A Sadler’s Wells co-production
Russell Maliphant Company
Conceal | Reveal
World premiere and tour
Friday 2 October - Saturday 28 November 2015
Sadler’s Wells presents the world premiere and tour of Conceal | Reveal from Friday 2 October
to Saturday 28 November 2015, a celebration of the 20th anniversary of one of the most prolific
and highly acclaimed artistic collaborations, between contemporary dance choreographer Russell
Maliphant and lighting designer Michael Hulls. This Sadler’s Wells and Russell Maliphant
Company co-production, which tours across the UK and internationally, honours the unique and
unparalleled language between light and movement that these two award-winning Sadler’s Wells
Associate Artists have developed over the past two decades.
To mark the occasion and celebrate this extraordinary relationship, Russell Maliphant Company
presents both new and classic work, including the iconic trio Broken Fall, performed by Carys
Staton, Adam Kirkham and Nathan Young and accompanied by music from Barry Adamson.
The piece was originally performed in 2003 by Sylvie Guillem and the BalletBoyz, Michael Nunn
and William Trevitt, and was awarded an Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production in 2004.
The evening also sees the return to dance of former Royal Ballet dancer Dana Fouras, after over
10 years, who performs a new solo created specially for the occasion by Maliphant. Some of
Maliphant’s most famous works, Sheer and Two, have been created for Fouras, who has worked
with him on numerous dance works for stage, film and television. The new solo piece features a
commissioned score by cutting edge composer Mukul and costume by iconic fashion designer
Stevie Stewart.
The other new creation performed in the programme is a quintet for the new line-up of Maliphant’s
company of outstanding dancers. The piece sees Maliphant’s continued fascination with the bridge
between classical and contemporary movement, exploring how the dynamic architecture of light
informs the performers’ physical language and feeds their relationship with the rhythmic, energetic
and emotional elements of music.
Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Russell Maliphant said: “Movement and articulation for me have
a logic related to flow, gravity, dynamics, line, form, rhythm and space. These elements can be
seen not only to relate to the body but also to the shape, form, direction and intensity of light.” He
continued: “Michael and I both share an interest in sculpture and the way light and movement
interact and we follow this in our work together – whether this means dealing with the frame implied
by a light, the intensity of brightness, the direction of movement in a transition or the rhythmic
interplay of the elements.”
Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Michael Hulls said: “Over our twenty years of collaboration
Russell and I have put lighting at the forefront of the process of creating dance. No matter what
the production, our aim has always been to combine the choreography of the body and the
choreography of light to create a symbiotic whole in which both those elements can reach their full
potential.”
Sadler’s Wells Artistic Director and Chief Executive Alistair Spalding said: “With this
production we are honouring not just two of our Associate Artists, but the outstanding artistic
achievements made between them collaboratively. Russell and Michael share a passion for and
dedication to innovative dance making and their extraordinary partnership has created some of the
most memorable performances in dance over the last 20 years. This is a fitting tribute to their
combined vision that has won such acclaim among UK audiences and all over the world.”
Russell Maliphant is one of the longest standing Associate Artists of Sadler’s Wells. During his
hugely successful career he has received many of the highest theatrical accolades including an
Olivier Award, two South Bank Show Awards and three Critics' Circle Awards. Similarly, Michael
Hulls has won several awards including an Olivier for Outstanding Achievement in Dance in 2014
and a Knight of Illumination Award.
Conceal | Reveal is co-produced by Sadler’s Wells and Russell Maliphant Company and
supported by Arts Council England, and co-commissioned by DanceEast, The Lowry Salford
Quays and The Point Eastleigh. The Monument Trust supports co-productions and new
commissions at Sadler's Wells.
TOUR DATES
2-3 October – DanceEast, Ipswich, UK
6-7 October – Roma Europa, Rome, Italy
15-16 October – The Point, Eastleigh, UK
22 October – The Lowry, Salford Quays, UK
3 November – Wyvern Theatre, Swindon, UK
10 November – Lakeside, Nottingham, UK
13 November – Northcott, Exeter, UK
17 November – Weston Auditorium, University of Hertfordshire, UK
20 November – The Lighthouse, Poole, UK
26-28 November – Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London, UK
Press night: Thursday 26 November at 7.30pm, Sadler’s Wells
Press contact: Agnish Ray on 020 7863 8114 or agnish.ray@sadlerswells.com
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Sadler’s Wells
Sadler's Wells is a world leader in contemporary dance, committed to producing, commissioning and
presenting new works and to bringing the very best international and UK dance to London and
worldwide audiences. Under the Artistic Directorship of Alistair Spalding the theatre’s acclaimed yearround programme spans dance of every kind, from contemporary to flamenco, Bollywood to ballet, salsa
to street dance and tango to tap. Since 2005 it has helped to bring over 90 new dance works to the
stage and its international award-winning commissions and collaborative productions regularly tour the
world. Sadler’s Wells supports 16 appointed world class Associate Artists, three Resident Companies
and an Associate Company and nurtures the next generation of talent through hosting the National
Youth Dance Company, its Summer University programme, its Wild Card initiative and its New Wave
Associates.
Located in Islington in north London, the current theatre is the sixth to have stood on the site since it
was first built by Richard Sadler in 1683. The venue has played an illustrious role in the history of theatre
ever since, with The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and English National Opera all having
started at Sadler’s Wells.
Sadler’s Wells is an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation and currently receives approximately
9% of its revenue from Arts Council England.
Russell Maliphant
Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Russell Maliphant trained at the Royal Ballet School and graduated into
Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet Company before leaving to pursue a career in independent dance. As a
dancer he worked with companies such as DV8 Physical Theatre, Michael Clark & Company, Laurie
Booth and Rosemary Butcher and also studied anatomy, physiology and bio-mechanics. He became
certified as a practitioner of the Rolfing Method of Structural Integration in 1994 and this has
subsequently informed both his teaching and choreographic work.
He created his first solo in 1992 and formed the Russell Maliphant Company in 1996 which has sought
to integrate and explore elements from a diverse range of body practices and techniques, including
classical ballet, contact improvisation, yoga, capoeira, tai chi & chi gung. He has collaborated closely
with the lighting designer Michael Hulls, and in addition to working with his own company of dancers,
has set works on renowned companies and artists including: Sylvie Guillem, Robert Lepage, The Ballet
Boyz, Lyon Opera Ballet, Ricochet Dance Company, CobosMika, The Batsheva Ensemble, and Ballet
de Lorraine.
He has been the recipient of several awards including two Olivier Awards for, a Critics Circle National
Dance Award for Best Choreography (Modern) and a South Bank Show Award.
Michael Hulls
Michael trained in dance and theatre at Dartington College and in 1992 was awarded a bursary by the
Arts Council to attend dance lighting workshops with Jennifer Tipton in New York.
Over the last 20 years Michael has worked exclusively in dance, particularly with choreographer Russell
Maliphant, and established a reputation as a “choreographer of light”. Their collaborations have won
international critical acclaim and many awards: Sheer won a Time Out Award for Outstanding
Collaboration, Choice won a South Bank Show Dance Award, PUSH, with Sylvie Guillem, won four
major awards including the Olivier for Best New Dance Production and Afterlight won two Critics Circle
awards.
In 2009, Michael became an Associate Artist of Sadler’s Wells, the first non-choreographer to do so. In
2010, his contribution to dance was recognised with his entry into the Oxford Dictionary of Dance, where
he joins Jean Rosenthal, Jennifer Tipton and John B Read as only the fourth lighting designer to be
given an entry. Michael was nominated for the 2012 Theatre Managers Association award for
Outstanding Achievement in Dance for his “brilliant contribution to lighting for dance; in particular for
DESH, Torsion and The Rodin Project”. In 2014 Michael received the Olivier Award for Outstanding
Achievement in Dance.
Dana Fouras
Dana Fouras trained as a classical dancer in Australia and at The Royal Ballet School. She won Adeline
Genée Silver medals in 1984 & 1985 and Prix de Lausanne medal in 1986. On joining The Royal Ballet
in 1988 she created the role of Lead Girl in Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Soirée Musical and danced roles
such as Juliet in MacMillan’s Romeo & Juliet, Solo Swan in Swan Lake, Requiem and My Brother My
Sisters and created leading roles with choreographers Page, Bintley & Tuckett.
In 1994 she left the Royal Ballet to pursue a career in independent dance, touring with Irek
Mukhamedov, Jonathon Burrows and Russell Maliphant. Works with Russell include the duet Sheer,
which won a Time Out Live Award in 2001 and the solo Two. Dana has worked closely with Russell on
numerous dance works, film for dance and commercial projects as researcher and collaborative
assistant since 1998.
Mukul
Mukul is co-director of ambientspace, an artist-run studio in London that produces critical, intermedia
work, often involving public participation. He plays predominantly with sound, language, and processes;
past projects include an audio-visual performance based on the preparation of food, and a (playable)
harp with strings of razor wire. As sound artist, he composes for experimental film (Manu Luksch, Isaac
Julien) and dance (Shobana Jeyasingh, BalletBoyz). His writing ranges from film scripts (FACELESS,
voiced by Tilda Swinton) to nonfiction in the realms of art, mathematics and technology – including
books for children. Influences: the music of North India, early electronic music, Oulipo. Mukul has
collaborated on 5 projects with Russell including a commission for Lyon Opera Ballet (2004) and for
Bayerische Staatsballett (2014).
Stevie Stewart
Formally one half of the innovative and influential fashion design label BodyMap, Stevie now works with
top creative names in fashion, music, film and advertising as a costume, set and production designer
and fashion stylist.
In the dance world, she began collaborating with Michael Clark in 1984, creating memorable costumes
for many of his productions. She has also costumed Rambert Dance Company and Jean Abreau. She
has had previous collaborations with Russell Maliphant Company and worked with him on Afterlight and
Still Current.
Other theatrical collaborations include: costume design for Jan-Willem van den Bosch’s Mother
Courage and her Children (Graeae Theatre Company) and costume designs for The Importance of
Being Earnest directed by David Fielding (Bristol Old Vic). Film credits include: production and costume
designer for Jan Dunn’s Ruby Blue, costume designer for Baillie Walsh’s Flashbacks of a Fool starring
Daniel Craig and costume and production design for Jan Dunn’s The Calling.
Stevie has also designed costumes for several international music tours including Kylie Minogue’s
KYLIEX2008, Show Girl and Homecoming and most recently her Aphrodite tour. Stevie worked on
William Baker’s The Hurly Burly Show as costume and set designer.