We do have modern edgy ballets in Britain - created in Birmingham

But, hang on, has the top critic of a national newspaper not seen David Bintley's recent E=mc²? The British choreographer and director of Birmingham Royal Ballet has literally just set off on tour around the UK with one of the most edgy full-length ballets of this year.

Craine does acknowledge works by choreographer Matthew Bourne (his Dorian Gray comes to Birmingham Hippodrome in November). But how could she overlook a leading international ballet company, who have repeatedly turned out new, modern, unique ballets which attract new audiences and don't come up with titles for marketing purposes (E=mc² also doesn't translate easily to keyboard)? Craine thinks 'edgy' is a term reserved for contemporary dance - which is often defined as abstract and difficult to understand by mass audiences.

But I would suggest contemporary can venture too far into the 'edgy' realm - alienating audiences who struggle to understand convoluted meanings and conceptual creations. Take, for example, Vincent Dance Theatre, who showcased their latest works this week at The Patrick Centre. They opened the dance with a manifesto of what their show would not be, starting with the words "No more dancing." What proceeded was a choatic mix of shouting, stumbling movement, disjointed monologues and long pauses of silence - not exactly a great night's entertainment. Blurring of art forms can hit the mark - mixing visual art with physical theatre, acting and dance...but in this case it was decidedly off-mark, making you wish the company had just stuck to dancing.

This, I would say, errs on the wrong side of edgy. But Bintley's latest ballet creation was a mind-blowing - called by one critic "some of the most extreme work the Birmingham Royal Ballet has undertaken to date." Collaborating with Matthew Hindson for music, and Albert Einstein's theory of relativity - the ballet harkens to Diaghilev's "unique" ability to bring together a range of brilliant artists and attract untouched audiences.

If that is not edgy, I don't know what is.

Update 12.11.09 Debra Craine called E=mc² unlike anything she'd seen before in her review when she finally saw the piece.