Apex Rising – a weekend festival of dance

Sadler’s Wells’ National Youth Dance Company, and guests, are set to present Apex Rising, an eclectic mix of choreographers such as Jasmin Vardimon, Akram Khan, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Wayne McGregor, Hofesh Shechter, Anna Kenrick and Kerry Nicholls on 4–5 September.

The special weekend of dance will be hosted by the National Youth Dance Company, celebrating the innovative and exciting work being performed and created by young dancers today. This inaugural Apex Rising festival will unite some of the most highly esteemed figures in contemporary dance, including the three past NYDC Guest Artistic Directors, Vardimon, Khan and Cherakoui in the line-up.

Featuring work by four national youth dance companies from around the UK and abroad, the festival sees these internationally acclaimed artists illustrate their commitment to young dancers and to initiatives that build exceptional artistic talent, and nurture the dance landscape of tomorrow. This new annual festival consists of two contrasting programmes that capture the power young dancers have in shaping the future of dance.

The second programme of the festival, following the first including the NYDC, is an evening featuring a confluence of styles and energy, staging work by youth dance companies of France, Scotland, Wales and England. Leading French youth dance company Groupe Grenade – Josette Baïz performs extracts from Entity by Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist McGregor, and Uprising by Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Shechter. The evening also sees National Youth Dance Company of Scotland perform Stuck in My Throat by YDance Artistic Director Kenrick as part of the company’s 2015 tour, and Dawns Genedlaethol Ieuenctid Cymru / National Youth Dance Wales perform a newly commissioned piece by Nicholls. It is completed by NYDC’s restaged excerpt of Akram Khan’s Vertical Road.

The experience young dancers gain through initiatives like NYDC not only supports them, but pushes them further into the world of dance to aspire to achieve more.