January 2023
13th January, Blackpool Grand Theatre
Giselle by Varna International Ballet
Founded in 1947 and currently celebrating its 75th anniversary, the critically acclaimed Varna International Ballet comes to the UK for the very first time with Giselle at the Blackpool Grand. General Tickets: £23.50. Book here.
14th January, Blackpool Grand Theatre
Swan Lake by Varna International Ballet
The greatest romantic ballet of all time: Swan Lake is brought to life by Tchaikovsky’s haunting and unforgettable score. Celebrating their 75th anniversary, the critically acclaimed Varna International Ballet comes to the UK for the very first time. Tickets from £23.50. Book here.
15th January, Blackpool Grand Theatre
The Nutcracker by Varna International Ballet
Renowned for its award-winning soloists and magnificent corps de ballet, Varna International Ballet has been delighting audiences for decades at home and abroad with its performances of the highest quality. General Tickets: £23.50. Book here.
15th & 16th January, Crewe Lyceum Theatre
Cirque – The Greatest Show
Stars of the West End combine with incredible circus performers and dancers. The biggest hits from the greatest musicals of all time from The Greatest Showman to Hairspray are brought to the stage in a unique and spellbinding style. Tickets: £34. Book here.
18th January, Blackpool Grand Theatre
Spirit of the Dance
Spirit of the Dance is one of the biggest dance shows in the world, delivering the powerful rhythms of Irish Dance combined with the passionate Latino rhythms of Tango, Flamenco and Red-Hot Salsa. Now celebrating its 15th Anniversary, this breath-taking show has been seen by more than 20 million people around the globe. General Tickets: £ 32.50. Book here.
18th January, The Lowry
Tits & Teeth by Thick & Tight
Tits & Teeth: a retrospective of a dazzling career. Thick & Tight present a collection of best bits from their back catalogue, new to the Lowry stage.Combines dance, mime, satire, drag and lip syncing to create performed portraits of famous and infamous characters. Tickets: From £10. Book here.
19th January, Brewery Arts
The Royal Ballet: Like Water for Chocolate (Live Screening)
A co-production between The Royal Ballet and American Ballet Theatre, this ballet is a modern Mexican classic of magic realism inspired by Laura Esquivel’s novel – a captivating family saga where the central character’s emotions spill out through cooking to influence everyone around her in startling and dramatic ways. General tickets: £15.50. Book here.
22nd January, Crewe Lyceum
Glorious Gala by The International Classic Ballet Theatre
Glorious Gala brings together the best of classical dance with a selection of pieces from popular ballets, including Le Corsaire - Pas d’esclave and Pas de deux, La Bayadere – Kingdom of the Shades and Don Quixote. Tickets: £27. Book here.
27th & 30th January, Manchester & Crewe
Made in Italy by Giovanni Pernice
Strictly Come Dancing 2021 champion and dance heart-throb Giovanni Pernice invites you to join him on a journey to his homeland for his brand new 2023 production of Made in Italy. Joined by an outstanding ensemble of some of the best dancers and singers from the ballroom and theatre world, this show promises to be a fantastic night out! Book The Lowry here. Book The Lyceum here.
28th January, Bluecoat
Blue Room Moves, 2-3pm
See the debut performance of three short pieces by artists from Blue Room Moves, the Bluecoat’s new inclusive dance project, working with local dance and film artists. Experience a playful approach to new dance at the Bluecoat. For more info and booking, click here.
Thick & Tight: Tits & Teeth
February 2023
2nd February, Unity Theatre
Loops by 20 Stories High
LOOPS is a brand-new Hip-Hop Theatre show from 20 Stories High, bursting with heavy beats, beautiful lyricism and raw energy. Following a day in the life of Djibi – a young black man living in a largely white area of Liverpool – LOOPS grapples with Stop and Search, institutional police racism and how it affects Djibi’s relationships with his family, friends and wider community. Tickets: From £6. Book here.
3rd-18th February, Storyhouse
Faustus: That Damned Woman
A play from award-winning playwright Chris Bush. A co-production with Fallen Angels Dance Theatre. This gripping, unforgettable drama explores what we must sacrifice to achieve greatness in an original reimagining of the legend of Faust, who sells his soul to the devil in return for unlimited knowledge and pleasure, only to squander both. Book here.
W/C 6th February, Location: TBC (Liverpool)
‘Me vs Me’ by Wired Aerial Theatre.
A Bungee-Assisted Dance piece choreographed by Henri Oguike, exploring the duality of Mental Health and the instinct of fight and flight. Developed within a safeguarded framework, working with mental health activists, education experts and incredible performers and climbers. The piece has a wraparound workshop package aimed at high school years 7-9. For more info, click here.
7th & 8th February, Blackpool & Crewe
Tap Factory
High-energy dance, explosive percussion and awe-inspiring acrobatics collide in a dazzling fusion of live music and choreography. Tap Factory gives new life to the most ordinary of objects in a show guaranteed to rattle the senses and set your toes tapping. General Tickets from: £29.50. Book Blackpool Grand Theatre here and Crewe Lyceum here.
18th February, Theatre by the Lake
Open Space Scratch Night
Experience four new performance ideas and support local talent as artists are invited to perform their work-in-development in front of a live audience. From spoken word to music, from dance to theatre, you just don’t know what will be on offer until you turn up. Tickets: £8. Book here.
18th February, Crewe Lyceum Theatre
Dance Around the World Workshop
Join us for a dancing adventure across the globe, as we celebrate Around the World in 80 days coming to the Lyceum Theatre (23-26 February). A stimulating and invigorating trip to the four corners of the world! Participants can enjoy music and movements from Carnival time in the Caribbean through to relaxing Yoga in India! Recommended for ages 6+ and will be led by two professional artists from Movema, celebrating diversity through dance. FREE ENTRY. See more here.
22nd February, Nuffield Theatre
Verve: Triple Bill
Lancaster Arts is delighted to welcome back Verve, the internationally-touring postgraduate company of the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, last seen in the Nuffield Theatre in 2019, for a triple bill of new work from three outstanding choreographers. Tickets on sale soon at lancasterarts.org.
23rd - 25th February, Paul McCartney Auditorium (LIPA )
Rebooted by LIPA Third Year Students
Exploring spiritual and philosophical themes, Rebooted is a devised dance show inspired by the cyberpunk sci-fi classic, Matrix. Featuring a range of dance styles and using lighting and AV to create a series of cinematic settings, the audience is immersed in humanity’s battle for self-determination. General tickets: £3.50. Book here.
Verve: Triple Bill
25th February, New Adelphi Theatre
VERVE presents a striking programme of three new dance works from outstanding artists. Award-winning choreographer and creator of Extended Play, Jamaal Burkmar creates a new work exploring complex physicality and exquisite timing. In work by Faye Tan of National Dance Company Wales, the dancers become intoxicated by rhythm and sensation, resulting in moments of catharsis and pure joy. Lastly, acclaimed Spanish duo KOR’SIA combine striking visuals with a cinematic feel to produce an ambitious, large-scale work. Pay what you can – more here.
Rendez-Vous Dance: What Songs May Do
March 2023
1st March, Capstone Theatre
What Songs May Do by Rendez-Vous Dance
The highly anticipated first full-evening production by award-winning choreographer, former National Dance Company Wales dancer and Rendez-Vous Dance artistic director: Mathieu Geffré. Revealed by Nina Simone’s songs, this duet exposes with an unapologetic passion the fractured relationship of a once romantic couple. Tickets: £11.50. Book here.
2nd March, Chester Cathedral
When You Light A Candle, You Also Cast A Shadow by Company Carpi
When You Light A Candle, You Also Cast A Shadow is a hybrid dance theatre work devised for non-traditional theatre spaces by Company Carpi. Created by choreographer Bettina Carpi and composer Gary Lloyd, the piece features a specially commissioned poetry cycle by Costa Award winner Mary Talbot, three dancers and a string quintet, drawn from the best orchestras in the NW. Times: 4pm, 6.30pm and 8pm. More here.
1st March, Nuffield Theatre
Born to Exist: The Woman I Know by Joseph Toonga
This Hip Hop Dance Theatre Production forms Toonga’s third part of his nationally acclaimed, Hip Hop Dance trilogy that invites change and a sense of overcoming stigmas society holds towards ethnic minorities. Tickets on sale soon at lancasterarts.org.
2nd March, Chameleon Studios, Manchester, M11 1PU
Umbra by Company Chameleon
Company Chameleon present the UK premiere of Umbra. A powerful and nuanced trio, delicate and explosive in equal measure, Umbra looks at the light and darkness within us and how these make us different and the same as each other. Tickets prices: £8 full price, £5 concessions (students, under 18s and people who live in an M11 postcode). Book here.
6th & 10th March, Chester & Blackpool
Made in Italy by Giovanni Pernice
Strictly Come Dancing 2021 champion and dance heart-throb Giovanni Pernice invites you to join him on a journey to his homeland for his brand new 2023 production of Made in Italy. Joined by an outstanding ensemble of some of the best dancers and singers from the ballroom and theatre world, this show promises to be a fantastic night out! Book Storyhouse here. Book Blackpool Grand Theatre here.
Turn: Public Performances, 10th March
Turn: Workshop / Masterclasses & feedback sessions, 11th March
Presented by Word of Warning + Contact; produced by hÅb
Turn is BACK at Contact in March 2023 for a tenth edition, with the opportunity to engage with new dance in Manchester! Turn is a public micro-festival and open submission platform; an opportunity for artists to meet, show, and peer-review work plus an artist networking event. More information on this call out can be found here.
14th - 18th March, The Lowry
Peaky Blinders by Rambert Dance
A new dance theatre event, delving into the story of Thomas Shelby and the Peaky Blinders. Dazzling, athletic dance and stunning dramatization, with an iconic eclectic Peaky soundtrack and a live on-stage band. General tickets from £15. Book here.
15th - 18th March, Edge Conference Centre Wigan
Wigan Borough Dance Fest
One of the biggest events in Wigan's Cultural Calendar, Wigan Borough Dance Fest combines two schools performance platforms, a community showcase, a new WigLe Dance performance night and the first Greater Manchester Schools Dance Festival. The theme for 2023 festival 'Every Dancer Needs a Stage'. Find out more here.
21st and 22nd March, The Lowry
The Sacrifice by Dada Masilo
The Sacrifice is inspired by Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, combining the European heritage of this monumental piece of music with the uniquely rhythmic and expressive movements of ‘Tswana’, the traditional dance of Botswana. Tickets: From £13.50. Book here.
24th & 25th March 2023, New Adelphi Theatre
Emergence – Triple Bill 2023
Celebrating their 5th anniversary year, the Emergence 2023 touring programme features a whole new company of dancers and 3 brand new works by Alice Klock and Florian Lochner (FLOCK), Anthony Missen (Co-Artistic Director, Company Chameleon) and Joss Arnott. Book here.
25th & 26th March, The Lowry
U.Dance Festival NW
The Lowry is to host the regional U.Dance Festival 2023 and invites you to experience a celebration of youth dance in the north west on 25th and 26th March. Groups from around the region will take to the stage and will take part in workshops with leading dance artists. Information will be available on The Lowry’s website shortly.
31st March, Brewery Arts
Barely Methodical Troupe: BROMANCE
International award-winning smash hit BROMANCE is a five-star circus about camaraderie and affection. Audacious, touching, exhilarating tour-de-force of physical heroics where handshakes become handstands and backslaps become backflips. Tickets £16. Book here.
Company Carpi: When You Light A Candle, You Also Cast A Shadow