The Nutcracker
There are four very different versions of the Christmas crowd-pleaser this year. The Royal Ballet stays ultratraditional, as does Russian National Ballet, while English National Ballet has a new production with designs by Gerald Scarfe. Dance radicals should seek out Matthew Bourne at Sadler's Wells, who flips the cosy family setting into a modern-day orphanage.
Royal Ballet: Fri 20 Dec-Fri 10 Jan, Royal Opera House, Bow Street, WC2 (020-7304 4000).
Russian National Ballet: Sun 22-Tue 24 Dec, Fairfield Halls, Park Lane, Croydon, Surrey (020-8688 9291).
English National Ballet: Tue 3 Dec-Sat 4 Jan, Coliseum, St Martin's Lane, WC2 (020-7632 8300).
Nutcracker!: Wed 20 Nov-Sat 25 Jan, Sadler's Wells, Rosebery Avenue, EC1 (020-7863 8000).
Swan Lake
Compared to The Nutcracker, there's less choice with Swan Lake. Three companies (the Royal Ballet, St Petersburg Ballet, Russian National Ballet) perform the popular tear-jerker, but they all play it straight.
Royal Ballet: Mon 18 Nov-Tue 17 Dec, as before.
St Petersburg Ballet: Thur 26 Dec, Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, SW7 (020-7589 8212).
Russian National Ballet: Thur 26-Sun 29 Dec, Fairfield Halls, as before.
The Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella
As well as The Nutcracker and Swan Lake, the hardworking Russian National Ballet also performs The Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. Expect the traditional treatment. The Sleeping Beauty, Mon 30 & Tue 31 Dec, Cinderella, Thur 19-Sat 21 Dec, Fairfield Halls, as before.
A Christmas Carol
Dickens goes dancing with Northern Ballet Theatre, whose version of the seasonal morality tale will suit traditionalists everywhere.
Northern Ballet Theatre: Tue 3-Sat 7 Dec, Wimbledon Theatre, 93 The Broadway, SW19 (020-8540 0362).
The Snowman
Less a ballet than a musical with dancing, Raymond Briggs's The Snowman remains everpopular with families and young children. All together now: 'We're walking in the air...'
Wed 11 Dec-Sun 12 Jan, The Peacock Theatre, Portugal Street, WC2 (020-7863 8222).
