The Lowry presents a dazzling season of dance throughout autumn and winter

Performing in Salford for one night only, world-renowned flamenco masters Mercedes Ruiz (choreography, dance) and Santiago Lara (guitar, composition) join forces to present a spellbinding shared vision of the Andalusian art form with a vivid, intensely intimate display of unity and uninhibited self-expression.

The following week, Nigeria’s globally renowned QDance Company transform the Lowry stage into a frenetic maelstrom of rhythm, dance and music with Qudus-Onikeiku’s Re:INCARNATION.

Celebrating the storied and influential musical heritage of Lagos, Re:INCARNATION blends ancient Yoruba philosophy and an infectious Afrobeats score with the irrepressible spirit and sharp yet unbound rhythms of the city’s joyous urban youth culture.

On Thu 17 Oct, acclaimed inclusive dance company Stopgap stage an evening of stirring, sensual choreography, breathtaking projection art and poignant audio description with Lived Fiction.

Lauded for its ‘strong choreographic structure and ingenuity’ (Broadway World), Stopgap’s mesmeric new production invites audiences to experience dance from a broad spectrum of perspectives, with stunning performances from Deaf, Disabled, neurodivergent and non-disabled creatives in a celebration of compassion, diversity and the boundless potential of an equitable future.

Billed as an inventive, mischievous ‘sequel’ to a non-existent version of itself, The Passion of Andrea 2 promises a fascinatingly absurd exploration of unease, misunderstanding and the agonising desire for more.

Equal parts medieval fable, off-kilter musical, sci-fi epic and surreal dance-off, the ambitious choreographical meditation unpacks human nature with a show ‘about a world of impossibilities’ where idealism, disappointment, anger and death are embroiled in a strange, symbiotic conflict.

Returning to the Lowry following a wildly successful nationwide tour last year, Rambert reintroduces audiences to its thrillingly innovative stage adaptation of Peaky Blinders from Tue 22 to Sat 26 Oct.

Written by the show’s co-creator Stephen Knight, The Redemption of Thomas Shelby charts the remarkable rise of the Peaky Blinders, from the fields of Flanders to the cobbles of Small Heath, reimagined through heart-stopping choreography and iconic songs from the original series.

Hailed as ‘the show that changed the dance landscape forever’ (The Observer), Matthew Bourne’s groundbreaking interpretation of Swan Lake showcases an emerging generation of talented young performers in a major new revival for the modern age.

By turns faithful and ambitious, witty and sincere, Bourne’s trailblazing adaptation has been performed across the globe since its premiere in 1995, becoming the most successful dance theatre production of all time while collecting over thirty international accolades, including the Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production and three Tony Awards.

Today, this seminal reworking of Tchaikovsky’s magnum opus remains best-known for shattering tradition by replacing the female corps-de-ballet with a menacing male ensemble.

Returning to Salford with a fresh spiritual debut, HEROES, Cassa Pancho’s Ballet Black captivates audiences with a mystifying double-bill created by Mthuthuzeli November and Sophia Laplane.

In The Waiting Game, award-winning choreographer Mthuthuzeli explores the purpose of life with an electrifying work set to the voices of fellow Ballet Black artists, while the Scottish Ballet’s Choreographer in Residence Laplane rounds off the spectacle with If At First, a subtly triumphant Sisyphean voyage which celebrates the quiet heroism and self-acceptance at the core of humanity.

The Lowry kicks off its 2025 dance calendar with Botis Seva’s latest hip hop theatre creation, Until We Sleep, a soaring, Odyssean tale of hope, defiance and heroism told through fluid, pulsating movement by Far From The Norm and a raw yet ethereal blend of percussion and guttural sounds.

Built upon themes of resistance and unbowed human spirit, Until We Sleep follows a lone warrior in search of faith as they lead a rootless community through transient passages of time, where souls transcend their former identities and shards of light signal the presence of a higher power.

Featuring brand new choreography from Carlos Acosta performed by more than 20 dancers from his namesake company, Nutcracker in Havana imbues the festive ballet classic with vibrant traditional Cuban dance forms and irresistible Latin heat, set to jaw-dropping video projections and a blistering reimagination of the timeless Tchaikovsky score.

Winner of Best Classical Choreography in the 2011 National Critics’ Circle Dance Awards, Birmingham Royal Ballet’s mesmerising take on Cinderella renders the ageless story of love, courage and kindness in exquisite detail with wondrous movement and divine precision.