Home > News > Akram Khan Company brings the world to Derby - East Midlands Premiere
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The internationally-renowned Akram Khan Company is bringing an incredible cast of dancers from around the world to Derby Theatre this year, when Derby LIVE and Déda present the East Midlands premiere of Bahok on 16 and 17 April at 7.30pm.
Khan’s dancers come from diverse cultures, traditions and dance backgrounds – Chinese, Korean, Indian, South-African, Slovakian and Spanish. This rich mix of spoken and dance language drives an unmissable performance, with a combination of ballet and street-style movement.
Bahok was the first collaboration between a UK contemporary dance company and the state-funded National Ballet of China, premiering in Beijing in January 2008.
The piece grew through collaboration between Khan and the dancers of the National Ballet of China who are, as Khan puts it, “the writers of the show”.
The dancers brought the source material to the creative process and by exploring each individual’s story, they found a bigger, more universal truth.
Bahok is a Bengali word meaning ‘carrier’, and the piece explores the ways in which the human body carries national identity and a sense of belonging.
The performances in Derby will be the East Midlands premiere of Bahok.
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Founded in August 2000, Akram Khan Company has established itself as one of the world’s foremost innovative dance companies, performing to sell-out audiences in leading festivals and venues around the world. The Company has been nominated for several prestigious honours including the Laurence Olivier Awards in 2006, and the South Bank Show Awards for Bahok in 2009.
Tickets for Bahok are available from Déda on 01332 370 911 and from Derby LIVE on 01332 255 800.
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Notes to Editors:
For images, interview requests, press night tickets and other enquiries, please contact:
Helen Dawson, Marketing and Box Office Assistant
T: 01332 370911
E: h.dawson@deda.uk.com
Listings Information
Bahok
Presented by Akram Khan Company
Friday 16 and Saturday 17 April 2010 at 7.30pm
Derby Theatre, Theatre Walk, Derby, DE1 2NF
Tickets: £20/£15 Under 16s
Box Office: 01332 370 911 (Déda) and 01332 255 800 (Derby LIVE)
Website: www.deda.uk.com and www.derbylive.co.uk
Déda
Déda (formerly known as Derby Dance) is a unique venue located in Derby city centre offering a dance-focussed arts programme. The building houses two performance spaces, two professionally equipped dance studios, conferencing facilities and the CUBE café|bar.
With a class curriculum of almost 50 classes a week and an extensive community development programme Déda is one of the key cultural organisations in the city.
Déda receives funding from Arts Council England and Derby City Council.