The two-week dance taster festival Sadler’s Sampled promises a feast of world-class dance, and a tantalising series of workshops and foyer activities, from 17 to 29 June 2014.
The festival gives audiences a chance to experience the broad range of dance presented at Sadler’s Wells at affordable prices, with standing tickets available for just £8.
Opening the festival is 29-year-old South African dancer and choreographer Dada Masilo with the UK première of her interpretation of Swan Lake (17 and 18 June).
Re-imagining Swan Lake through a South African eye, Masilo’s company of 13 dancers tackle issues of sex, gender and homophobia in a country confronting the impact of AIDS on its people.
Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre returns to Sadler’s Wells with Rian (20 and 21 June), a celebration of Ireland’s roots and traditions performed by a cast of eight dancers and five musicians, which received a Bessie award for Outstanding Production in 2013.
Choreographer and founding director of Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre Michael Keegan-Dolan is a Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist, and has established a reputation for his innovative approach to theatre. In Rian he collaborates with Liam Ó Maonlaí of Hothouse Flowers, drawing inspiration from Ó Maonlaí’s 2005 solo album Rian, which means ‘mark’ or ‘trace’ in Gaelic.
Fellow Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui presents 4D (23 and 24 June), a programme of four duets that have existed within his catalogue of work, revised and evolved to realise their potential as freestanding pieces.
Matter began as a pivotal sequence in Origine from 2008; Pure was commissioned by the Flemish dance festival Dans and and featured in the Sadler’s Wells commission TeZukA; Sin grew out of Cherkaoui’s 2010 piece Babel(words), which was choreographed in partnership with Damien Jalet; Faun was originally commissioned by Sadler’s Wells as part of the centennial celebration of Sergei Diaghilev: In the Spirit of Diaghilev.
4D also includes the film Valtari, devised by Cherkaoui with director Christian Larson for the Icelandic rock band Sigur Rós.
Playlist closes the festival with a weekend featuring a range of extracts from pieces by leading choreographers, along with workshops and activities throughout the building, on 28 and 29 June.
The programme for Playlist includes Jasmin Vardimon Company with an extract from their repertoire; tango duets performed by German Cornejo and Gisela Galeassi, who have appeared in milonga and Tango Fire at Sadler’s Wells; Birmingham Royal Ballet with a duet from Don Quixote performed by Tyrone Singleton and Celine Gittens; the National Youth Dance Company (NYDC), based at Sadler’s Wells and under the direction of current guest Artistic Director Akram Khan, performing The Rashomon Effect and Vertical Road; Sinnerman by Norwegian choreographer Alan Lucien Øyen, danced by Daniel Proietto; and ZooNation Dance Company performing extracts from the company’s latest production.
Workshops taking place during Playlist include a contemporary dance workshop with dancers from Wayne McGregor | Random Dance; an Afro House workshop lead by Uchenna Dance; a Jamaican Dancehall class with Cindy Claes; flamenco with Lucia Caruso; hip hop with ZooNation; physical theatre with Jasmin Vardimon Company; and ballet with English National Ballet and BalletBoyz.
Front of house events during Sadler’s Sampled include Vera Tussing’s Sound Bed, a participatory sound and movement installation, and dancer and choreographer Tim Casson’s The Dance WE Made, with audience members creating a new dance piece together.
Please note: workshops are £2 per person and tickets are available to ticket holders of any performances in the Sadler’s Sampled season. Workshops are for participants over 18 only, and can be booked over the phone.