet gives a marvellous rendition of Natalia Makarova's La Bayadère. Opening night in Oslo was a strong argument for its place in any season, displaying ballet escapism at its best.

****1

José Martínez unveils his latest Don Quichotte in Palermo

Vito Lentini, 29th March

José Martínez has envisioned a Don Quichotte that recalls the original 19th century choreography while also acknowledging some of the notable 20th century versions and it's splendid looking.

****1

Dutch National Ballet's reimagined La Bayadère triumphs

Mark Vicente, 26th March

Dutch National Ballet's new production of La Bayadère does away with the ballet’s problematic gestures and movements, allowing the choreography to truly shine.

****1

American Ballet Theatre's double bill is short and sweet in New York

Ivy Lin, 15th March

American Ballet Theatre presents Balanchine's Raymonda: Grand Pas Hongrois and Ratmansky's Firebird which showcases the company well and provides a strong contrast.

****1

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Vikki Jane Vile

Vikki Jane Vile has been reviewing dance for over ten years, specialising in Ballroom and Ballet. In 2018, she became a member of the Critics' Circle for Dance. Vikki writes for BroadwayWorld and previously Dancing Times, LondonDance.com and CultureWhisper. She also prides herself on being a Strictly Come Dancing connoisseur since its inception and has appeared on BBC radio and several podcasts as an expert on all things Strictly. Having lived in London for ten years, she is now based in Germany and adapting to the Berlin dance scene.