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Islington’s hallowed Sadler’s Wells remains London’s only dedicated major dance theatre, and that will go double from next February when its 550-seat sister venue Sadler’s Wells East opens in Stratford,
Well over a decade after it was first mooted, Sadler’s Wells East is definitely, definitely happening, with the first 21 show announced for the venue. You’ll be able to book shows from September 25.
The theatre will open in early February next year with ‘Our Mighty Groove’ (Feb 6-9) by choreographer Vicki Igbokwe-Ozoagu, which will see young dancers from east London take part in a club-influenced opening blowout. The following few months will be gloriously eclectic and constantly busy, bringing together more community based work and London choreographers, major UK talent – including an early visit from Carlos Acosta’s Birmingham Royal Ballet (May 9 and 10) – and serious heavyweight artists from abroad: Mette Ingvartsen’s ‘Skatepark’ (Apr 10-12), a pounding mix of skateboarding and dance, looks particularly fun.
It’s a boon to dance lovers but also to London: considering the number of major theatres we have, modern dance struggles to get much of a foothold in this city beyond Sadler’s, with the big ballet companies by far the most visible aspect of the genre. A whole second Sadler’s is, frankly, pretty wonderful: it’s a little smaller than the original, but it more or less doubles the amount of interesting contemporary dance work hosted in our city. It’s also a boost to the burgeoning Olympic Park area of Stratford – a big new dance theatre is a serious cultural statement.
Sadler’s Well East opens Feb 6 2025. Public booking opens Sep 25. For full programme and to book, head here.
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