Sadler’s Wells Creative Learning department is teaming up with West Ham United Foundation for a community dance production inspired by football, which will receive its world première at Sadler’s Wells on Saturday 24 September 2016.
Home Turf will include a team of more than 100 professional and non-professional dancers, including Foundation participants, Company of Elders and alumni of the National Youth Dance Company and will be created by an international team of artists including choreographers Pascal Merighi, Neil Fleming Brown, Michela Meazza, Lee Griffiths and composer Murray Gold.
Joe Lyons, West Ham United Foundation Chief Executive, said, “this is another fantastic opportunity for the Foundation to work alongside partners and use football as a way to engage people in activities that they may not usually get involved with."
Alistair Spalding, Sadler’s Wells Artistic Director and Chief Executive, said, “Bringing members of our community into the work we present breathes life into the theatre, contributing to our ongoing exploration of what performance is and helping us develop new audiences for dance.
"West Ham United will be among our close neighbours once we open Sadler’s Wells’ new mid-scale theatre in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in 2021, and I hope this will be the first in a series of exciting collaborations between us.”
Jane Hackett, Director of Creative Learning at Sadler’s Wells, added, “both Sadler’s Wells Learning Department and West Ham United Foundation have long track records of excellent community work. We are delighted to be sharing our expertise and be working together on this life-affirming project.”