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Carnival of Shadows The beginning of a third decade of storytelling

Over the past 20 years, Akram Khan Company has become a platform that retells ancient myths to speak to us now and constantly reinvents itself in order to reflect the world as it changes.

Akram Khan in Carnival of Shadows
The Snowman
In a snowy landscape with tall pine trees leaning in from the sides, winter figures dance in pairs – in the centre a tall snowman wraps fluffy arms around the shoulders of a young girl in white tulle as she points a foot in a ballet slipper. Around them, other pairs are in the same pose – including snowmen, penguins, and Father Christmas.

The Snowman

Peacock Theatre
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Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty - New Adventures
Framed by a thicket of tangled tree branches, Aurora leaps forward in a white flowing gown, her arms out to the sides and her leg kicked back. From among the branches, six fairies and elves are emerging, dressed decadently in black and gold, and reaching towards Aurora. Around them all are red roses and rose petals, floating in the air and carpeting the floor. In a central opening in the thicket, a full moon can be seen shining through the trees.

Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty

Sadler's Wells Theatre
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Akram Khan in Carnival of Shadows
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A black and white still from the illustrated film. Two men stand in a garden in trousers, shirts and ties, holding hands and raising them.

Breathless Puppets

Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage

Choreographed by Akram Khan and directed by Naaman Azhari, this powerful short film tells the story of two men with a passion for dance who reconnect through the tragedy of the pandemic.

Breathless Puppets