Dance Critics' Circle

Dance Critics' Circle
Name	Dance Critics' Circle
Formation	1950s
Type	Professional association
Headquarters	London
Region served	United Kingdom
Language	English
Leader title	Chair

Dance Critics' Circle is a professional association of reviewers and commentators dedicated to the appraisal of choreography and performance in ballet, contemporary dance, and related forms. It functions as a forum for critical standards linking reviewers drawn from newspapers, magazines, broadcast outlets and online platforms, and it issues annual awards that are widely cited by companies, choreographers and institutions. Its activities intersect with major performing-arts organizations, cultural festivals and publishing outlets in the United Kingdom and internationally.

History

The organization emerged during the postwar expansion of British arts criticism alongside institutions such as the Royal Ballet, Sadler's Wells Theatre, Covent Garden, Arts Council England and periodicals like The Times, The Guardian, The Observer, The Daily Telegraph. Early members wrote for outlets including The Morning Post, The Sunday Times and specialist journals influenced by critics associated with Dame Ninette de Valois, Frederick Ashton, Margot Fonteyn and choreographers who toured with companies such as Ballet Rambert and Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet. In the 1960s and 1970s the Circle adapted to shifting tastes prompted by figures including Merce Cunningham, Pina Bausch, Alvin Ailey, Jerome Robbins and the rise of festivals like the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and institutions such as Tate Modern that broadened public exposure to contemporary dance. The late 20th century brought critics from broadcast media such as the BBC and magazines like Time Out and Dance Magazine, reflecting changes in coverage tied to the emergence of companies including English National Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Rambert, Scottish Ballet and international tours by American Ballet Theatre and New York City Ballet.

Membership and Organization

Membership has typically included reviewers employed by newspapers such as The Independent, The Financial Times, The Mail on Sunday and The Daily Mail, magazines including The Spectator, Vanity Fair and Vogue, and broadcasters like Channel 4, ITV and BBC Radio 3. The Circle has elected chairs and officers drawn from critics who reviewed for institutions such as Royal Opera House programmes and publishers such as Penguin Books and Faber and Faber. It has maintained links with professional bodies like International Dance Council (CID), unions such as Equity (British trade union), academic departments at Royal Academy of Dance, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and research hubs at universities like University of London, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge and University of Birmingham. Administrative meetings have often been held at cultural venues including Royal Festival Hall, Barbican Centre, National Theatre and during seasons at regional hubs such as St George's Newcastle and The Lowry.

Awards and Recognition

The Circle's annual awards have recognized choreographers, dancers, companies and lifetime achievements associated with names like Christopher Wheeldon, Wayne McGregor, Akram Khan, Siobhan Davies, Matthew Bourne and Crystal Pite. Awards have paralleled prizes given by institutions such as the Laurence Olivier Award, Prix Benois de la Danse, Tony Award and Benois de la Danse in prestige, and have been noted in coverage by outlets like Reuters, AP News and cultural sections of The New York Times. Categories have included Best Male Dancer, Best Female Dancer, Best Choreography, Company of the Year and Special Awards connected to festivals such as the Brighton Festival, Cheltenham Festival and the Barbican International Gala. Recipients have included soloists from Royal Ballet School, principal dancers from Mariinsky Ballet, directors from Stuttgart Ballet and innovators associated with companies like Siobhan Davies Dance and Phoenix Dance Theatre.

Criteria and Selection Process

Selection has historically been determined by votes among accredited members, using criteria emphasizing artistic excellence, originality, technical achievement and contribution to repertory. The process echoes adjudication practices in competitions like the Prix de Lausanne and panels at events such as the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival and Sadler's Wells International Dance Festival. Submissions and nominations have come from critics reporting on seasons at venues including Garsington Opera adjacency, touring circuits that include Sadler's Wells, Royal Opera House, Almeida Theatre and regional theatres like Birmingham Hippodrome and Leeds Grand Theatre. The Circle has sometimes consulted archives held by institutions such as the Victoria and Albert Museum's Theatre and Performance Collections and collaborated with editorial boards of periodicals including The Stage and Dance Now.

Notable Recipients and Impact

Awardees have included internationally prominent figures such as Rudolf Nureyev, Margaret MacMillan—in contexts intersecting with cultural diplomacy—Martha Graham, Trisha Brown, Alonzo King, Pina Bausch disciples, and contemporary stars like Carlos Acosta and Sylvie Guillem. The Circle's endorsements have influenced programming decisions at companies including English National Ballet, Royal Opera House and regional repertoire at institutions like Northern Ballet and Ballet Nacional de Cuba tours. Critical recognition has affected funding decisions by bodies such as Arts Council England and commissioning by festivals including the Edinburgh International Festival and broadcasters commissioning dance films for BBC Two and Channel 4.

Controversies and Criticism

The Circle has faced disputes over transparency, perceived bias toward London-centric programming, and the underrepresentation of critics from communities represented by companies like Akram Khan Company and Candoco Dance Company. Critiques have drawn parallels with debates involving awards such as the Laurence Olivier Awards and institutions accused of gatekeeping, prompting calls for reform influenced by movements associated with Black Lives Matter and diversity initiatives championed by bodies including Arts Council England and Creative Scotland. High-profile disagreements have arisen in print and broadcast media involving critics from The Guardian, The Telegraph, The New York Times and trade journals, spurring revisions to voting rules and outreach efforts to include reviewers from digital platforms like YouTube, Twitter and independent blogs.

Category:Arts organizations