Edinburgh isn't the only place with a bursting, brilliant fringe, and indeed as the Scottish capital’s iconic annual event becomes ever more expensive, the once scrappy outsider Camden Fringe looks ever more like a serious alternative for the London-based. And there’s not just comedy to look forward to, as the London festival is staging a number of experimental and innovative dance works this year. Shows to check out include Uproar, an exploration of protest and rebellion; Tango in silk, telling the story of an East Asian woman arriving in the UK through a fusion of Argentine tango and Chinese qipao style; and The Forty Elephants, a contemporary jazz show telling the true story of an all-woman crime gang that operated during the 1920s in London. Peaky Blinders, eat your heart out.
In August things slow down a bit in the dance world – ballerinas need summer holidays too, you know.
However, that doesn’t mean that Londoners will be totally deprived of dance on stage this month. The Peaky Blinders ballet comes back to town, and Stratford East is staging a new version of Romeo & Juliet, co-produced with emerging dance artists and local community talent. Meanwhile Camden Fringe will include several new and experimental works.
Here’s our pick of the best dance in London this August.
India is in charge of dance listings at Time Out. She was first shoved into a leotard and ballet shoes aged four, and has loved it ever since. Nowadays India prefers contemporary (or dancing in a sweaty club) to ballet, but still has a soft spot for the odd grand jeté every now and again. India has been reviewing dance in London since joining Time Out in 2022.
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