Press Release: Akram Khan announced as the next Guest Artistic Director of the National Youth Dance Company

[Jan McNulty]

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.

 

(in between) Tour Dates

28 & 29 June 2013      Sadler’s Wells, London (as part of Sampled)
30 June 2013              JV Production Space, Ashford
20 July 2013                West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds (as part of UDance)
27 July 2013                Bristol Harbour Festival

For further information please see: www.sadlerswells.com/nydc

 

NYDC Experience Workshops

29 June 2013              Sadler’s Wells, London
30 June 2013              JV Production Space, Ashford
14 July 2013                Dance East, Ipswich
20 July 2013                Northern Ballet, Leeds
21 July 2013                The Lowry, Salford
24 July 2013                Dance City, Newcastle
25 July 2013                Dance4, Nottingham
26 July 2013                Life Centre (Plymouth Dance), Plymouth
27 July 2013                Station Centre, Bristol
28 July 2013                DanceXchange, Birmingham
31 August 2013           Sadler’s Wells, London
1 September 2013      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

 

 

[Kitschqueen_1]

Thanks for posting this Janet, my dd is already booked into The Lowry workshop and we are watching the performance that evening. Akram Khan, how exciting!!! :-)

[Klaris]

Again, thanks for posting this - it is a truly fantastic experience for the young dancers and I'd encourage everyone (regardless of dance background/training) to go along to one of the workshops.

 

My dd has had an amazing time working with Jasmin Vardimon, and all the NYDC members - and it's wonderful they will get to work with Akram Khan next time. Wow!