Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Sarah Crompton

Dance: Sarah Crompton’s five best shows of 2023

Christine Flores, Melissa Toogood, Victor Lozano, Maile Okamura, Zachary Gonder and company in Song of Songs by Pam Tanowitz and David Lang.
‘Full of love’: Christine Flores, Melissa Toogood, Victor Lozano, Maile Okamura and Zachary Gonder in Song of Songs by Pam Tanowitz. Photograph: Maria Baranova/ Barbican

1. Song of Songs
Barbican, London; October

American choreographer Pam Tanowitz has had a gleaming 2023, with a triple bill for the Royal Ballet (Secret Things, Dispatch Duet and Everyone Keeps Me) that revealed her deep understanding of dance history. But it was Song of Songs, for her own company, that sealed her reputation as one of the most significant dance-makers of our own time. Cool, rigorous, and intricately structured, unfolding in perfect marriage with David Lang’s score, it was quite simply the most beautiful piece of the year, full of love.

2. Find Your Eyes
Manchester Academy; July

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.