Dutch National Ballet brings much needed heat to this winter season

Maia Makhateli, Young Gyu Choi and ensemble in Rachel Beaujean's Paquita

Riho Sakamoto in Paquita

Vsevolod Maievskyi as Escamillo in Ted Brandsen’s Carmen

Anna Tsygankova as Carmen and Giorgi Potskhishvili as Don José in Carmen

Salome Leverashvili, Timothy van Poucke and ensemble in Hans van Manen's 5 Tangos

Timothy van Poucke in Hans van Manen's 5 Tangos

By Mark Vicente, 12 February 2026

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“addressing the precariousness and danger that women often face in a patriarchal world”

Reviewed at Dutch National Opera and Ballet, Amsterdam on 10 February 2026

Paquita (Marius Petipa, Rachel Beaujean)

Carmen (Ted Brandsen)

5 Tangos (Hans van Manen)

Dutch National Ballet

Matthew Rowe, Conductor

Francois-Noël Cherpin, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Hans-Åke Sjöquist, Lighting Designer

Dutch National Ballet Orchestra

Andrew Carter, Set Designer

Bert Dalhuysen, Lighting Designer

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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Mark Vicente

Mark Vicente hails from Montreal, Canada and has lived in Amsterdam for the last 10 years. He has over 30 years of experience in the arts and entertainment industry. Mark graduated from Canada’s National Ballet School and was in the corps de ballet with The National Ballet of Canada. He also performed in the Toronto production of Disney’s The Lion King and spent two seasons at The Stratford Festival of Canada. Presently, Mark is completing his MA in Comparative Cultural Analysis at the University of Amsterdam. His Substack, Lives After Dark, focuses on creative fiction and reflective essays on Amsterdam’s nightlife scene.

Dutch National Ballet’s mixed programme brings some much needed heat to this winter season