Unplugged
an Akram Khan Company project with MA Dance: Performance
About Unplugged
An evening of work performed by London Contemporary Dance School's MA Dance: Performance students, created through four weeks of intensive engagement with Akram Khan Company.
Over the course of the residency, students have explored Akram Khan’s distinctive movement vocabulary and creative process. They have studied extracts from two of the Company’s acclaimed works: Jungle Book reimagined and iTMOi, working closely with the Company to understand the values and processes that underpin it's choreographic language and creative practice.
The evening begins by offering audiences insight into the Company’s training and artistic process, by sharing a Company class in contemporary technique. This class explores the codified technique at the heart of Akram Khan’s work, defined by rigour and a deeply embodied physical practice.
Following the class, the performance continues with powerful excerpts from Jungle Book reimagined and iTMOi. The repertoire will be interwoven with short archive films that provide insights into the creative process, illuminate the themes of the work, and highlight the values that shape the Company’s practice.
The work performed is presented as part of the Company’s initiative, Unplugged, sharing the choreographic material alone, without the original costume, set and lighting designs. AKC Unplugged focusses on the ethos of composition from Akram Khan’s works and offers a young generation of dancers the opportunity to dive into a repertoire piece whilst experiencing a specific practice through a process-led transmission.
There will be a post-show talk following the matinee performances.
His choreography is beyond compare
The Scotsman on Akram Khan
The MA Dance: Performance programme is a unique learning opportunity that will enhance and deepen a young dancer’s artistry, craft and self-knowledge. Its pioneering approach to the training of performers will make a meaningful difference to the global dance eco-system, cultivating 'complete' artists who are better prepared for the industry than they have ever been before. I can’t wait to see the results!
Farooq Chaudhry OBE, Executive Producer Akram Khan Company & Patron of The Place
Cast & Creatives
Jungle Book reimagined
Director/Choreographer: Akram Khan
Composer: Jocelyn Pook
Sound Designer: Gareth Fry
iTMOi
Artistic Director/Choreographer: Akram Khan
Composers: Nitin Sawhney, Jocelyn Pook and Ben Frost
Instagram: @akramkhancompany
Facebook: @akramkhancompany
LinkedIn: @akram-khan-company
MA Dance: Performance performers
Youngin Lee
Kaisi Kathie Lin
Siqi Liu
Yingxin Lyu
Carolina Martins
Valeriia Mosina
Kai O'Halloran
Zhiheng Pantone Pan
Guanhua Pan
Zara Peiffer
Ifè Pettiford
Jensen Renee Springer
Keilan Stafford
Carys Thomas
Guo Grace Tian
Vanshika
Alejandro Villalobos
Lillian Wallman
Anne Wang
Darby Ward
Yo-Chen Yeh
Shuyan Zhang
Chouchane Lily Agoudjian
Samantha Bamford
Lanvi
Pryde
Yujia Chen
Chu Chu
Tela Chu
Bobi Coates
Veronica Comelek
Vidushi D'Souza
Cecilia Durán
Isabel Farr
Fernanda Frisch Jacobo
Adriana La Perejila
Cam Gendron
Sofie Sommerfelt Grønvold
Wenyue Wendy Guo
Chuanbao Bob Huang
Botao Tom Huang
Zoé Jacole
Anna Kazwell
Credits
Jungle Book reimagined is co-produced by Curve Leicester, Attiki Cultural Society, Birmingham Hippodrome, Edinburgh International Festival, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay Singapore, Festspielhaus St. Pölten, Internationaal Theater Amsterdam, Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Maison de la Danse Lyon, National Arts Centre Canada, New Vision Arts Festival, Orsolina28, Pfalzbau Bühnen – Theater im Pfalzbau Ludwigshafen, Romaeuropa Festival, Stanford Live, Teatros del Canal, théâtre de Caen and Théâtre de la Ville. The technical adaptation of Jungle Book reimagined is kindly supported by Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg. With the support of Garfield Weston Foundation, Genesis Foundation and Angela Bernstein CBE. Supported by Arts Council England.
iTMOi is co-produced by Sadler’s Wells, MC2: Grenoble, HELLERAU and Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg.