Akram Khan returns to Sadler’s Wells as director and performer with GIGENIS

Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Akram Khan returns to Sadler’s Wells Theatre from Wednesday 20 – Sunday 24 November as director and performer in the UK premiere of GIGENIS: The generation of the Earth. Khan shares the stage with an ensemble of renowned artists of Indian classical dance including Kutiyattam artist Kapila Venu, Bharatanatyam soloists Mavin Khoo and Mythili Prakash, duo Vijna Vasudevan and Renjith Babu, and Sirikalyani Adkoli—with a score devised and performed through a collaboration of seven live Indian Classical musicians.

    
A choreographer and dancer rooted in the tradition of his practice, and a creative interpreter of stories that need to be experienced – Akram Khan has revolutionised the world of dance. With his bilingual mastery of Kathak and contemporary dance, he has developed a uniquely individual voice as a protagonist of cross-cultural encounters. In a career spanning over 24 years, his work – which includes inventive, highly accessible and relevant productions such as Jungle Book reimagined, Outwitting the Devil, XENOS, and Giselle – sets him apart as one of the most celebrated and respected dance artists working today.  
 
Drawing from his deep-seated connection to traditional practices and his ability to weave narratives through movement, Khan’s GIGENIS transcends time, invoking the collective memories of our civilisation. GIGENIS represents not just a performance but a profound statement— a testament to the enduring resonance of tradition in a rapidly changing world. 
 
Although many will be familiar with Khan’s work as a choreographer, it is a rarer occasion to witness him perform. GIGENIS marks Khan’s first performance on the London stage for four years.  

GIGENIS: The generation of the Earth follows a critically acclaimed run of Khan’s Giselle with the English National Ballet, which returned to Sadler’s Wells in September for the first time in five years.  

Akram Khan says: “I am thrilled to be bringing GIGENIS to Sadler’s Wells, my dancing home in London. This production pays profound tribute to the legacy of Indian classical dance, bridging the past and present while celebrating our shared passion for this timeless and deeply rooted art form. Born from a personal response to the fragility of tradition, I am excited to be sharing the stage with some of the most exceptional classical Indian dancers and an extraordinary ensemble of live musicians. We each look forward to sharing GIGENIS with London.”  

Akram Khan’s GIGENIS: The generation of the Earth will be at Sadler’s Wells Theatre 20-24 November. Tickets from £15. Visit www.sadlerswells.com to book now.

Akram Khan GIGENIS, Image credit Sadler’s Wells