Liam Francis Dance Company in Alchemy: an absorbing London debut

Stephen Quildan, Liam Francis and Jacob Wye in Francis’ A Body of Rumours

Stephen Quildan, Jacob Wye and Liam Francis in Francis’ A Body of Rumours

Liam Francis in Lyre Liar

By Daniel Pratt, 10 November 2025

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“what thrilled was how reverence was transformed into fuel for new pulse”

Reviewed at The Place, London on 7 November 2025

Lyre Liar (Liam Francis, Kate Prince, Merce Cunningham, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui)

A Body of Rumours (Liam Francis)

Liam Francis Dance Company

Stevie Stewart, Costume Designer

Zoé Ritchie, Lighting Designer

Liam Francis, Costume Designer

Chloe Mason, Sound Design

Jacob Wye, Dancer

Stephen Quildan, Dancer

Eloy Cojal Mestre, Dancer

Drama/no drama from New York Theatre Ballet at Judson Church

Carla Escoda, 10th April

Anthony Tudor and Merce Cunningham provided the lighter fare in a mixed bill that featured two world premieres from Kevin Iega Jeff, a veteran of the Chicago dance scene, and Julian Donahue, a newer voice.

****1

NYCB's winter season begins with Peck's brand new “sneaker ballet”

Ivy Lin, 27th January

The NYCB dancers are very at-home in this idiom, and they threw themselves wholeheartedly into this ballet. It was never less than watchable, but the music cried out for more avante-garde choreography than Peck provided.

****1

‘The Future Bursts in’ with Dance Umbrella

Sarah Kirkup, 24th October

Amala Dianor and CNN Ballet de Lorraine channel the US choreographer in two UK premieres and a Cunningham classic, all brilliantly performed.

****1

The Royal Ballet keeps the Cunningham flame aglow

Graham Watts, 11th October

A brief but innovative tribute to the lasting influence of Merce Cunningham in the Linbury Theatre

****1

NYCB does Cunningham ... and Balanchine

Ivy Lin, 5th October

Judging by the enthusiastic audience reactions to this program one might have to rethink the modern/ballet divide. Maybe there’s only two types of dance – good dance and bad dance.

****1

Merce Cunningham's centennial kicks off at The Joyce

Ivy Lin, 17th April

Despite the uneven performances, the evening offered a painful reminder: the future of Cunningham's opus is fragile and delicate. With his own company disbanded, his future is in the hands of dancers who are not trained in his technique and did not have the good fortune of working directly with the great choreographer.

***11

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Daniel Pratt

Daniel Pratt trained in London, England, attending the Royal Ballet School Associates program before completing his vocational training at Central School of Ballet where he gained a BA (hons) in Professional Dance and Performance. Daniel joined The Sarasota Ballet in 2012, dancing a broad range of works including ballets by Ashton, Balanchine, MacMillan, and modern works by Taylor, Graham and Tharp. Daniel has also performed with Northern Ballet and English National Ballet. Daniel’s writing on dance has appeared in The Dancing Times and Tanz Magazine. Daniel currently serves on the board of the American Guild of Musical Artists.