July at Sadler’s Wells

This July at the Peacock Theatre, London Children’s Ballet presents a revival of their 2022 production Anne of Green Gables, including a cast of dancers aged 9-16 (Friday 3-Sunday 5 July). 
 
At Sadler’s Wells East, Our Mighty Groove, the inaugural show at the theatre and winner of Best Dance Production at the 2025 Black British Theatre Awards returns in a new staging, inspired by Vicki Igbokwe-Ozoagu’s own joyful experiences at a New York nightclub (Thursday 2 - Saturday 4 July). Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Aakash Odedra's National Dance Award-winning Songs of the Bulbul returns after a sold-out premiere season, exploring the bulbul myth and fleeting nature of dance and life (Tuesday 7 - Saturday 11 July). 

Also at Sadler’s Wells East, the next generation of dance artists will be celebrated in July with the second edition of YFX Festival, taking over the building for a week of youth performances from around the country (Wednesday 13 - Saturday 18 July). The Festival kicks off with the National Platform of Making Moves, an evening of performances from eight school and youth groups selected from across the country. The dancers are aged between 11-18 (up to 24 for d/Deaf or Disabled) with the groups hailing from Burnley, Penrith, Gosforth, Sheffield, Milton Keynes, Wolverhampton, Leeds and Tring.

National Youth Dance Company (NYDC), England’s flagship company for young dancers run by Sadler’s Wells will perform Alleyne Dance’s Memory Keepers and a there is a festival takeover from the Olivier Award-winning Boy Blue as part of the company’s 25th anniversary celebrations. Other activity throughout the week includes a youth dance symposium, a series of free workshops and programming across The Dance Floor. Sadler’s Wells also tours NYDC’s Memory Keepers to AMATA, Falmouth on Tuesday 14 & Wednesday 15 July, and to The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry on Thursday 23 July.

This summer, Sadler’s Wells East is the social dance hub for The Music is Black Festival from East Bank with The Dance Floor is Black: four specially programmed weekends throughout the summer, each responding to different genres of Black British music, which kicks off this weekend. The second weekend celebrates Black Women, on Saturday 11 July Jade Hackett’s Let Love Be Your Rock will showcase original group work set to Lovers Rock and Reggae music, there will also be a live set from 'The Queen of Lovers Rock', Carroll Thompson. On the Saturday afternoon BORN N BREAD presents Toasty Tots – a session for families including DJ sets, sing-alongs, party games and dance breaks. On Sunday 12 July, DJ’s L’attise Rhoden and Glade Marie will be sharing the decks.

At Sadler’s Wells Theatre, Matthew Bourne’s award-winning The Car Man returns; the iconic production is loosely based on Bizet’s opera with its thrilling and instantly recognisable score (Tuesday 28 July - Saturday 29 August).

Currently on Digital Stage 

Three new films are available to view for free on Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage this July. 

F.bird a film by Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Jules Cunningham, Julie Verhoeven, and JD Samson is an exploration into the alternative worlds of fire bird - Cunningham’s live dance solo - a queer interpretation of the iconic Stravinsky musical score. 
Available to watch here: https://www.sadlerswells.com/digital-stage/motion-picture/fbird/

In another of the Choreographer Conversations series, Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Sir Matthew Bourne discusses his career with Sadler’s Wells Artistic Director Sir Alistair Spalding.
 
Available to watch here: https://www.sadlerswells.com/digital-stage/choreographer-conversations/matthew-bourne/

As part of Elixir Festival 2026, dancers of all ages came together to perform the iconic Nelken Line, one of Pina Bausch’s most celebrated sequences. This short film captures the joyful procession moving from Sadler’s Wells East through the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, led by Pina Bausch company member Anne Martin. 

Available to watch here: Pina Bausch’s The Nelken Line | A community dance film