The Dance 2020 season is coming to BBC Four this week

It’s easy to think the dancing has stopped. Houses are dark, some of our favourite shows are cancelled, and studios are closed, and there is a real anxiety about how and when things will return to normal for Britain’s dance fans. As a commissioning editor for BBC Arts I’ve been looking closely at how this pandemic has impacted on dance, which is such an important part of our cultural landscape.

And the good news is that despite this incredibly difficult time, I’ve been amazed by the myriad ways this sector has responded and adapted to ensure people at home can still access - and take part in - the full spectrum of dance. Whether it’s an impromptu disco in the kitchen to a favourite DJ on House Party or signing up with the English National Ballet for their online beginners’ class, dance has given people a chance to forget and have fun during their day.

On BBC Arts, rebranded as Culture In Quarantine, we have already seen the Birmingham Royal Ballet perform The Swan with all of its dancers and musicians in separate locations; Carlos Acosta and friends, taking part in an extraordinary international dance workshop; and the National Dance Centre of Wales holding a class via video conferencing for a global audience. And now it’s time to add to all that activity, with a special season on BBC Four and iPlayer that will give audiences a chance to experience a truly broad range of world class dance performance in their own front room. Most were filmed before lockdown - but some only just! So, for dance fans who miss seeing live performance, as well as people who just love to watch it from the comfort of home – there really is something for everyone.

The season starts on Sunday 24 May, with the incredible Revisor from Crystal Pite and Jonathon Young, based on the Russian play The Government Inspector by Nikola Gogol. Filmed just before lockdown at Sadlers Wells, where it played to 5-star reviews, it’s a hybrid of mime, dance and theatre. Both funny and moving, and crackling with Crystal PIte’s breath-taking choreography throughout, this is the eagerly anticipated follow up from the creators of the award winning Betroffenheit which we were proud to show on BBC Four.

The Danceworks strand will feature four half-hour films which showcase some of the very best talent working across the different genres of dance today. Starting Monday at 7.30pm with Firedance, a new performance from Strictly Come Dancing stars Gorka Marquez and Karen Hauer – and continuing on Tuesday with Sharon Eyal, a fantastic Israeli choreographer who takes her inspiration from the techno dance scene. Wednesday features Ballet Black who opened for Stomzy in Glastonbury, and Thursday features Marĺa Pagés, a force to be reckoned with in the world of Flamenco.

For lovers of classical ballet, I am really excited about Men At The Barre: Inside The Royal Ballet on Wednesday at 9pm - a funny, frank behind-the-scenes observational film about some pretty incredible young men. It lifts the lid on how they fought to be where they are, and now enjoy a huge fan base- and Instagram following- around the world. 

Filmed just before the reality of lockdown became clear is Deluxe - by the BalletBoyz, on Wednesday at 10.30pm and 11pm. Following on from that is Dance on Film: BBC Introducing which is a collection of short films of new dance-makers from around the country.

Finally, Dracula by Northern Ballet, which ends the season on 31 May, is a dazzling production that promises to be a family favourite.

I’m really hoping that when you dip a toe into this season - you will be reminded just how important cultural experiences and creative expressions like these are to us all: a much-needed dose of joy and wonder to keep you going through these dark times, and a reminder that the dance we all love will be back soon.

And finally, to catch up on Culture In Quarantine content, visit bbc.co.uk/arts - a virtual treasure trove of arts films, Masterclass videos and festivals, including online book festival The Big Book Weekend, and WOWxBBC, the first ever online Women Of The World Festival. Newly available in our online Masterclasses series are videos from Es Devlin, an award-winning artist and stage designer who creates a brand new work using only paper and scissors, and artist Rana Begum, who combines colour, light and shape to make minimalist abstract works, showing us how she uses watercolours to get through lockdown isolation.