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Bahok

Bahok is the long awaited new choreographic work by Akram Khan and is the first group piece he has choreographed without performing in himself. After more intimate duets with Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui (zero degrees) and Sylvie Guillem (Sacred Monsters), Akram Khan has again joined forces with some long-time collaborators - acclaimed writer Hanif Kureishi and multi award-winning composer Nitin Sawhney. In addition, Khan has also formed a new partnership with China’s classical ballet flagship company, the National Ballet of China.

To perform the piece Khan brought together nine dancers that come from different cultures, traditions and dance backgrounds: Chinese, Korean, Indian, South-African, and Spanish. Four of the dancers from the National Ballet of China, and five from Akram Khan’s Dance Company. As such they resemble a present day version of the tale of Babel; a community that wants to create a utopian project together, speaking both with their bodies and tongues in different languages.

Set in one of the world’s many globalised transit zones, the participants try to communicate, to share ‘the things they carry with them’: their experiences, their memories of their original homes, the dreams and aspirations that made them move. They are carriers. They are Bahok.

The work focuses on the dynamics of modern China, steering clear of references to traditional China (i.e. silk and the colour red). However, Khan has not suppressed the classical techniques of the Chinese ballet dancers, and has encouraged them to introduce elements of Chinese folk dancing and Kathak, as well as western/modern and classical dance vocabulary.

Research for Bahok began in summer 2007, and rehearsals started in London in November 2007. By January, the company was ready to travel to China to continue their rehearsals and then perform in the world premiere in Beijing on 25-27 January 2008. After holding it's UK launch in Liverpool as part of the city's European Capital of Culture programme, Bahok has continued to tour the world.

Co-producers:
Sadlers Wells Theatre, London
British Council
The Liverpool Culture Company with Merseyside Dance Initiative
Birmingham Dance Exchange
Theatre de La Ville, Paris
Tanzhaus NRW Dusseldorf
National Arts Center, Ottawa
China Now, London

Supported by:
Arts Council England
The Cultural Leadership Programme (a joint programme between Arts Council England, Creative & Cultural Skills and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council.)

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