Royal Opera House; Sadler’s Wells, London
Pam Tanowitz’s witty subversion of classical dance is the highlight of a richly varied Royal Ballet mixed bill, while BRB’s moon-based fare feels a little more earthbound

Take four ballets, two made by female choreographers and two by Black male choreographers; add two conductors, one male, one female, and four living composers, including a woman who plays strings for Brian Eno. Sometimes a recipe that looks enticing on paper fulfils its promise – and Encounters, which has all of these ingredients, makes for a tangy, thrilling evening of dance.

Different viewpoints offer different feelings, different thought patterns. The sensation of the night was Or Forevermore by the American Pam Tanowitz, which brought a cheeky wit and virtuosic cleverness to steps that matched the blasting brass and sudden shocks of Ted Hearne’s bracing score.