The other wonder here is the choreography by Hofesh Shechter, an Israeli-born, UK-based dancer and choreographer making his Broadway debut. Most "Fiddler" revivals employ Jerome Robbins' Tony-winning choreography from the original 1964 production. Shechter pays heed to Robbins, but also conjures something entirely new, with the performers often leading with their elongated arms, and sweeping across the stage in syncopated formation. The effect is like a melange of Martha Graham and traditional Jewish folk dance — and in those numbers that feature the entire, 30-plus-member company, like "Tradition" and "The Wedding," it's staggeringly beautiful. 

1. That I see as much ballet, dance & physical theatre as I did in 2009 and '10. I have somehow managed to see roughly the same amount of dance each year, even though I have a sense that there is 'less on'. The willingness to travel to Liverpool and Huddersfield and the opening of HOME have helped with this.
2. That no dance company goes under because of the destructive slashing of arts budgets by national or local government. The Arts Council re-funding lottery will be announced 30 March 2011. As a result companies will topple all year as their business models collapse. I think this was in response to the loss of New English Contemporary Ballet, Henri Oguike Dance Company and especially, at the time, Lea Anderson's The Cholmondleys & The Featherstonehaughs. Have there been closures since? I'm not sure there have, but I still have a real sense that life is very, very tough for small to medium touring companies and there seem to be long hiatuses between funding, and shorter, more infrequent touring. Although experience has shown that many companies of a certain size only tour the UK on a five-year cycle. 
3. That at least one of the people I have taken to see dance goes to see some more - either with me or because they liked it enough to want to see more and have bought tickets. I am very pleased that friends I have taken to see dance have continued to see dance - without me dragging them along. I am also aware of a few of people who have been to see dance because of my promotional efforts on social media. Which is beyond gratifying.
4. That the following companies (and many more) visit Manchester / Salford: DV8 Physical Theatre Yes, with the amazing John, Jasmin Vardimon Company Yes, Henri Oguike Dance Company lost their ACE funding and promptly folded, Rafael Bonachela Company Rafael has been Artistic Director at Sydney Dance Company for several years now so his own company appear to be in hiatus, Chunky Move (Australia) Nope, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet (US) Toured the UK but infuriatingly the schedule missed The Lowry, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet sadly closed in spring 2015. Stephen Petronio Company (US) Saw NDCWales do some of his wonderful choreography but SPC don't appear to have toured outside the US for a long time now, Toronto Dance Theatre (Canada) Nope - basically that a combination of arts cuts, financial downturn, absurd visa restrictions on artists and performers don't result in an end to national and international touring. I'm sure all the reasons cited have played their part, but in the regions, unless it is a major festival, we wouldn't get to see international touring companies outside of London at all without Dance Consortium or Dance Touring Partnership - and they have gone quiet for a year. 
5. That Contact Theatre starts booking more dance and is less focused on its own narrow arts agenda. Contact Theatre actually seems to be widening its artistic agenda. This may be due to Barry Priest's role within the organisation...? A change of Artistic Director does seem to have widened and shifted Contact's programming. They continue to support dance, notably with Turn, but more than just that. A capital expediture-funded redevelopment of the building will see Contact closing (not sure to what extent) for a year or so. 
6. That greenroom books more dance. greenroom lost its ACE funding in 2011 and closed for good in May 2012. 
7. That the Royal Exchange Studio continues to book small-scale touring dance - in fact, more of it. At the moment they seem to have stopped booking any... Situation unchanged. They book the odd thing each - but not every - season. 
8. That some fantastic redevelopment plan is announced for The Dancehouse - one that brings the theatre into more use, improves the public spaces and facilities, improves the standing of the attached dance school and Manchester City Ballet and increases the amount of dance actually programmed to appear in the theatre (i.e. some). This is pure fantasy. This does indeed seem to be pure fantasy. Yes, pure fantasy. It's still a packed programme of comedy and alt-film festivals and Manchester City Ballet endures. Still never seen them.
9. That the BBC site on Oxford Road is earmarked for a landmark urban regeneration project and not a mixed use hotel/offices/apartments/retail units yawnfest. Work has started on Circle Square in three phases and the site is set for completion in 2023. It is a mix of hotel/office/apartments/retail/leisure/public spaces. Not a new opera house for Manchester then. There was talk at the time of a new northern second home for the ROH, involving The Lowry (Royal Ballet), the Palace (opera) and/or a new building.
10. That the Liverpool Playhouse continues to programme really great dance and that their investment plans don't fall through. Liverpool Playhouse and sister theatre the Everyman have had their funding significantly cut by Liverpool City Council. They are optimistic this is survivable. Liverpool Everyman has reopened after a complete rebuild and appears to be a thriving regional theatre - and just announced the formation of a rep company. Liverpool Playhouse still programmes a similar amount of dance - usually Phoenix and Wayne McGregor and is unchanged. 
11. That the Manchester International Festival thrives in 2011 and isn't scaled down by arts funding cuts. The Manchester International Festival announced a programme in March full of music and with no dance events planned whatsoever. Over-familiar, dreary even, this year's MIF should be hugely successful... MIF goes from strength to strength. A new Artistic Director for 2017 will hopefully result in a programme that more closely meets my own interests, although in 2015 MIF finally commissioned a significant piece of dance (Tree of Codes) and Akram Khan's 2016's between-festival new version of Giselle is an MIF/ENB commission.
12. That Urban Moves returns in 2012 and is promoted more effectively - perhaps tying the free public performances in with some theatrical events...? Urban Moves did indeed return in 2012 with a decent programme locked in Castlefield rather than the city centre. Urban Moves 2014 was also pretty good and based in Cathedral Gardens. No news on 2016's event.
13. That some theatrical use is found for the Theatre Royal (Peter Street) if it's not going to be the new home of the Library Theatre. Chronically, tragically, the Theatre Royal is to be somehow absorbed into the adjoining Radisson Blu EDwardian hotel (in the former Free Trade Hall). Although plans were announced some time ago, no work appears to have started, and the Theatre Royal still just looks like a boarded-up theatre. Tragic.
14. That Queer Up North returns - but with a less narrow artistic agenda. Queer Up North have lost their funding from Manchester City Council and with no announcements, no pre- events and no update to the website looks to have folded? Queer Up North has indeed ceased to be. Barry Priest of Queer Up North has steadily rebuilt the festival at Contact under the Queer Contact brand.
15. That there is some positive movement on the former Odeon on Oxford Street (although imagining that it will be restored to its former Paramount glory or returned to any kind of theatrical use is pure, pointless fantasy). Again, this was fantasy. The building is scheduled for demolition and a new 14-story office development called Landmark is to replace it. Except that was meant to be completed years ago and the Odeon is still boarded up. New developer funding was announced in 2013 but still no activity. The Paramount/Odeon is no longer salvageable, alas. 
16. That Birmingham Royal Ballet, the English National Ballet and Northern Ballet bring some more fabulous fully-staged narrative ballet (not just Swan Lake, Cinderella, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker and Romeo & Juliet - much as we love them). Actually, I'm about ready for another Swan Lake. Birmingham Royal Ballet are bringing Coppelia (which I've never seen). English National Ballet are bringing their Strictly Gershwin show (should be popular with the Palace's mainstream audience but leaves me cold). The Northern Ballet are bringing The Nutcracker in November (again), although they have a number of other interesting productions on the go - their new ballet Cleopatra, Beauty and the Beast, Hamlet and Giselle. It looks as if BRB may be touring less next year as they have announce their 2011-12 season and have no Lowry dates as yet... Nothing really to add here. BRB, ENB and Northern Ballet continue to visit. ENB are undergoing something of a renaissance under new AD Tamara Rojo, which is diversifying their offering.
17. That I see some amazing contemporary company that I've never seen before who really excite me. This happens every year. For which, many thanks. Dance still has the power to amaze and delight.
18. That I go and see something in London that I never get the chance to see in Manchester. I finally did something about this and have now been to Sadler's Wells twice with another show booked - and got tickets for The Place in June.
19. That I will finish writing my ballet synopsis and send it to someone. Oh dear.
20. That my reviews for The Public Reviews get better and get read. The Public Reviews was relaunched in May 2015 as The Reviews Hub. The site goes from strength to strength. I am very pleased to be one of their reviewers - specialising in dance - and sometimes write something that gets a reaction or that I'm really pleased with. 

Giselle

English National Ballet
Choreographed by Akram Khan
World premiere

Robin Howard CBE

“We have, in a sense, already attained the status of an establishment organisation, but we exist to bridge a gap between the establishment and a public which does not fit into that category. We are risk-takers. If we play safe we are untrue to ourselves. We now do not have sufficient funds to venture into the unknown, which is what we should do and have done so well in the past. A short-term solution to our problem is to play safe. If we do so, we shall die. And deserve to die, because people will eventually become bored.”  Robin Howard, letter to the Financial Times, 1985

"It is impossible to overestimate the significance of Robin Howard's work in securing and fostering the growth and development of contemporary dance in Britain ... Robin Howard was single-minded in his dedication, and he worked without sparing himself. His simplicity and generosity of manner, his idealism and enthusiasm, touched everyone who knew or worked with him. His best memorial is surely the grand flowering of dance in this country that he inspired and guided."  Clement Crisp, Financial Times

• Manchester lacks a local dance advocacy organisation with a focus on promoting touring theatre-based dance, let alone a dedicated dance venue to put it in. 
• Manchester is rich with independent dance artists but lacks any significant companies with the probable exception of Company Chameleon; with few significant companies, no dance centre, no dedicated dance theatre and no dance organisation with the resources or focus or bolshiness to advocate for real change, the wealth of grassroots dance activity remains mostly invisible to audiences.
• The Lowry has clearly experienced a noticeable shift in programming focus from creativity to commerciality in recent years. I believe this is due to the changed post-Tory arts economy and significant changes in personnel within the organisation.
• The Palace Theatre and the Opera House are not producing or artistically-directed theatres, simply vessels for the ATG touring machine (with the exception of major MIF theatre-based shows).
• The Royal Exchange Studio does (very occasionally) programme dance but has no pro-dance programming agenda.
• Contact and Z-Arts both programme dance but both venues have a specific focus - youth, community etc. Both are great venues but neither are truly mainstream and both are effectively off the radar for 'lazy' audiences who might need to walk 20-30 minutes or catch a bus. Often, interesting dance programming doesn't translate to people sitting in the theatre to watch it. 
• In a world where touring is expensive and companies are expected to self-subsidise their activities and split ticket revenues with venues etc., companies are happy to skip Manchester because it doesn't have a sufficiently robust and developed dance audience and there is no venue booker encouraging (or able to encourage for reasons of cost) confidence. 
• There is also an issue with zoning. Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Huddersfield etc. are sufficiently geographically clustered that if tours visit one city they skip the others. Even the major companies will alternate Manchester and Liverpool for different blocks of touring. Companies such as Phoenix Dance Theatre and National Dance Company Wales appear to have 'good relationships' with non-Manchester venues (or poor/non-relationships with Manchester venues) so they rarely visit or have stopped visiting. 

• Aracaladanza Spanish dance company touring the UK in May-June. Visiting Birmingham, Bracknell, Ipswich, Edinburgh, Corby, Nottingham, Peterborough and Sadler's Wells. Not Manchester. 
• Balletboyz (Balletboyz also completely missed Manchester in 2015. This is unusual. Is it significant?) Playing The Atkinson in Southport in Spring 2016. Are they diversifying their touring and giving different regional audiences the opportunity to see them or have they broken from The Lowry? Autumn dates now announced. Still missing/avoiding Manchester/Salford. BalletBoyz return to The Lowry in March 2017. 
• Ballet Central. This postgraduate touring company are not visiting The Lowry in 2016. 
• Best of BE Festival 
• Gary Clarke Company. I have never been lucky enough to see any of Gary Clarke's work (that I'm aware of). His current work COAL is a major new work touring the UK to critical acclaim. Autumn tour dates will be announced soon. Will Manchester/Salford be on the schedule? Although Gary is a proud Yorkshireman, the Manchester area has a now-lost coal mining heritage. Doesn't the city deserve to see this important work? And Autumn dates have now been announced and it's a double winner that smashes some of my programming theories - which is great. COAL will be appearing at the Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield in October and Contact in December.
• Jasmin Vardimon Company new production Pinocchio touring the UK in 2016, but not Manchester. Maybe next wave in 2017?
• Mark Bruce Company (first wave of touring for new show The Odyssey announced. May announce Manchester in subsequent touring. Their previous (award-winning) show Dracula appeared at Contact)
• National Dance Company Wales (not seen in Manchester since 2011)
• Phoenix Dance Theatre. Celebrating their 35th anniversary with a tour that doesn't visit Manchester. Or Liverpool. 
• Richard Alston Dance Company (usually play The Lowry; will be announcing autumn dates soon, so wait and see). Are also playing The Atkinson in Southport [see Balletboyz above]. RADC's Autumn 2016 tour dates have now been announced and do not include Manchester/Salford. RADC return to The Lowry in February 2017. 
• 2Faced Dance Company - toured Dreaming In Code in 2015. Not visiting Manchester in 2016 Spring Tour. 2Faced are toruing a new triple bill in autumn 2016 Run. Not currently scheduled to visit 
• Transitions Dance Company (Trinity Laban touring company)

Image: Good Image Gallery

January

February

The inevitability of the major companies that tour annually endures. Graduate touring companies appear to have fallen away this year in favour of smaller-scale, often obscure, studio and installation-based work. The audience-pleasing reassurance of circus and cirque still seems to give programmers - or the financial controllers behind (or in the way of) programmers - comfort and safety from programming scary new work by new or less well-known companies. The middle tier of dance seems to be increasingly the invisible one.

COAL - Gary Clarke Company

English National Ballet - Giselle

Clod Ensemble - An Anatomie in Four Quarters

Peeping Tom - 32 Rue Vandenbranden

Gecko - Institute

Michael Clarke Company - to a simple rock'n'roll... song

YAMA - Scottish Dance Theatre

National Ballet of China - The Peony Pavilion

Tmesis Theatre - Happy Hour

• Correction - VerTeDance at The Lowry [Quays Theatre] A Czech company under the creative direction of Jiří Havelka. During Correction the dancers remained in a line in the same spot for the duration of the show, but it was a fascinatingly complex piece on the nature of freedom and restriction that built to a thrilling and oddly-moving climax.  
• Macbeth at HOME Yes, Shakespeare's Macbeth with the addition of choreography by Lucy Guerin. Very stylish. 
• Folk - National Dance Company Wales at the Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield A pleasing and varied triple bill from a strong company that don't seem to be able to get a foothold in Manchester. 
• NDT2 at The Lowry [Lyric Theatre] A very mixed programme of diminishing returns from a company blessed with outstanding dancers. If Alexander Ekman's closer Cacti had been less frustrating they would probably be featured in the list above. I was struck at the time by the quality of this company. 
• Give Me A Reason To Live - Claire Cunningham at The Lowry [Aldridge Studio] Beautiful, challenging and unexpectedly unsettling from a unique performer. 
• My Father Was A Terrorist - Igor Vrebac at Contact Not to everyone's taste, not even a dance show as such, but I loved this endurance piece by the charismatic Mr Vrebac. 
• Swan Lake - Scottish Ballet at the Liverpool Empire Clean, stylish but emotionally-effective, slightly-stripped back re-imagining by David Dawson of the greatest classical ballet. 
• A Room For All Our Tomorrow's - Igor and Moreno at The Lowry [Aldridge Studio] Another charming but challenging show from this likeable couple. 
• Shakespeare Triple Bill - Birmingham Royal Ballet at The Lowry [Lyric Theatre] Jessica Lang's contemporary work Wink failed to entirely convince but José Limón's 1948 The Moor's Pavane looked remarkably fresh and clever and Frederick Ashton's The Dream was a delight. 
• Soul's Paths - Matrafisc Dance Company at The Wonder Inn Promising first showing of an ambitious promenade work from a new Manchester-based company. 
• Disappearing Acts - Flexer & Sandiland at The Lowry [Compass Room] A slow burner in the round for a small audience that ultimately delivered a satisfying and involving experience. 
• Turn 2016 at Contact Having missed this two-night festival of new dance for a couple of years it was good to see such a strong programme from local dance artists in 2016.