Far from marking a milestone in a low key manner expected of centenarians, an exhilarating, energetic and explosion of supreme talent is turbocharging Britain’s oldest contemporary dance company’s into the next century.

The catastrophic cost of a wrong decision sends a beautiful dancer - with everything to live - for spiralling to her nemesis. While we know the plot is heartbreaking, it is the compelling manner in which it agonisingly plays out step-by-step that renders Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes a masterpiece of storytelling.

Undoubtedly best know through the television drama series created by Sally Wainwright, Gentleman Jack is the story of a powerful Yorkshire businesswoman from the 1830s. The 19th century was not a time known for its liberal-minded, easy-going attitudes to women in general and certainly not women who preferred other women as their life partners.

Phoenix Dance Theatre has embarked on an 18-date UK-wide tour with a brand-new mixed bill, Interplay, bringing together work by internationally acclaimed choreographers Travis Knight and James Pett, Ed Myhill, Yusha-Marie Sorzano, and Phoenix Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director, Marcus Jarrell Willis.

Opera North has collaborated with Phoenix Dance on four previous opera productions. Each of these has been a delight, but this performance of Handel's Susanna has been my favourite. There's something perfectly operatic about adding another art form into an already dazzling display of orchestral music, singing, acting, costume design, set design, sound, lighting...

Northern Ballet’s Merlin is an ambitious, tightly packed production that sweeps its audience through magic, myth, conflict and love. At its heart is a coming-of-age story, told with both cinematic scope and deeply human emotion. Kevin Poeung is excellent as Merlin, capturing the shifting emotions of adolescence with nuance.

Since Riverdance first emerged onto the world stage, its fusion of Irish and international dance and music has captured the hearts of millions worldwide. The Grammy Award-winning music and the infectious energy of its mesmerising choreography and breathtaking performances have left audiences in awe and established Riverdance as a global cultural sensation. To celebrate this incredible 30th-year milestone, Riverdance will embark on a special anniversary tour in 2025, bringing its magic to audiences around the world. The show will visit 30 UK venues—one for each year of its history—from August to December 2025. We caught up with principal dancers Anna-Mai Fitzpatrick and Fergus Fitzpatrick to learn more.

I have to confess that I love and adore contemporary dance. Not all of it of course, but as a grand sweeping statement then I find that it is my favourite art form. What a treat is was then to be invited to see the last date of VERVE - the international touring dance company of Northern School of Contemporary Dance (NSCD) - as they complete their latest tour at the Leeds Playhouse.

Concluding our three short interviews we hear from Dominquie Larose as Jane Eyre on how she is preparing for the performances of Jane Eyre and what she most enjoys about performing in Northern Ballet’s home city of Leeds.

In the second of our three short interviews we hear from Joseph Taylor as Mr Rochester on how he is preparing for the performances of Jane Eyre and what he most enjoys about performing in Northern Ballet’s home city of Leeds.

In the first of three short interviews we hear from Northern Ballet dancers who speak on how they go about their preparation leading up to the performances and what they most enjoy about performing in Northern Ballet’s home city of Leeds.

Karen Hauer is Strictly Come Dancing's longest-standing professional, having spent 12 series on the iconic show. She has partnered with celebrities including Westlife's Nicky Byrne, The ‘Hairy Biker’ Dave Myers, Mark Wright, Jeremy Vine, Chris Ramsey, and Jamie Laing.

It’s easy to see why the Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort’s Hot Ice show is described as ‘The Most Spectacular Ice Show in the World’. This year’s production Eternity combines sport and theatre and showcases the best in class talent with high-tech special effects, nail-biting stunts and mesmerising hand-made costume. As the light go down in the Ice Arena there’s an air of anticipation.

Rhythm of the Dance will undertake a Global tour in 2024 to celebrate its “25th Anniversary of touring the world” in 47 countries.

Multi-disciplinary performance company Northern Rascals are bringing their powerful new dance-theatre show, REVIVING HER, to Halifax’s Square Chapel Arts Centre this July. The company impressively combines theatre and dance to explore themes of safety, identity and empowerment in Northern women.

Northern Ballet is prolific when it comes to creating new ballets, and apart from the seasonal Nutcracker, the classics feature relatively infrequently: Giselle in 2011 and a characteristically different adaptation of Swan Lake in 2016. Prokofiev’s Romeo & Juliet is an iconic ballet, much loved and performed around the world.

There was a real buzz of excitement in the foyer of the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre in Leeds as dozens of families arrived for the opening performance of Tortoise and the Hare.

A mini-picket on the door of Leeds Grand is not the usual reception we might expect as Northern Ballet's Nutcracker returns this winter. Like a true perennial, the ballet itself pops with colour, joy, vivacity, and downright goodness.

Joining the Company in the role of Gatsby for performances in Leeds and London is Principal of The Royal Ballet, Ryoichi Hirano. Hirano joined The Royal Ballet as a Prix de Lausanne apprentice in 2001, developing through the ranks of the company to Principal in 2016. He has also performed as Guest Principal for Norwegian National Ballet and Scottish Ballet.

It’s been a while since Rambert Dance was the ‘Ballet Rambert’ but, these days, this wonderful company, probably nearer in style to the Northern School of Contemporary dance than it’s ever been, couldn’t be better placed to deliver its mind blowingly good Peaky Blinders The Redemption of Thomas Shelby. Quite simply, tu tu good!

Celebrating twenty years, Ballet Black are delighted to present two new works in 2022 – Black Sun and Say It Loud at York Theatre Royal on 11 October. Say It Loud is choreographed and directed by Ballet Black's Founder and Artistic Director, Cassa Pancho, and the BB Company artists.

Federico Bonelli is 100 days into his role as Northern Ballet's Artistic Director. He took time out of his busy schedule to chat with Group Editor Andrew Palmer, about his ambitious plans for the company.