• Information
• Gallery
• Video
• Tell a friend
• More about Debut

Alistair Spalding, Chief Executive and Artistic Director introduces Sadler's Wells Debut.

"Sadlers Wells Debut is a new idea we're introducing this year, We want to bring new choreographers to Sadler's Wells who aren't particularly known in the UK - but who do deserve to be on our stage. To make it a bit easier for the public, who won't necessarily have heard of these people, we're making all the seats £10 - so it's affordable. We think they're really interesting young choreographers -and we want to take the risk element out of it for the public.

For the first Debut this year we're bringing Emanuel Gat, a young choreographer who's originally from Israel, but now working in France. I first saw Emanuel's work in France a couple of years ago. You occasionally come across someone who really has a flair - and who stands out amongst other choreographers and Emanuel is certainly one of those. His language is very abstract, so it's not theatrical work - it's abstract dance. He has a very muscular, masculine approach, but there's also a wonderful flow and really graceful quality to his movement. And he makes very interesting choices as to the music he uses.

There are three works in the programme - Winter Voyage, which is based on Schubert's Winterreise, a duet which has actually been seen at Sadler's Wells before in Sampled and then the second is a piece called Silent Ballet, which we've commissioned. As it sounds, it is mostly in silence! There is a kind of score, but not a strong musical one. Because of that you're focussed more on the movement language itself - and the breath of the dancers provides a score that's not there in the music.

Then the final piece in the evening is called Through the Centre. It's set to music by the London based musician Squarepusher. Again it's very interesting use of the music because its not just a piece of music, it's actually a live recording of a Squarepusher concert.

There are many great dancers and choreographers coming out of Israel right now and I did wonder why that might be. Ohad Navarin, the Artistic Director of Batsheva Dance Company explained that in Israeli schools you start the day doing maths, then Hebrew and then everyone dances - it's just part of the school curriculum. From a very early stage they do folk dancing. I think then there's something in the culture which makes dancing a part of everyday life and not something which is separate. So young men and women dance naturally and you can sort of see that in the style of dancing and particularly in Emanuel's work - there's no inhibitions in what he does.

In 2009 Sadler's Wells Debut will feature a young Canadian choreographer called Crystal Pite. She's been working with the Forsythe Company, but has also made work for her own company in Canada, as well as for other European companies, including Nederlands Dans Theater where she's currently resident choreographer."

Sadler's Wells Theatre

19 - 20 Sep 2008