SARAH CROMPTON
In words and pictures this book celebrates that inspirational process. Based on interviews with artists including Matthew Bourne, Sylvie Guillem, Akram Khan, Russell Maliphant, Wayne McGregor and Hofesh Shechter, Sadler’s Wells Dance House discovers how this theatre and its creative impulses have shaped the course of dance in the twenty-first century. From classical to hip hop, from the popular successes to the divisive controversies, Sadler’s Wells Dance House tells the story of a theatre that is an international creative hub for all the best of dance today.
dance house
Sadler’s Wells is a powerhouse, an engine room, of dance. It welcomes the best dance companies from Britain and around the world. But its significance is that it commissions the best choreographers, designers, musicians and artists to create new and exciting dance.
dance house
“Every city in the world needs a Sadler’s Wells.” William Forsythe “It has become what it said it was going to be. It is the dance house.” William Trevitt Sarah Crompton was born in Manchester and educated at Oxford and Cardiff. She is dance critic and arts editor in chief of the Daily Telegraph.
Front and back cover images by Tristram Kenton
W W W. O B E R O N B O O K S . C O M
Sarah Crompton
dance house
dance house Sarah Crompton
First published in 2013 by Oberon Books Ltd 521 Caledonian Road, London N7 9RH Tel: +44 (0) 20 7607 3637 / Fax: +44 (0) 20 7607 3629 e-mail: info@oberonbooks.com www.oberonbooks.com Text Copyright © Sarah Crompton, 2013 Sarah Crompton is hereby identified as author of this work in accordance with section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. The author has asserted her moral rights. You may not copy, store, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or binding or by any means (print, electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. PB ISBN: 978-1-84943-062-3 E ISBN: 978-1-84943-511-6 Photographs copyright © the Photographers Photographer credits are catalogued on page 128 The publisher has made every effort to trace the copyright holders of all images reprinted in this book. Acknowledgement is made in all cases where the image source is available, but we would be grateful for information about any image sources where they could not be traced. Front and back cover images by Tristram Kenton Printed and bound by Replika Press PVT, India. Visit www.oberonbooks.com to read more about all our books and to buy them. You will also find features, author interviews and news of any author events, and you can sign up for e-newsletters so that you’re always first to hear about our new releases.
Front Cover: Sylvie Guillem & Akram Khan in Sacred Monsters Back Cover: Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s Sutra Page 2-3: Russell Maliphant’s The Rodin Project Page 6: Akram Khan in DESH
For Mary Crompton
CONTENTS 1
A NEW BEGINNING
7
2
AKRAM KHAN, SIDI LARBI CHERKAOUI AND THE CREATION OF ZERO DEGREES
21
3
SYLVIE GUILLEM AND THE ARRIVAL OF STAR POWER
33
4
SADLER’S WELLS AND THE WORLD
43
5
MATTHEW BOURNE AND WELCOMING AN AUDIENCE
55
6
WAYNE MCGREGOR AND THE SCIENCE OF DANCE
67
7
BREAKIN’ CONVENTION AND THE GROWTH OF HIP HOP
79
8
CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON AND THE BALLETIC TRADITION
91
9
IN THE SPIRIT OF DIAGHILEV AND HOW TO COMMISSION NEW WORK
103
10
HOFESH SHECHTER AND THE FUTURE
115
REFERENCES
127
PHOTOGRAPHER INDEX
128
“Somebody must always be doing something new, or life would get very dull.� Ninette de Valois