Sadler’s Wells will welcome audiences back from 17 May with seven productions scheduled up to the start of September 2021, with new shows, in addition to the previously announced Singin’ in the Rain, from English National Ballet, Alexander Whitley, Rambert, Northern Ballet, Sadler’s Wells Breakin’ Convention and National Youth Dance Company.
English National Ballet will present Reunion, five works by renowned choreographers and rising talents, originally released as films as part of ENB’s Digital Season in late 2020 but now performed live on stage for the first time 17–30 May.
Alexander Whitley Dance Company's Overflow (21–22 May) was created before the pandemic now has its London première. It considers how our desires, fantasies and vulnerabilities are influenced by social platforms, exploring what lurks beneath our compulsions to check, share and like and features a kinetic light sculpture, created by Children of the Light, costumes and 3D printed masks designed by fashion artist Ana Rajcevic inspired by facial recognition technology and music producer Rival Consoles’s score incorporating samples from digital platforms and devices.
Rambert's Draw From Within (2–5 June) began in 2020 as a live digital broadcast but has now been reworked for stage. Choreographed by Wim Vandekeybus, it takes inspiration from current times where we seek physical interaction.
Northern Ballet's Dangerous Liaisons and Contemporary Cuts 2021 (8–12 June), choreographed by David Nixon, sets its story of sexual power, cruelty and deceit to Vivaldi’s "The Four Seasons", played live by Northern Ballet Sinfonia. Contemporary Cuts is a series of excerpts including Kenneth Tindall’s new work States of Mind, Amaury Lebrun’s For An Instant and Little Monsters by Demis Volpi set to music by Elvis Presley, plus excerpts from Jonathan Watkins’s 1984 and Cathy Marston’s Jane Eyre.
Hip hop dance festival Breakin’ Convention 2021 (1–4 July) returns for its 18th year with two programmes. Breakin’ Convention Presents Cie Niya is on Thursday and Friday, with Gueules Noire, in which choreographer Rachid Hedli pays a tribute to the migrant workers of the The Nord-Pas de Calais Mining Basin, including his father. Saturday and Sunday feature performances from world champion b-boy crews alongside street dance companies.
National Youth Dance Company will perform Alesandra Seutin's Speak Volumes (24 July), in which the company's 29 young dancers explore the relationship between movement, voice and music in a new contemporary work.
In Jonathan Church's production of Singin' in the Rain, a hit at Chichester Festival Theatre and in the West End (30 July–5 September ), Adam Cooper reprises the role made famous by Gene Kelly with Andrew Wright’s choreography and Simon Higlett’s set design, featuring the MGM score including "Good Morning", "Make ‘em Laugh", "Moses Supposes" and the title song.
These first post-lockdown productions will have social distancing measures in place. Singin’ in the Rain is on sale without social distancing, following the UK Government’s roadmap.
Tickets are on public sale from Thursday 8 April and to members from Tuesday 6 April.