Top Dance Shows: January 2026
Erina Takahashi as Giselle in Akram Khan’s Giselle © Camilla Greenwell
Not sure what dance to watch this January? With at least 30 dance shows touring the UK this month, let me help you to decide with my top three picks. Expect Olivier Award-winners and classical ballet reimagined.
1. Woolf Works
17 January—13 February / Royal Opera House
Contemporary Ballet
Wayne McGregor’s 2015 ballet won an Olivier Award when it debuted with The Royal Ballet and rightly so. This three-part abstract contemporary ballet based on the life and works of Virginia Woolf is nothing short of art. Keep and eye out for the light show in Act 2 - higher up seats recommended for the full experience. The work is topped off by an exemplary score by Max Richter.
Find your next dance show
All dance shows happening across the UK, all in one place. Only on Like Nobody’s Watching.
2. Akram Khan’s Giselle
15—18 January / London Coliseum
A ballet classic reimagined
Ballet doesn’t get more dramatic than this. Akram Khan’s reimagining of Giselle is a modern masterpiece. Created ten years ago for English National Ballet, this work is already a classic of the company’s repertoire. The piece takes the tragic story of Giselle and sets it in an abstract landscape, with a thrumming new score, powerful contemporary movement and vengeful ghosts wielding staves.
Photo by Camilla Greenwell. Artwork by Ali Vermilio.
3. Resolution Festival
9 January - 25 February / The Place, London
For the contemporary explorers
Always a mixed bag, always a highlight of the dance calendar. Resolution Festival is a contemporary dance festival featuring up and coming dance companies over 20 nights. Each show features three short pieces by choreographers at the beginning of their careers so it’s a great way to discover new talent and future stars. With over 60 works being performed, there is sure to be a show that peaks your interest.
Plus, tickets are only £16!
Brought to you by Like Nobody’s Watching
Check out my latest reviews
