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Category: What To See
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Several times a year, we have what I call "a month of shows". October looks like it'll be one of those, with Dance Umbrella taking over several venues, while Sadler's Wells pulls out all the stops and that's just for starters.
 
Warning: for those interested in the Royal Ballet, or any other shows at the Royal Opera House, Public Booking Day for the winter season is on Tuesday 4 October. It will take hours to queue on the website, the website may crash... but it's all part of the experience! And unfortunately it's necessary, as shows can sell out by the end of the day. Don't give up!!
 
Highlights to book for are Asphodel Meadows (19 - 30 November), Romeo & Juliet (10 Jan - 31 March), The Dream / Song of the Earth (1 Feb - 5 March), Ballet Black  (29 February - 7 March) and Draft Works (24 - 26 January). Yes, that's pretty much the entire season, but it's all worth seeing!
 
 
Sadlers Wells
 
Akram Khan, 4 - 8 October
 
Already acclaimed as his best work to date, Akram Khan's latest solo DESH sees him collaborating with an Oscar-winning visual artist, Michael Hulls (celebrated lighting designer from Russell Maliphant's 'Afterlight'), Indian writer and poet Karthika Nair and British slam poet Polar Bear. Not to be missed. 
 
 
Emanuel Gat Dance, 10 - 11 October
 
Described as "one of contemporary dance’s most exciting young talents", Israeli choreographer will be presenting his latest work, 'Brilliant Corners'.
 
 
Beijing Dance Theatre, 13 - 15 October
 
Making their first visit ever to Sadlers Wells, Beijing Dance Theatre will be presenting 'Haze', choreographed by critically acclaimed and guest NYCB choreographer Wang Yuanyuan. Really looking forward to seeing this one. 
 
 
Birmingham Royal Ballet, 18 - 22 October
 
Birmingham Royal Ballet returns with two new programmes, offering La Fille mal gardée for the classical ballet fans, and 'Autumn Glory', a triple-bill for those who prefer their choreography to be more modern. 'Autumn Glory' will feature Ninette de Valois' 'Checkmate', Ashton's 'Symphonic Variations' and John Cranko's 'Pineapple Poll'. 
 
You can watch a trailer for it here: vimeo.com/27865571
 
 
Zoonation "Some Like It Hip Hop", 20 October - 19 November
Peacock Theatre, Holborn
 
Zoonation treated us to a sneak preview of Some Like It Hip Hop at Sadler's Wells Sampled at the start of the year - but the finished show is finally here, starring Tommy Franzén, Lizzie Gough and Teneisha Bonner, and directed by Kate Prince. One for the hip hop fans and the hip hop curious!
 
 
The Place
 
Rambert Dance's Season of New Choreography, 11 & 12 October
 
Rambert's Season of New Choreography is an opportunity for several of Rambert's dancers to explore their own choreography, and this year's edition treats us to works from  Kirill Burlov, Otis-Cameron Carr, Malgorzata Dzierzon, Jonathan Goddard and Gemma Nixon. 
 
 
Dance Umbrella
 
Merce Cunningham Dance Company's Final Season, 5 - 8 October
Barbican Centre
 
This is our final opportunity ever to watch the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. There are three programmes on offer, featuring six works ranging from 1958's Antic Meet to 1999's BIPED. Programme 3 includes Rainforest, which you can see performed by Rambert (for comparison) in November. 
 
 
Candoco Dance Company's 20th Anniversary, 14 & 15 October
Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank Centre
 
Candoco Dance Company celebrates its 20 years so far with three special commissions from their "past, present and future", by Trisha Brown Dance Company, Rachid Ouramdane and Matthias Sperling. 
 
 
Richard Alston, 19 - 22 October
The Place
 
This year's Dance Umbrella includes a special focus on Richard Alston, and this is a rare opportunity to see his company perform in the comparatively intimate setting of his home, The Place. The programme includes works from the late '60s, the early '80s, and new works by Richard Alston and by Martin Lawrance. 
 
 
Royal Ballet
 
Limen / Marguerite & Armand / Requiem, 8 - 20 October
 
The highlight of this triple bill is Marguerite & Armand, originally choreographed exclusively for Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nurevey by Frederick Ashton, and has only been performed since then by Sylvie Guillem (originally Nureyev's protegée) and Nicolas Le Riche. This time, it will be performed by Tamara Rojo and Sergei Polunin, with special performances by Zenaida Yanowsky and Federico Bonelli on 12 & 14 October. 
 
Also on the programme is Requiem, Kenneth MacMillan's tribute to choreographer John Cranko, and Wayne McGregor's Limen.
 
 
Cloud Dance Festival Corner
 
Hagit Yakira: Rich Mix Saturday 1 October
 
Fans of Hagit Yakira will welcome this opportunity to see her physical theatre piece 'Sunday Morning', premiered at Resolution at the start of this year, and which took over Laban a few months ago. Expect her usual lovable warmth and charm. Part of a double-bill with Silversmith Dance Theatre.
 
 
Cucashop: A One Night Indoor Festival, 6 October
Rich Mix
 
A long-overdue opportunity to see the wonderful ironINC, reminding us how witty and funny dance theatre can be. ironINC will be performing a restaging of "Due To Unforeseen Circumstances", performed at The Big Chill in 2006, and will be accompanied by Uchenna Dance Company, DJs and more. And it's all for a very worthy cause.