Choice: The Critics

DANCE

The Kirov returns after two years for a five-week season. They begin on Monday with La Bayadere, the mildly spiced tale of a temple dancer and her faithless warrior. In addition to pyrotechnic virtuosity, the ballet also celebrates the perfection of the company's extraordinary corps de ballet. The first-night cast features Julia Makhalina, Irina Shapchitz and Farouk (fan letter-writers should note the new preferred spelling) Ruzimatov. London Coliseum

The Royal Swedish Ballet finishes its run at the Coliseum today with Rudolf Nureyev's intelligent production of Don Quixote. What the company may lack in virtuosity it makes up for in a beguiling mixture of discipline and enthusiasm. London Coliseum

New Danish Dance Theatre is at the Cheltenham Festival today carrying on where Meryl Streep left off in Warren Spears's Out of Africa. Everyman Theatre.