Dance fans will want to make a date for Chester’s Storyhouse with a series of exciting shows being staged as part of the £37m arts venue’s inaugural autumn season.

Storyhouse has drawn together a rich programme of dance works which will visit the city’s hugely popular new venue over the next few months.

Dance aficionados won’t want to miss Cockfight by The Farm, presented by Performing Lines and NORPA (Australia) and Dance Touring Partnership.

Two blokes in an office. One older, one younger, each body pushed to its limits. A cross between The Office and an Australian style cage-fight, this game of comical one-upmanship builds to a moment of impact where everything is suspended.

Dance fans will want to make a date with Storyhouse this Autumn

A flash of bared teeth, the desperation of needing to prove yourself versus the need to hold on to what you’ve got, Cockfight explores the power play between men, the frailty of the ageing body, and questions culture’s desperate desire for achievement.

Alongside Cockfight, dance lovers will want to make a date for October 18 when hit show Tangomotion, featuring world-class tango dancers and live music from the quartet Tango Siempre, appears on the main stage.

From virtuoso displays of traditional tango dance in stunning costumes to the passionate tango music of 1930s Buenos Aires and the powerful nuevo tango of Astor Piazzolla, Tangomotion is a breathtaking journey into the heart of Tango Argentino.

Later that month, on October 30, the acclaimed all male dance company BalletBoyz performs its new work Fourteen Days at Chester as part of a UK tour and following five dates at London’s Sadlers Wells.

Choreographers Javier de Frutos, Craig Revel Horwood, Ivan Perez and Christopher Wheeldon have teamed up with composers Scott Walker, Charlotte Harding, Joby Talbot and Keaton Henson to create this piece.

Looking ahead to the new year, Motionhouse presents Charge, an incredible new multi-media show about energy.

From the electrical charge that sparks human life, to the beating of our heart and the memories we make, six performers use dance and acrobatics to delve deep into the human body, tracing the incredible story of energy in our lives.

Dance fans will want to make a date with Storyhouse this Autumn

Meanwhile Saint Petersburg Classical Ballet is making its Storyhouse debut with dance favourites Swan Lake and Giselle.

Combining classical training and technique with the best-loved Russian ballets, Saint Petersburg Classic Ballet’s performances have an air of magic, complemented by a full orchestra and outstanding soloists.

And spring 2018 also sees the arrival of Brendan Cole, one of the few Strictly Come Dancing professionals who has appeared on the hit BBC show since it started.

He brings his latest live stage show All Night Long to entertain Chester audiences.

Brendan is joined by a sensational cast of guest dancers and talented 14-piece band and singers to whip up an extravagant mix of Latin fever and ballroom magic.

Storyhouse artistic director Alex Clifton said: “Our season combines some extraordinary dance companies and choreographers that we can’t wait to welcome to Storyhouse.

“We have a programme that offers incredible music scores, high energy, truly exceptional levels of technique and skill, and of course powerful stories.”

Visit www.storyhouse.com for details.