Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Akram Khan announced as next Guest Artistic
Director of the National Youth Dance Company (NYDC)
Following the success of the National Youth Dance Company’s sold-out debut
performance of (in between) by the company’s first guest artistic director Jasmin
Vardimon, NYDC starts its search for the next round of 30 company members who
will work with Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Akram Khan, the next guest artistic
director of the company.
Akram Khan is one of the most celebrated and respected dance artists today. In just
over a decade he has created a body of work that has contributed significantly to the
cultural arts in the UK and abroad. His reputation has been built on the success of
imaginative, highly accessible and relevant productions such as DESH, Vertical
Road, Gnosis and zero degrees. Khan will create new work to be performed by the
company in 2014.
Award-winning dancer and choreographer Akram Khan says: “I thoroughly enjoy
working with young people who have passion and ambition so I am really looking
forward to being the next guest artistic director for the National Youth Dance
Company. The positive role of the arts in our society is fundamental in providing
young people with the skills they need to succeed in any walk of life. Having dance
recognised by the setting up of this company is a real achievement for the industry as
it presents a fantastic opportunity to nurture the next generation of artists and inspire
a host of young people to get involved. I’m honoured to be involved in this project.”
The next round of NYDC members will be recruited from workshops taking place
across England. The company, based at the UK’s leading dance house Sadler’s
Wells, is seeking the brightest young dance talent from across England. Those
chosen will have a chance to work with a range of inspirational teachers and
choreographers to learn, create and perform original work, drawing on a number of
dance techniques including contemporary, hip hop, ballet and south Asian dance.
NYDC is seeking dancers aged 16-18 who are passionate about dance, with
experience in any dance style and who simply love to perform. The first step for
those who would like to join is to attend an Experience Workshop at one of a number
of locations around the UK. The workshops are free to attend, but places must be
reserved by emailing NYDC@sadlerswells.com
The workshop days will include teaching on technique and creative elements, as well
as an information session about safe practice in the studio, potential careers in dance
and NYDC.
Jasmin Vardimon says of being NYDC’s first guest artistic director: “NYDC is a
particularly diverse company with dancers who come from a wide range of training
backgrounds. It was my task as their first guest artistic director to create a company
from this group of talented individuals and it was an exciting process to lead them
through.
This young group have fresh energy, enthusiasm and the capacity to soak up
information very fast and I'm very proud of the level they have achieved in such a
short amount of time. I'm glad that they will be working with Akram next year, which
no doubt will be a wonderful experience and an opportunity for them to develop the
skills they've gained this year and grow further as all-round performers."
NYDC tours the UK with Jasmin Vardimon’s (in between) this summer, full details
below.
For more information or to arrange interviews please contact Elin Morgan on 020
7863 8119 or elin.morgan@sadlerswells.com OR Rob James on 0207 863 8114 or
rob.james@sadlerswells.com
To arrange interviews with Akram Khan please contact Jack Hickmott on 020
7221 7883 or jack.hickmott@kallaway.com
(in between) Tour Dates
28 & 29 June 2013
30 June 2013
20 July 2013
27 July 2013
Sadler’s Wells, London (as part of Sampled)
JV Production Space, Ashford
West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds (as part of UDance)
Bristol Harbour Festival
For further information please see: www.sadlerswells.com/nydc
NYDC Experience Workshops
29 June 2013
30 June 2013
14 July 2013
20 July 2013
21 July 2013
24 July 2013
25 July 2013
26 July 2013
27 July 2013
28 July 2013
31 August 2013
1 September 2013
Sadler’s Wells, London
JV Production Space, Ashford
Dance East, Ipswich
Northern Ballet, Leeds
The Lowry, Salford
Dance City, Newcastle
Dance4, Nottingham
Life Centre (Plymouth Dance), Plymouth
Station Centre, Bristol
DanceXchange, Birmingham
Sadler’s Wells, London
FINAL SELECTION Sadler’s Wells, London
Notes to Editors
The National Youth Dance Company is funded jointly by Arts Council England and
the Department for Education, from the National Lottery and Grant in Aid funds.
About Akram Khan:
Akram Khan is one of the most celebrated and respected dance artists today. In just
over a decade he has created a body of work that has contributed significantly to the
cultural arts in the UK and abroad. His reputation has been built on the success of
imaginative, highly accessible and relevant productions such as DESH, Vertical
Road, Gnosis and zero degrees.
An instinctive and natural collaborator, Khan has been a magnet to world-class artists
from other cultures and disciplines. His previous collaborators include the National
Ballet of China, actress Juliette Binoche, ballerina Sylvie Guillem,
choreographer/dancer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, singer Kylie Minogue, visual artists
Anish Kapoor, Antony Gormley and Tim Yip, writer Hanif Kureishi and composers
Steve Reich, Nitin Sawhney and Jocelyn Pook.
Khan’s work is recognised as being profoundly moving, in which his intelligently
crafted storytelling is effortlessly intimate and epic. Described by the Financial Times
as an artist "who speaks tremendously of tremendous things", a recent highlight of
his career was the creation of a section of the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening
Ceremony that was received with unanimous acclaim.
Khan has been the recipient of numerous awards throughout his career including the
Laurence Olivier Award, the prestigious ISPA (International Society for the
Performing Arts) Distinguished Artist Award, the South Bank Sky Arts Award and two
Critics' Circle National Dance Awards. Khan was awarded an MBE for services to
dance in 2005. He is also an Honorary Graduate of Roehampton and De Montfort
Universities, and an Honorary Fellow of Trinity Laban.
Khan is an Associate Artist of MC2: Grenoble and Sadler’s Wells, London in a
special international co-operation.
About Arts Council England
Arts Council England champions, develops and invests in artistic and cultural
experiences that enrich people’s lives. ACE support a range of activities across the arts,
museums and libraries – from theatre to digital art, reading to dance, music to literature,
and crafts to collections. Great art and culture inspires us, brings us together and teaches
us about ourselves and the world around us. In short, it makes life better. Between 2011
and 2015, we will invest £1.4 billion of public money from government and an estimated
£1 billion from the National Lottery to help create these experiences for as many people
as possible across the country. www.artscouncil.org.uk