As Londoners are sweating it out on the street this June, the capital’s best dancers will be putting their bodies to the limit in a different way on the London stage. Here, we’ve listed the finest performances from the Royal Opera House, Sadler’s Wells and Sadler’s Wells East that aren’t to be missed.
The Royal Ballet’s happiest production ever, La fille mal gardée, continues its run at ROH, while English National Ballet is taking on the ultimate fairytale, Kenneth MacMillan’s The Sleeping Beauty at the Royal Albert Hall.
Sadler’s Wells launches its inaugural film festival Dance Digital this June, and will be showing 45 shorts and feature length movies from around the world.
Whether you’re looking for a last-minute night out, or have been planning an evening at the theatre for months (they have air-con!), these are the dance shows in London you should be booking this June.
India Lawrence is Time Out’s resident dance expert. Formally trained, she’s been dancing since the age of four and currently performs in a contemporary dance company outside of work. She has been reviewing contemporary dance and ballet in London since 2022.
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English National Ballet performs Kenneth MacMillan's ‘The Sleeping Beauty’, the ultimate fairy tale ballet with a sumptuous Tchaikovsky score, at the Royal Albert Hall. Very much in the traditional mould, it's a visual feast with a huge cast and gorgeous costumes. ENB has some strong young dancers who will be taking turns in the leading roles, including Emma Hawes as Aurora, Aitor Arrieta as Prince Désiré and Anri Sugiura as the Lilac Fairy
Where is it? Royal Opera House
Sadlers Wells launches its inaugural dance film festival, Dance Digital. Held in the Lilian Baylis studio, the three day event will be packed with film screenings, talks, networking sessions and mentoring opportunities.
The judges have whittled down 415 submissions from 55 countries into a programme of 45 films that will be screened along with two VR experiences. An awards ceremony on the Saturday night will crown the best films in six categories.
Highlights include five feature-length films. Rojo Clavel (Red Carnation) from Spain tells the story of virtuosic dancer Manuel Liñan as he chooses a life of Flamenco over bullfighting; Drenched (Australia) by Douglas Reddan and Caetyln Watson from follows ten characters’ psychedelic journey at a house party; Réka Szabó’s award-winning The Euphoria of Being (Hungary) explores life after Auschwitz.
Where is it? Sadler’s Wells
Frederick Ashton's wonderfully silly production returns to the Royal Opera House. This gem of a comic ballet is packed with fiendish footwork, a winning love story, and of course, dancing chickens. Prepare to leave grinning ear to ear after experiencing one of the Royal Ballet’s all-time most popular ballets.
Where is it? Royal Opera House
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Rambert is turning 100, and to celebrate the British dance company has selected a triple bill of bite-size, high-impact works by some of the most in-demand choreographers and companies right now. ‘Hop(e)storm’ by (LA)HORDE fuses lindy hop with rave culture in a piece that imagines dance as a catalyst of resistance, rhythm and resilience. Emma Evelein’s ‘Gallery of Consequence’ reimagines sliding doors in an airport, and ‘In Crimson’ by choreographer Bobbi Jene Smith and filmmaker Or Schraiber brings together dance, film, opera and theatre.
Where is it? Sadler’s Wells
Portuguese choreographer and 2025 Rose Prise finalist Marco da Silva Ferreira explores the dynamics of over-militarisation and toxic masculinity in modern society in this raw, high-octane new work. Ferreira blends urban styles with rigorous embodied movement to create powerful and visceral dance.
Where is it? Sadler’s Wells East
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