Touring began for Natalia Osipova and Guests with three performances at Edinburgh International Festival over the weekend. The show, which features new work choreographed by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Russell Maliphant, and Arthur Pita was performed to tremendous success and packed audiences.

The audience and critics alike revelled in the beautiful performances with The List and Scottish Herald describing Natalia as ‘a force of nature’ and ‘exquisite’ respectively.

Didn’t have a chance to see Natalia Osipova and Guests in Edinburgh? Fear not, the show is back at Sadler’s Wells from 27 September – 1 October. Click here for tickets.

The Sadler’s Wells Waterfront stage was given some Cuban caliente-y spirit on Friday night as an excerpt of Vamos Cuba! was performed to the huge crowd who gathered around the stage at every direction bopping along with the dancers. The atmosphere was buzzing and music popping as the show dazzled from reggaeton emcee-ing to cha-cha-cha to some sexy salsa. As The Daily Telegraph put it: “Sadler’s Wells have curated a first-rate selection of dance, all performed on a beautiful lakeside stage, the highlight of which was ¡Vamos Cuba!, a whirlwind of salsa and jazz that bristled with colour and energy”

If you couldn’t make Latitude this weekend do not worry for a moment, because Vamos Cuba! is at Sadler’s Wells all summer bringing the Havana heat to London; opening on July 26 – August 21. You can buy your tickets here.

Pictured below are some of the female dancers settling into the traditional British festival campsite!

Sadler’s Wells was graced with Natalia Osipova’s debut contemporary performance last week. The show featured three brand new especially commissioned works from world-renowned choreographers Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Russell Maliphant, and Arthur Pita.

The audience were moved and mesmerised as Natalia bedazzled in Sidi Larbi’s trio with James O’Hara and Jason Kittelberger, before dancing two duets by Maliphant and Pita with Sergei Polunin. As The Guardian put it they are: “dancers of rare individual talent whose offstage love affair brings a startling extra wattage to their onstage partnership”.

Don’t worry if you missed out on this run as Natalia is back in September for more dazzling performances of the same show. Get the tickets while you can – click here.

Photo credit: Bill Cooper

Last week saw the whole of Sadler’s Wells totally transformed into an interactive installation of lights, sounds, and videos – but no people. And by the whole of Sadler’s Wells – I mean the whole, with backstage areas, the control room, wardrobe, and even under the stage open to the public to explore.

It was a tremendous success as crowds and crowds of people headed from Michael Hulls’ ‘Lightspace’ on stage through Nitin Sawhney’s ‘Indelible’ before finishing at Lucy Carter’s ‘Hidden’. Accompanying the journey were videos by Siobhan Davies and David Hinton and Russell Malliphant.

The press also had a great time with The Guardian describing No Body as ‘a radiant choreography of light and sound’.

Want to see more photos from No Body? Click here to see our storify with some of the best photos taken by the public.

Photo credit: Heathcliff O’Malley

As part of The Movement, Sadler’s Wells’ super fantastic regional touring partnership with The Lowry and Birmingham Hippodrome, Dance: Sampled was at the Hippodrome for two nights in May.

The huge theatre was crammed before the show with a host of pre-show activities from bhangra, to Bollywood, belly dancing to break dancing – even spilling out onto the street in front of the theatre drawing in a crowd.

The show consisted of Company Wayne McGregor’s beautiful Outlier, a pas de deux from Birmingham Royal Ballet, more local talent with a stunning solo by Vidya Patel, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s Faun, two incredible duets from world tango champions German Cornejo and Gisela Galeassi, before Lyon’s own Pockemon Crew topped the night off.

Carlos Acosta’s A Classical Farwell has just finished its UK tour: A two part show with over ten different performances beautifully executed by Carlos and his team of young Cuban ballet talent. The show visited Royal Concert Hall Nottingham, Birmingham Hippodrome, Mayflower Southampton, and The Lowry Salford before the cast and crew flew back to Havana.

The tour was incredibly successful with Carlos astounding audiences with his athletic and graceful leaps as well as pleasing their eyes with his body and charisma, further the Manchester Camerata orchestra provided fantastic live music, and the Cuban ballet dancers brought energy, emotion, and beauty to the UK stages.

Pictured above are some of the dancers with producer Sandra.

Carlos Acosta and Friends visited Abu Dhabi where the show was performed twice at the Emirates Palace as part of Abu Dhabi Festival 2016.

In the luscious auditorium the show was received phenomenally well by an audience that included dance fans, VIP’s, and even the Royal Family.

Pictured above are producer Sandra, executive producer Suzanne, Lottie the ballet director, Gabriela one of the beautiful dancers from the show, and the cellist Rowena.

After the performances Carlos stayed in Abu Dhabi for a workshop, which is pictured below.

Milonga travelled to Auckland for Auckland Arts Festival where the show was performed to a full house and received a standing ovation.

Prior to the performance the cast and crew were treated to a fantastic welcome in true Kiwi style, which you can watch below.

Also Nelida, tango advisor, was interviewed by the New Zealand Herald which you can read here.

Pictured above is Jenny White, contemporary dancers posing in front of milonga’s huge poster.

milonga welcoming

Russell Maliphant Company were in Chalons sur Soane to perform their twentieth anniversary show Conceal ǀ Reveal at L’espace des Arts before heading to Athens’ Megaron and then onto Cardiff’s British Dance Edition.

All their performances were received spectacularly by mesmerised and captivated audiences across Europe. The mix of Russell Maliphant’s exquisite choreography with Michael Hull’s lighting enthralled the audiences as the five talented dancers tantalised them.

To check in with Russell Maliphant Company and see where they are touring to next, click here.

She’s hung up her dance shoes but is still keeping us on our toes – Sylvie Guillem won an award from Abu Dhabi Festival in association with Chopard for her outstanding achievement in dance and for her ongoing dedication and efforts to protect the planet.

Sylvie said about the award: “I feel fortunate and privileged to have been able to do freely something that, from an early age, has become a real passion. I am really proud to receive this award, for a career which was only pure pleasure for 40 years”.

Pictured above from left to right is His Excellency Abdulrahman Ghanem Al Mutaiwee CVO the UAE Ambassador to UK, Sylvie Guillem with her award, and H.E. Hoda Al Khamis-Kanoo ADMAF Founder and Artistic Director Abu Dhabi festival.