Press Release: Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and National Youth Dance Company present world premiere at Sadler's Wells

[Jan McNulty]

A Sadler’s Wells Production 
National Youth Dance Company / Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui 
Frame[d]
World Premiere
Sadler’s Wells
Friday 10 April 2015
Performance at 7:30pm
Tickets: £12
Ticket Office: 0844 412 4300 or www.sadlerswells.com

The National Youth Dance Company (NYDC) returns for its third year with a new intake of 30 talented young dancers who join the eight returners from the previous two cohorts. The company performs the world premiere of its newly commissioned piece created by this year’s Guest Artistic Director, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, at Sadler’s Wells on Friday 10 April 2015. Following the premiere, NYDC will then tour around the UK to locations including Birmingham, Newcastle, Leeds, Ipswich, Bournemouth and Plymouth. 

This new commission Frame[d] sees Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Cherkaoui revisiting moments from his established catalogue of work: Babel(words), co-choreographed with Damien Jalet, Puz/zle, Loin and TeZukA, incorporating new ideas and movement material from the young dancers. Cherkaoui’s unique choreographic process, combined with the fresh talent of NYDC dancers drawn from across the country, illustrates the influence and creativity that emerging dance artists can bring to a professional dance collaboration. The work is created in partnership with Eastman.

Cherkaoui and his artistic team are working with the dancers over three intensive residencies to create, develop and rehearse the newly commissioned piece. Throughout the dancers’ time with NYDC they are given a unique insight into the dance profession, gaining skills and techniques that will stay with them throughout their careers. The first residency took place from 25 October to 2 November; the next residency will happen from 14 to 21 February, with the final residency from 28 March to 12 April.

Now in its third year, NYDC is fast establishing a reputation for producing high quality performances from a company of dancers who are expressive, brave and energise the dance environment. The new line up of NYDC dancers are being given the opportunity to engage with dance through working at the highest level and with world class resources, working with an artistic team that have exceptional standards and artistic integrity.

Jane Hackett, Sadler’s Wells Artistic Programmer and Producer (Creative Learning) and Director of NYDC,said: “We believe in the importance of identifying talent at an early age. These young people have the potential to be the future leaders of the dance world and we want to provide them with as many tools as possible to excel and succeed.”

Alistair Spalding, Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Sadler’s Wells, said: “It’s vital for the health of the dance sector that there is a pipeline of talent feeding it. I firmly believe that those performers should have the opportunity to work to the highest standards and with world class resources, to gain real insight into the dance profession. Through our role with NYDC and other work we’ve been doing with students and young dancers in recent years at Sadler’s Wells, we’ve created a growing network of emerging talent, and I will be watching the progress of those artists with real interest.” 

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist and NYDC Guest Artistic Director 2014-15, said: “It’s a pleasure to be selected by NYDC as this year’s Guest Artistic Director. I have always believed that more needs to be done to nurture young talent, and it is initiatives like these that have the potential to truly change the dance landscape for young people. From what I have seen of them so far I am confident that these dancers will excel beyond expectations.”

Claire Niesto-Bame, one of the new NYDC members, said at the October 2014 residency: “Although we are all from different areas of England and come from different backgrounds and circumstances, we were all born with the same passion. NYDC brings us together and feeds our hunger for dance; it has already provided us with knowledge and experience that we will undoubtedly carry with us throughout the rest of our dance journeys.”

On Sunday 12 April, National Youth Dance Company and Sadler’s Wells will also be hosting the final day of the Dance UK ‘The Future: New Ideas: New Inspirations’ conference, which will offer an opportunity to discuss dance training, take inspiration from around the world and focus on the needs of young people as they prepare to be the future of dance.

Originally funded for a three year period from 2012, National Youth Dance Company has now been granted continued financial support for another year by the Department of Education and for another three years by Arts Council England, from the National Lottery and Grant in Aids funds, as part of a commitment to arts for young people and to nurturing and developing exceptional artistic talent in the country. 



NOTES TO EDITORS:

About the National Youth Dance Company (NYDC)
Founded in 2012, and hosted at Sadler’s Wells, NYDC is an exciting new company that aims to create and perform innovative and influential youth dance, drawing together some of the brightest young talent from across the country to work with Sadler’s Wells’ internationally renowned Associate Artists. NYDC is funded jointly by Arts Council England and the Department for Education, from the National Lottery and Grant in Aid funds.

Since NYDC’s inception in 2012:
1000 young people have worked with the company. 
NYDC has delivered 47 workshops in 21 different venues across 17 towns and cities. 
Over 17,000 people have seen the company perform.
NYDC has featured in 22 performances, visiting 15 different venues across the UK, including some leading theatres in the country. 
90 dancers have joined the company, working intensively with renowned dance artists including Guest Artistic Directors: Jasmin Vardimon (2012-13), Akram Khan (2013-14) and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui (2014-15). These 90 dancers come from 43 different towns and cities in England.

About 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 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 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 and 3 Resident Companies and nurtures the next generation of talent through its National Youth Dance Company, Summer University programme, 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.

About Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui
Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Artistic Director of Royal Ballet Flanders, is one of the most prolific choreographers working today. A Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist, he has created more than 20 works and is acknowledged as one of Europe’s most exciting choreographers.

His productions include zero degrees (2005, with Akram Khan, Antony Gormley and Nitin Sawhney); Faun (which premiered at Sadler’s Wells as part of In the Spirit of Diaghilev); TeZukA (2011, based on the iconic work of manga artist Osamu Tezuka); award winning Babel (2010) and Dunas (2009, with celebrated flamenco dancer/ choreographer Maria Pagés); Sutra (2008), and his recent tango inspired, Sadler’s Wells Production, m¡longa.

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

About Dance UK Conference
For more information on the Dance UK Conference: www.danceuk.org/conference/