Sadler’s Wells and Wayne McGregor announce exciting new collaboration between Grace Wales Bonner and The National Youth Dance Company

Sadler’s Wells and NYDC Guest Artistic Director and Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Wayne McGregor CBE today announce that The National Youth Dance Company (NYDC) are collaborating with renowned fashion designer Grace Wales Bonner for new work celebrating the company’s 10th anniversary.

Wales Bonner designs the costumes for McGregor’s Novacene, which receives its world premiere this week at The Lowry, Salford on Saturday 15 April. The National Youth Dance Company, which this year is made up of 34 young dancers from 19 towns and cities across the country, will then perform at Sadler’s Wells Theatre on Saturday 3 June followed by a UK tour. This year marks the 10^th anniversary of the company and to celebrate Sadler’s Wells will host a series of birthday parties linked to the tour dates bringing young people together to celebrate and dance. Sadler’s Wells Learning & Engagement department will lead activity around the country, including 100 free school workshops and five regional commissions celebrating the success of the company.

McGregor has always been fascinated by the world of augmented humans, robots, hyperintelligence and how, more recently, AI has the capability to supplement and evolve our physical and mental experience.

Wayne McGregor CBE said, ‘The brilliant scientist and inventor James Lovelock has written a very provocative book on this subject: Novacene. Our period of evolution today where cyborgs think 10,000 times quicker than we do and have the capability of programming themselves and their descendants in ways that will be beyond all human understanding. What is the future human? A Novacene CYBORG 2023.’

‘NYDC is delighted to be collaborating with Grace Wales Bonner and her team for Novacene – a new dance work that celebrates the dynamic and breathtakingly individual talents of the company. As Guest Artistic Director this year, I wanted these young artists to experience the full range of creative power that converges to create work. Grace’s imagination, style and contemporary vision speaks to us all and having her and the team work hands on with our young artists is nothing short of inspirational.

New voices, new dance, NYDC artists are leading the way to an evolving and inspirational fresh dance scene. The passion and optimism these dancers emit is infectious. If we ever need reminding why humans dance – you can feel it with them every day in the studio. It’s totally exhilarating. We are all extremely excited to see where these artists decide to take their own work and hope to be a continual part of that journey for them in whatever way we can nurture and support. New voices, new dance, NYDC artists are leading the way to an evolving and inspirational fresh dance scene.’

Grace Wales Bonner said, ‘I have always been inspired by the rich and expressive gestures of dance in designing silhouettes, so it has been a great pleasure to collaborate with NYDC and Wayne McGregor. I hope these custom Wales Bonner pieces allow the young artists to shine with their full individuality and energy.’

Grace Wales Bonner launched her established label Wales Bonner in 2014, the label is informed by broad cultural research and embraces a multiplicity of perspectives. Wales Bonner has received numerous awards including Emerging Menswear Designer at the British Fashion Awards (2015), the LVMH Young Designer Prize (2016), Winner of the British Fashion Council/ Vogue Designer Fashion Fund (2019), CFDA International Men’s Designer of the Year (2021) and Independent British Brand at the Fashion Awards (2022). Wales Bonner has collaborated with Dior and Adidas.

NYDC is the country’s flagship company for young dancers run by Sadler’s Wells. During the dancers’ time with NYDC, they are offered a unique insight into the dance profession, living and working closely together as a company, alongside NYDC staff and the artistic team. The year-long experience within the company provides members with the necessary skills and techniques to find career opportunities and raise aspirations, self-esteem and confidence.

Over the last 10 years NYDC has worked with over 7000 young people through workshops and projects across the country. 313 young people have joined the company, creating 10 full length dance productions by internationally renowned choreographers including Alesandra Seutin, Russell Maliphant, Botis Seva, Sharon Eyal, Damien Jalet, Michael Keegan Dolan, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Akram Khan & Jasmin Vardimon.