London 2012 opening ceremony: The dance critic's view

Zoe Anderson

From the frantic infected of 28 Days Later to Frankenstein, Danny Boyle knows how to tell stories with body language.

Given a cast of thousands he uses them to drive the revolutions of his bonkers vision of Britain, but also to provide human scale. Mime gestures help to drive the Industrial Revolution, nurses and patients jig and jitterbug. There's a sense of community to Boyle's clubbers, even as they form peace signs or smiley faces. The spectacle is huge, but personal, too.