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Sadler’s Wells in November

This November, a bestselling novel about serial killers is transposed to the stage, and three acclaimed choreographers respond to the music of Muhly.

14 October 2025

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Ballet Black, Shadows, Image Credit ASH

This November, Sadler’s Wells sees all four of its venues host renowned dance artists from the UK and beyond, multiple premieres and the kick off festive productions with the return of the beloved Christmas classic The Snowman alongside the brand-new adaptation of A Christmas Carol, Ebony Scrooge. 

Sadler’s Wells Theatre offers four major presentations in November. Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Crystal Pite and Simon McBurney join forces with Nederlands Dans Theater in a culmination of a four-year collaboration Figures in Extinction. A response to the climate crisis, Pite and McBurney have weaved their hopes and fears for our current moment into this timely dance trilogy. Later in the month, Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist and multi-award-winning choreographer Sharon Eyal and collaborator Gai Behar partner with producer and composer Koreless for the physical and sensual Into the Hairy, which receives its UK premiere. 

Sadler’s Wells presents Marking Time a triple bill of three new commissions by Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Jules Cunningham, Michael Keegan-Dolan and Maud Le Pladec, created in response to music by composer Nico Muhly. Marking Time is part of Sadler’s Wells’ Composer Series. During the performance, there will be live music performed by Britten Sinfonia supplemented with recordings from Muhly’s catalogue.

Now celebrating its 24th year, Cassa Pancho’s Ballet Black makes its Sadler’s Wells debut with a new double bill SHADOWS. The programme includes Pancho’s darkly comic adaptation of Nigerian-British author Oyinkan Braithwaite’s international bestselling novel, My Sister, The Serial Killer, and A Shadow Work by award-winning American choreographer Chanel DaSilva.

Over at Sadler’s Wells East, the first of two productions is Toussaint to Moves’s FREE, a powerful journey celebrating resistance, rhythm, and the radical joy of freedom by Akeim Toussaint Buck. Celebrating Reggae's global injection that has ignited revolutions around the world since the 1960s, this immersive performance is accompanied by original music with strong reggae and hints of jazz influences written and performed by Buck and The Magnificence.

To start the Christmas season, the first ever Christmas show at Sadler’s Wells East opens later in November with the world premiere of Ebony Scrooge. A brand-new adaptation of A Christmas Carol, blending hip hop, comedy and physical theatre, Ebony Scrooge is a ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company and Sadler’s Wells production. The family friendly hip hop dance theatre show is brought to life by East London born and raised choreographer Dannielle 'Rhimes' Lecointe, Associate Artistic Director of ZooNation. The show will feature original music from Sky Arts and Olivier Award-winning Boy Blue Co-Artistic Director Michael 'Mikey J' Asante MBE.

At the Peacock, Sadler’s Wells’ home in the West End, November marks the return of The Snowman for its 28th year. Birmingham Rep presents the family Christmas classic with a six-week run. The dance show features the iconic music and lyrics by Howard Blake, including ‘Walking in the Air’, this year marks the 40th year anniversary of the classic Aled Jones recording, making the performance a special celebration of the beloved music.

This November, the Lilian Baylis Studio sees the UK premiere of Armin Hokmi’s Shiraz. Inspired by the Shiraz Arts Festival, which took place yearly between 1967 and 1977 in southern Iran, Hokmi, together with their team, bring this treasured tradition into our present day. 
 
Sadler’s Wells has three touring productions on the road this November. Sadler's Wells Associate Artist Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui's Sutra is on a North American tour from 29 October to 9 November, stopping at The Granada Theater, Santa Barbara, The Luckman Fine Arts Complex at Cal State LA, Los Angeles, Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, Davis and Cal Performances, Berkeley. Kontakthof – Echoes of ’78 a Sadler’s Wells, Pina Bausch Foundation and Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch production, is in Shanghai, 7-9 November at Shanghai International Dance Center and in Hamburg, at Kampnagel from 14-16 November. Finally, Pete Townshend’s Quadrophenia, A Rock Ballet makes its international debut at New York City Center on 14-16 November. 

In November, Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage is focusing on Pina Bausch with a collection of films celebrating the visionary choreographer. These films are available for free online: https://www.sadlerswells.com/digital-stage/

Dancing at Dusk is available to watch until 8 December, in this film, Pina Bausch’s 1975 seminal work, The Rite of Spring, is danced in an extraordinary setting, on the beach in Toubab Dialaw, Senegal. Performed by a specially assembled company of 38 dancers from 14 African countries. This international co-production between Sadler’s Wells, Pina Bausch Foundation, and École des Sables, should have opened in March 2020 in Dakar. However, just days before the premiere, performances were cancelled as governments around the world banned public gatherings and began shutting their borders due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Before going into lockdown, the company seized the moment by performing a last rehearsal on a beach near their base at École des Sables in Senegal. Filmmaker Florian Heinzen-Ziob and his crew were able to capture this unique moment in the film.
 
The film is available here: https://www.sadlerswells.com/digital-stage/dancing-at-dusk-a-moment-with-pina-bauschs-the-rite-of-spring-2025/

The Rite of Spring - an on-screen collaboration is available to watch until 8 December, an up close and intimate portrayal of Pina Bausch’s The Rite of Spring. Captured at Sadler’s Wells in 2024, the film celebrates the 50th anniversary of Pina Bausch’s seminal work. The film release follows sell-out performances across the globe and coincides with the company’s appearance on stage at Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, the original venue for Stravinsky’s   groundbreaking ballet in 1913. 

The film is available here: https://www.sadlerswells.com/digital-stage/pina-bausch-the-rite-of-spring/

In 1978, Pina Bausch created Kontakthof alongside her collaborator Rolf Borzik and company, Tanztheater Wuppertal. Whilst creating it she often mused on the idea of seeing the same cast dance her iconic work when much older. In 2024, nine of the original cast reunited to create Kontakthof – Echoes of ’78, under the artistic direction of Meryl Tankard. In Dancing through time - returning to Pina Bausch's Kontakthof Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage goes behind the scenes of the fascinating process, meeting company members who danced both then and now. They talk about working with Pina, re-visiting their earlier performances and the absence of those no longer on the stage.
 
The film is available here: Dancing through time - Returning to Pina Bausch's Kontakthof - Sadler's Wells Digital Stage