Press Release: Sadler's Wells Summer Festival programme

[Jan McNulty]

SADLER’S WELLS SUMMER FESTIVALS PROGRAMME

Sadler’s Wells, the UK’s leading dance house, returns to the Waterfront Stage at Latitude Festival for a ninth year to present a diverse programme of world-class dance in all its forms, Thursday 14 – Sunday 17 July 2016. Since 2008 Sadler’s Wells has presented dance to audiences in excess of 58,000 people across the years.

 

This year’s highlight is an excerpt from !Vamos Cuba! (Let’s Go Cuba!). Choreographed by Nilda Guerra, !Vamos Cuba! is a spectacular new Sadler’s Wells Production created by the team behind the smash-hit dance show Havana Rakatan, which has been seen by more than 200,000 people worldwide and has enjoyed six seasons at The Peacock, Sadler’s Wells’ West End venue.

Set in the chaos of Havana airport, where families are parted, lovers reunited and time flies when you’re having fun, !Vamos Cuba! evokes the joys and vibrancy of Cuban life with all the passion and humour that embodies the Cuban spirit. 

Nilda Guerra began her professional career in 1993 as a dancer at Havana’s Teatro Lírico. In 2001 she founded Ballet Rakatan, one of Cuba’s most prestigious dance companies, performing on world renowned stages including Sydney Opera House, New York City Center, Le Carre Theatre, Tokyo City Hall and Oslo Opera House among others.

The high-energy production includes salsa, mambo, rumba, cha-cha-cha and reggaeton. Performed to music by bandleader Julito Padron, widely recognized in Havana as one of the most promising jazz musicians coming out of Cuba, he is a member of Irakere the Cuban jazz band led by Chucho Valdés.

Following the Latitude performance; !Vamos Cuba! will be performing at Sadler’s Wells from Tuesday 26 July – Sunday 21 August 2016.

Opening the programme on Thursday evening will be Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist  Hofesh Shechter’s company, one of the world’s leading dance companies. The company will perform tHE bAD the middle section from Shechter’s most recent work, a trilogy called barbarians, a Sadler’s Wells co-commission. Created during night-time rehearsals, this piece for five dancers is accompanied by a multi-layered score – a volatile explosion of dubstep grooves alongside Shechter’s trademark percussive electronics. The movement, at once joyous and trance-like, takes the audience on a high-octane, adrenaline-fused journey from the low groove of underground clubbing to the frenetic energy of late-night MTV.  tHE bAD shows Shechter’s choreography at its most energetic.

Also performing on the Waterfront Stage is an artist who was mentored by Hofesh Shechter; rising hip hop dancer and choreographer Botis Seva and his company Far From The Norm. A Londoner born and bred, Seva has made performance pieces across theatre and film since 2009 and has performed at various national and international showcases including Sadler’s Wells’ critically acclaimed annual hip hop Festival Breakin’ Convention and San Francisco’s International Hip Hop Dance Festival. Seva received his mentorship with Hofesh Shechter through the Bonnie Bird Choreography Fund, Marion North Mentoring Award, 2015.

For Latitude, Seva presents H.O.H. Combining hip hop, physical theatre and contemporary dance the work centres on the nation’s favourite sport, football. Seva explores the relationship between multi-cultural British people and football, as well as the social and political issues surrounding the sport.

Returning to Latitude for the third year is the National Youth Dance Company (NYDC), the country’s flagship organisation for young dancers, which is run by Sadler’s Wells. They perform a new creation by the company’s Guest Artistic Director Michael Keegan-Dolan, an Associate Artist of Sadler’s Wells. The work, entitled In – Nocentes is set to Max Richter’s re-composition of The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi and is a ritualistic piece with which Keegan-Dolan celebrates the natural and instinctive way in which young people can move and behave.

Now in its fourth year, NYDC has established a reputation for innovative, challenging and influential work, and producing open-minded, curious and brave dancers. The company brings together the brightest talent from across England, immersing the members fully in the process of creating, performing and touring new work, giving them a unique insight into the dance profession.

For more information on NYDC and the national tour visit www.nydc.org.uk

The line-up includes work from other leading figures in contemporary dance, including one of the founding fathers of contemporary dance in the UK, Richard Alston, considered to be one of the world’s most musical choreographers. The Richard Alston Dance Company presents a double bill of work for Latitude, including extracts from Sadler’s Wells commission Nomadic, danced to Shukar Collective’s fusion of gypsy and electronic music.

The bill will also show Stronghold II, choreographed by the company’s Associate Choreographer, Martin Lawrance. Set to a score by Pulitzer Prize winner Julia Wolfe this fiercely intense work reflects the turbulent character of the music, richly scored for eight double basses.

Completing the Sadler’s Wells line up in a collaboration between music and dance entitled Veils. Cutting-edge Manchester acoustic-electronica trio GoGo Penguin collaborated with choreographer Lynne Page to create a contemporary response to 80s underground club culture. Inspired by mirrors and palindromes, the work is an epic piece of music with dance that becomes the absolute visual representation of the composition. The piece was first performed at the EFG London Jazz Festival 2015.

Over the weekend, Sadler’s Wells will also be providing workshop and classes on the Waterfront Stage, details to be confirmed.

Sadler’s Wells’ Chief Executive & Artistic Director Alistair Spalding says: “I am delighted Sadler’s Wells will be returning to the beautiful setting of the Waterfront Stage this summer. Latitude continues to provide us with a great platform to present dance to new audiences, many of whom are seeing the art form for the first time. We look forward to inspiring them with the varied line-up we have in store for them this year, including In-Nocentes, an uplifting performance by our National Youth Dance Company created by our Associate Artist Michael Keegan-Dolan, and H.O.H., a new work by talented emerging choreographer Botis Seva.”

Adding to the Sadler’s Wells festival portfolio, this year it presents work for the first time at Wilderness Festival in Oxfordshire. A four day festival combining live music, contemporary arts and an array of theatre, craftsmanship and dining experiences. Programme to be announced.


LISTINGS:
Latitude Festival
Henham Park, Suffolk
Thursday 14 – Sunday 17 July 2016
Tickets: www.latitudefestival.co.uk 

Sadler’s Wells at Latitude

Waterfront Stage

Thursday 14 – Sunday 17 July 2016

Wilderness Festival
Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire
Thursday 4 – Sunday 7 August 2016
Tickets: www.wildernessfestival.com

Sadler’s Wells at Wilderness Festival
The Atrium
Friday 5 August 2016
 

Notes to Editor:

About Sadler’s Wells
Sadler's Wells is a world-leading dance house, committed to producing, commissioning and presenting new works and to bringing the best international and UK dance to London and worldwide audiences. Under the Artistic Directorship of Alistair Spalding, the theatre’s acclaimed year-round 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 100 new dance works to the stage and its award-winning commissions and collaborative productions regularly tour internationally. Sadler’s Wells supports 16 Associate Artists, three Resident Companies, an Associate Company and two International Associate Companies. It also nurtures the next generation of talent through its New Wave Associates and Summer University programmes, its Wild Card initiative and hosting of the National Youth Dance Company.

Located in Islington, 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 10% of its revenue from Arts Council England. 


About Latitude Festival
The UK’s finest multi-arts festival returns for its eleventh edition, taking place from Thursday 14 – Sunday 17 July 2015 in the stunning grounds of Henham Park, Suffolk. Boasting the biggest names in comedy, theatre, dance, film, cabaret, literature and performance, Latitude is unrivalled for the breadth, depth and quality of its arts programming. 2016 is no different, offering a spectacular choice of major shows, star acts and ground-breaking commissioned works. 

TICKET INFORMATION
TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW

Adult Weekend tickets £197.50 face value + £8 booking fee per ticket
Accompanied Teen Weekend tickets (13-15 years) £132.50 + £8 booking fee per ticket
Child Weekend tickets £7.50 + £2.70 booking fee per ticket
Adult Day tickets £77.50 + £7 booking fee per ticket
Child Day Tickets are £4.50 + £2.70 booking fee per ticket

Adult Weekend instalment tickets – If you pay your first instalment on or before March 31st, your subsequent payment dates will be 3rd May(£65.00) and 1st June (£67.50 + postage)

More ticket information/Tickets available HERE


About Wilderness Festival
Wilderness is an award-winning arts festival set deep in the Oxfordshire countryside boasts a stellar, multi-dimensional programme. At Wilderness you are cordially invited to enjoy long table feasts from headline chefs, open-air theatre, classical music and orchestral performances, contemporary dance, internationally renowned musicians, outdoor pursuits, yoga and meditation, craft workshops, talks, debates, late night parties, a luxurious spa and a whole lot more. The magic occurs in the rolling parkland of Cornbury Estate, under the ancient trees, with a majestic lake at its centre. Come and join us in the Wilderness.

TICKET INFORMATION
Adult 4-day Tickets from £164+bf (Child tickets £5)
Available from: www.ticketmaster.co.uk/wilderness