Sadler’s Wells announces next dance performance and workshops on its digital stage during Covid-19 cancellations

Today Sadler’s Wells announced this week’s additions to its Digital Stage programme – a special matinee screening of balletLORENT’S Rumpelstiltskin this Friday 3 April, and the first dance at home workshops for families and older audiences.

Rumpelstiltskin is the next production available to watch via Sadler’s Wells’ Facebook Premieres, part of its free online performance platform, Digital Stage. It will be available on Friday 3 April at 3pm UK time, in a special day time screening for families, via this link and then available to watch for seven days thereafter.

Director Liv Lorent joins forces with poet Carol Ann Duffy to retell the story of Rumpelstiltskin, an outsider shunned for being different. Stunningly beautiful, heart-warming and set in a spellbinding world of spinning wheels, kings and queens, Rumpelstiltskin is a mesmerising tale of love, loss and magical powers. With a score by Doctor Who composer Murray Gold, costumes designed by Michele Clapton (Game of Thrones), and narration by actor Ben Crompton, Rumpelstiltskin is the perfect treat for families. BalletLORENT had originally been due to perform as part of Sadler’s Wells’ Family Weekend this Easter.

The first of Sadler’s Wells’ new workshop series for audiences to dance along to at home is also available this week, from tomorrow Wednesday 1 April, with five workshops created to connect with younger children, and one workshop for older people.

Five family workshops created by Cherie Coleman, who runs Family Friday sessions at Sadler’s Wells, will be available to watch on the Sadler’s Wells YouTube channel from midday on Wednesday 1 April with more to be added in coming weeks. Aimed at children aged 2 to 6 years, the activities include balancing, jumping, rhythm, colours and animals to follow at home. The family workshops can be found online from midday tomorrow here.

There will also be workshops for older people aged over 60, inspired by Sadler’s Wells’ Company of Elders programme, with the first in the series available tomorrow, Wednesday 1 April. It is inspired by the Indian classical dance form bharatanatyam and hosted by choreographer Seeta Patel. The workshop can be found online from tomorrow afternoon here.

New dance content on Sadler’s Wells’ Digital Stage has been created in response to the cancellation of shows across its theatres as part of efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19, and aims to continue bringing dance to audiences through digital channels. The first in a series of Sadler’s Wells Facebook Premieres was Deluxe by BalletBoyz, which was made available on Friday 27 March at 7:30pm, the same time the work was due to be performed live at Sadler’s Wells. This work is available until Friday 3 April via the Sadler’s Wells official Facebook page. Upcoming performances include a new version of Wilkie Branson’s dance for camera installation TOM, which would have formed part of Sadler’s Wells’ Digital Edition in April.

Further details, including all titles, dates and screening times, will be announced via Sadler’s Wells’ social media channels, and updated via this link on the Sadler’s Wells website: https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/2020/digital-stage/.