Press Release: Sadler's Wells Young Associates present Together, not the same

[Jan McNulty]

 

Young Associates
Together, not the same
Wednesday 17 July 2019 
Performance: 7.30pm
Tickets: £12
Ticket office: 020 7863 8000 www.sadlerswells.com

 

Sadler’s Wells’ Young Associates return to present bold new work on the Sadler’s Wells stage, following their inaugural performances in the Lilian Baylis Studio last year, with the world premiere of Together, not the same on Wednesday 17 July 2019.

Under the artistic guidance of New Wave Associate Hetain Patel, the Young Associates – Anthony Matsena, Wilhelmina Ojanen, Ruby Portus and Christopher Thomas – create an ambitious evening of new works, disrupting the traditional format of a mixed bill of dance. The evening sees each of the four choreographers create a dance piece in two distinct parts, with part one of each work being performed in Act 1, and part two performed in Act 2.

For Together, not the same, the Young Associates collaborate with a graduate from Rose Bruford College’s BA (Hons) Lighting Design course for the lighting and students from the BA (Hons) and MA Costume for Performance courses at London College of Fashion to design and construct the costumes.

Director of Together, not the same, and New Wave Associate Hetain Patel said: “It‘s a daunting task for anyone to make work for the Sadler’s Wells stage, let alone artists at the beginning of their careers. But these four young choreographers have what it takes to step up to the challenge and it’s a pleasure to be able to support them on this journey.”

The Young Associates programme was launched in February 2018 and nurtures early career choreographers, enabling them to understand how to navigate the world of dance production – from collaboration to contracts and costumes, and everything in-between. The initiative supports talented 18 to 24-year-olds for two years, providing a crucial first step into their career as choreographers. 

Sadler’s Wells’ Director or Learning and Engagement, Joce Giles said: “It’s been incredible watching these young artists develop over the last two years and I am so excited to see what they have created for Together, not the same. I’m delighted our four Young Associates have had the chance to work with Hetain Patel, as it’s been so inspiring for them to draw on the knowledge and experience of one of our New Wave Associate Artists while approaching the challenge of creating work for the Sadler’s Wells stage.”

A proud Bristolian, Ruby Portus grew up acting with Bristol Old Vic Young Company and dancing with National Youth Dance Company under the artistic direction of Akram Khan. After graduating with a First Class BA Hons from London Contemporary Dance School, she went on to gain her MA (Distinction) as a dancer with VERVE: Northern School of Contemporary Dance’s postgraduate company, performing works by Sita Ostheimer, Lenka Vagnerová, Hannes Langolf and Matthew Robinson and undertaking practice-based research asking how gender affects our use of space. Ruby Portus’ dance theatre work strives to tackle important sociopolitical issues in a playful way, and has been seen at Tate Modern, The Place and at Sadler’s Wells.

Born in Finland and raised in Chile, Wilhelmina Ojanen began her professional studies at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. There she completed both her BA in Contemporary Dance and her Master’s Degree in Dance Performance. As part of Transitions Dance Company, she performed internationally in works by Hagit Yakira (who she continues to work with), Richard Chappell and Jarkko Partanen. Her choreographic work delves into realities of human connection; studying poetically, through movement, our relations to one another and the world around us. She explores the intersection of physicality and poetry, of softness and strength, and of memory and embodiment.

Christopher Thomas started his career as a professional actor in London’s West End. He danced vocationally at The Royal Ballet School and Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, where he graduated with a First Class BA (Hons) in 2017 and performed extensively with Rambert Dance Company. Since graduating he has been involved with multiple film projects and has performed with Arielle Smith Company and Mark Bruce Company. He is currently performing with Matthew Bourne's New Adventures in their new production of Romeo and Juliet. Christopher Thomas is co-director of his own company Retrospect Dance Theatre. His choreographic awards include the Charlotte Kirkpatrick Award 2016, and Young Choreographer 2017. In summer 2018 he joined the Cohan Collective.

Anthony Matsena was born in Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) and grew up in Swansea (Wales). He began his dance training in hip hop under the tutorship of his brother Arnold, before his formal training under Julie Hobday. He is the co-founder, co-artistic director and choreographer of Matsena Performance Theatre alongside his brother Amukelani. The company creates work that draws upon highly physical movement, theatre work and text. Anthony Matsena first performed at Sadler’s Wells in 2015 as part of Apex Rising with National Youth Dance Wales. He performs professionally for Joseph Toonga as part of Just Us Dance Theatre and is a cast member of Idris Elba and Kwame Kwei-Armah's new show Tree. He graduated from London Contemporary Dance School in 2018.

Bolton-born and London-based, Hetain Patel is a visual artist and performance maker whose work shifts between cultures, media and contexts. His films, sculptures and live performances have been presented globally, from Tate Modern and Sadler’s Wells, London to Chatterjee & Lal, Mumbai and Ullens Centre of Contemporary Art, Beijing. Online, his videos have been viewed over 30 million times, including his TED Talk of 2013 titled ‘Who Am I? Think Again.’ He became a Sadler’s Wells New Wave Associate in 2012.

 

 

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Sadler’s Wells

Sadler’s Wells is a world-leading creative organisation dedicated to dance in all its forms. With over three centuries of theatrical heritage and a year-round programme of performances and learning activities, it is the place where artists come together to create dance, and where people of all backgrounds come to experience it – to take part, learn, experiment and be inspired. 

 

Its vision is to reflect and respond to the world through dance: enabling artists of all backgrounds to create dance that moves us and opens our minds, and sharing those experiences with the widest possible audiences – to enrich their lives and deepen their understanding of what it means to be human.

 

Audiences of over half a million come to Sadler’s Wells’ three London theatres each year, with many more enjoying its touring productions at venues across the UK and around the world, and accessing its content through digital channels. Sadler's Wells commissions, produces and presents more dance than any other theatre in the world, embracing the popular and the unknown. Since 2005, it has helped to bring over 170 new dance works to the stage, many of them involving its 16 Associate Artists, three Resident Companies and four Associate Companies – the most exciting talents working in dance today. 

 

Sadler’s Wells nurtures the next generation of talent through a number of artist development initiatives and reaches over 30,000 annually through its learning and engagement programmes.

 

Located in Islington, north London, Sadler’s Wells’ current building is the sixth to have stood on site since entrepreneur Richard Sadler first established the theatre 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 having all started at Sadler's Wells.

Sadler’s Wells is to open an additional mid-scale venue in east London in 2022. The new space will be at the heart of the East Bank project, a new cultural and education district in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, which will also include BBC, UAL’s London College of Fashion, UCL and the V&A in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution. As well as a 550-seat auditorium, Sadler’s Wells’ new venue will include a choreographic centre and a hip hop theatre academy, the first of their kind in the world to be run by a theatre.

 

www.sadlerswells.com