The arrival of Sadler’s Wells East in Stratford has, until now, been defined by the physical—the bricks, the mortar, and the promise of a fourth stage for the UK’s dance powerhouse. But as the dust settles on the building itself, the focus is shifting to what will actually inhabit it.
The newly announced FIVE DANCES programme isn’t just another developmental tick-box. It is an eighteen-month commitment to five UK-based artists, culminating in a building-wide festival in the summer of 2027. More importantly, it seems to signal a move away from the “one-and-done” spectacle in favour of something more durable.
The Architecture of Touring
In a landscape where the costs of touring have become prohibitive for many independent choreographers, the most striking detail in the announcement from Associate Artistic Director Rob Jones is the specific focus on “technically lightweight” commissions.
This isn’t an admission of diminished ambition; it’s a necessary pivot. By commissioning mid-scale works designed to be portable, Sadler’s Wells is addressing the primary bottleneck in contemporary dance: how to get work out of the capital and into the rest of the country.
The newly announced FIVE DANCES programme isn’t just another developmental tick-box. It is an eighteen-month commitment to five UK-based artists, culminating in a building-wide festival in the summer of 2027.
Jones notes:
“Now more than ever we need to create spaces for great independent artists to develop their practice in a way that supports them to innovate and better navigate the current economic landscape.”
For the five artists selected, the £20,000 commission and the accompanying dramaturgical support represent a significant bridge between the fringe and the mainstage.
A Nationwide Lens
While the East Bank development is a London-centric project by design, the cohort for FIVE DANCES has a broader reach. Of particular interest to those following the scene north of the border is the inclusion of Malcolm Sutherland.
Based in Stirling, Sutherland is a choreographer with an impressive pedigree, having worked with the likes of Jirí Kylián and Crystal Pite. His presence in this cohort—alongside artists from Brighton, Nottingham, and London—lends the project the “nationwide” weight it claims. It suggests a curated mix of styles: Sutherland’s contemporary rigour alongside the Bharatanatyam-street dance fusion of Chandenie Gobardhan, and the hip-hop sensibilities of Liam Francis and Simeon Campbell.
Campbell’s work, in particular, offers a unique perspective. As a hearing artist raised in a BSL-speaking family, his instinctive weaving of sign language into his choreography (as seen in SADBOI) represents the kind of “transdisciplinary” work that the new Stratford venue seems built to champion.
The Festival Framework
The 2027 festival is being framed as more than just five separate performances. Speaking to TheQR, Rob Jones explained that the works will form the core of a much larger, “building-wide” takeover:
“The five works will be the core of the programme, as the works develop, there are plans for complementary strands to develop alongside to illuminate the process and also give the building a feeling of festival celebration- there will be more information on that in due course. They’re such a distinct mix of talents we want that to shine through in the framework.”
“The five works will be the core of the programme, as the works develop, there are plans for complementary strands to develop alongside to illuminate the process…”
Rob Jones
This desire to “illuminate the process” is an interesting one. It suggests that Sadler’s Wells East wants to be more than a venue; it wants to be a laboratory. If the “complementary strands” Jones mentions can successfully demystify the work without stripping away its magic, the 2027 festival could set a new template for how these large-scale institutions engage with their local and national communities.
Final Thoughts
The real test of FIVE DANCES will not be the premiere in 2027, but where these works are in 2028. By prioritising “focus choreography” over production clutter, Sadler’s Wells is betting that the future of the art form lies in its agility.
For Ray Young, Simeon Campbell, Malcolm Sutherland, Liam Francis, and Chandenie Gobardhan, the next eighteen months offer a rare luxury: the time and space to build something that can actually travel. In the current climate, that is perhaps the most radical commission of all.
Featured Image: Sadler’s Wells East opening February 2025. Architects O’Donnell _ Tuomey. Image © Peter Cook
By
By
