Who has the knowledge required to tell you, the public, what you should go and see?

I thought about it tonight as I watched a dance collaboration between the former Turner Prize nominee Isaac Julien and the choreographer Russell Maliphant at Sadler’s Wells.

Most of the critics I spotted were, understandably, dance reviewers. There was the occasional art critic as was right. The chance to watch Julien’s films in such a forum was to be relished.

But it’s interesting. As an arts correspondent, I try hard to have a working knowledge of all the arts I cover – across film, theatre, visual arts, dance, music, books, heritage, cultural policy (it’s late and I’m sure I’ve forgotten something).  But I also know what I don't know as well as what I do.

But, oddly, that isn't a talent valued by the world at large. I always know who will be reviewing on shows such as Newsnight Review because many of its reviewers I see only at the specific events they have been asked to cover. Few people are genuinely informed and entertaining across the (arts) board.

There are genres where I might just take a shot at reviewing. Theatre, perhaps. Visual arts or books, possibly. Experience makes me think I would not be a disaster but there are others, I know, who would be better.

But it raises an interesting point about the increasing number of cross-genre artistic collaborations. Is it right to send a dance critic to an event where, like tonight, there is no live performance, simply (fantastic) film incorporating dance for the first half hour? It is an issue because in Julien/Maliphant's  Cast No Shadow, the visuals are as intrinsic as the movement.

I am certainly not questioning any dance critic’s credentials. And many are, I’m sure, at least as adept as I at crossing boundaries. But whether Mr Maliphant and Mr Julien will emerge from the process with the appropriate amount of informed analysis in reviews in the next few days, I will be curious to see.

ends