The Show Must Go On, London
French choreographer Jérôme Bel has a reputation as one of the coolest conceptual dance-makers on the planet. His ironic, anti-theatrical productions have not only questioned the nature of dance, but crossed the dividing line between audience and performer. In his 2001 piece The Show Must Go On he brought together trained and untrained dancers to perform to the lyrics of 19 pop classics. The mix of naivety, deadpan comedy and charm in the work has proved irresistible to audiences, and it should be a perfect challenge for Candoco’s company of disabled and non-disabled performers.
Sadler’s Wells, EC1, Fri & 21 Mar
Bayadère - The Ninth Life, On tour
In 1877 Marius Petipa choreographed his Indian-themed ballet La Bayadère as a pure exotic fantasy. Now, in a bold act of reclamation, the Mumbai-born choreographer Shobana Jeyasingh re-imagines that fantasy on her own terms by exploring the roots of the original story used by Petipa, this time alongside the experiences of a group of Indian dancers as they made their first visit to Europe in the 19th century. The Ninth Life is set to music by Jeyasingh’s long-term collaborator Gabriel Prokofiev and this preview (it premieres 25-28 Mar at the Linbury Studio Theatre, WC2) will be performed by her own company.
