Edinburgh festival 2024: dance and circus shows to jump into this summer

Grupo Corpo

Vibrancy, musicality and athleticism from Brazilian company Grupo Corpo, founded in 1975, drawing on ballet, contemporary and Afro-Brazilian dance. They bring a double bill of UK premieres to the international festival: Gil Refazendo pays homage to the great musician Gilberto Gil; Gira is inspired by the rituals of the Umbanda religion.
Edinburgh Playhouse, 5-7 August

The Flock and Moving Cloud

A double bill from Dundee’s Scottish Dance Theatre, a strong company who always bring a sense of warmth and generosity to the stage. The Flock by Catalan choreographer Roser López Espinosa is inspired by migrating birds and Moving Cloud by the Italian Sofia Nappi comes with a soundtrack of Scottish folk music.
Zoo Southside, 13-25 August

Related: Edinburgh festival 2024: the best comedy, theatre and dance already reviewed

Lewis Major: Triptych and Lien

Australian choreographer Lewis Major has worked with major names in dance, including Akram Khan, Hofesh Shechter, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Russell Maliphant. He brings two shows: Triptych, a triple bill featuring two UK premieres from Major plus Maliphant’s Two x Three; and Lien, a 10-minute one-on-one performance that’s different every time.
Assembly @ Dance Base, 2-25 August

Limbo

Subtitled “A Sonata for Acrobatic Violinist and Acrobat”, composer Chloé Charody created this as a showcase for the unconventional talents of Sonja Schebeck, who plays violin while in all manner of acrobatic balances with circus artist Josh Frazer. But it’s not a novelty act, instead a searching piece about refugees in limbo.
C Aurora, 5-18 August

Negare

Slip out of reality for half an hour with this atmospheric slice of absurdist dance theatre, performed solo by Italian-Luxembourger choreographer Giovanni Zazzera. A man alone in a room, his body dramatically transforms in front of us through costume and movement, musing on how we see ourselves, and how others see us.
C Arts - C Aquila, 12-25 August

Of the Land on Which We Meet

Powerful and deeply thoughtful contemporary circus from Melbourne’s Na Djinang circus. Of the Land on Which We Meet tackles the question of our connection to land and country with a trio of performers: one an Indigenous Australian, one a descendant of migrants and one a descendant of colonial settlers.
Assembly Checkpoint, 1-25 August

Show Pony

Female circus trio Still Hungry return with a follow-up to 2019’s Raven, their self-deprecating trip through the challenges of being a working mother. This time the three women face middle age head-on and ask if there’s a best-before date on an acrobat’s career. It’s a collab with confessional theatre queen Bryony Kimmings.
Summerhall, 13-26 August

Sushi Tap Show 2024

For when you’ve seen too much mind-bendingly challenging theatre, or had one too many edgy fringe experiences, and you just need to be entertained. This Tokyo troupe rolls out a variety show full of fun and silliness, with added tap dancing. Expect juggling, dance, physical comedy and infectious glee.
Greenside @ George Street - Forest Theatre, 2-24 August

Taiwan Season: Palingenesis

The annual Taiwan Season always brings a surprising range of contemporary dance, and this year’s pieces range from imaginative kids’ shows to a dance about mobile phone addiction. This one, Palingenesis, is a trio for masked dancers embodying the idea of regeneration through their lithe, near-naked, endlessly shape-shifting bodies.
Assembly @ Dance Base, 2-25 August

This Is Not Romeo and Juliet

Exploring love in times of war in Europe, Danish company Granhøj Dans reveal couples at different stages of life: the tenderness and awe of young love, the complexities of long relationships. The dancers are joined on stage by two musicians playing Mancini, Gounod and extracts from Prokofiev’s heartrending Romeo & Juliet score.
Zoo Southside, 13-18 August