Dance Around London: October 2012

Jemma
By Jemma Last edited 138 months ago
Dance Around London: October 2012

International companies descend upon London in October, the month of contemporary dance giants. And that's before you even consider the revamped Dance Umbrella, for which full listings will appear in a separate preview.

After his triumphant Olympic performance, Akram Khan returns with the award-winning DESH, which premiered to rave reviews last year. Desh means 'homeland' in Bangladeshi, and in this solo work Khan reveals his personal struggle to balance his British and Bangladeshi heritage, with a breathtaking combination of contemporary and Kathak dance techniques, infused with a very theatrical physicality. Sadler's Wells, 2-9 October 7.30pm, £12-£36.

The summer seems to have definitely ended, but you're invited to one more garden party; New Art Club's physical comedy Quiet Act of Destruction. The pair invite the audience to divide themselves into rival villages for a series of wild games, whilst the true story of a rural conflict (over the renaming of a train station) unfolds. Stand up, participation, and a cracking indie-pop soundtrack means this will surely be fun. Soho Theatre, 2-13 October, 9.15pm, £10.

Richard Alston Dance Company's At Home performance in their intimate, theatrical base is back, this time with some brand new works. The up and coming Martin Lawrance's Madcap is shown beside Alston's Shimmer, which is danced to the music of Ravel played live. The Place, 3-6 October, 8pm, £20.

New York's Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet are making their UK debut with a who's-who of international contemporary choreographers. Promising a powerful physicality with classical technique, this company can afford to take risks and hire the big boys. Hofesh Shechter’s Violet Kid is a typically dark work for all 16 dancers accompanied by recorded audio text performed by the Shechter himself. The pulsating Tuplet by Alexander Ekman asks what is rhythm? — set to a score created in collaboration with the dancers who use their bodies as percussion. Finally Crystal Pite’s Grace Engine continues her exploration of the familiar stories that connect mankind. Sadler's Wells, 11-13 October, £12-£27.

Flash mob stars the winners of shows such as Got to Dance, So You Think You Can Dance, MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew and StreetDance 2 3D. Whether you're a fan of reality TV or not, judge their dance skills for yourself, live! Peacock Theatre, 16 October - 4 November, £12-£38.

Tony Adigun's Avant Garde Dance offer up a 'concept album' of three contemporary hip-hop works. 'The Black Album', consists of three moody, music-inspired works that sit together yet draw on the eclectic musical influences of Electronica, free jazz and classical music form the varied backdrops. The Place, Oct 12-13, 8pm, £15.

Last Updated 30 September 2012