Rambert X (LA)HORDE to takeover the Southbank Centre’s iconic site

UK PREMIERE: WE SHOULD HAVE NEVER WALKED ON THE MOON
Wednesday 3 - Saturday 6 September, Royal Festival Hall and Site Wide 

Rambert and Ballet national de Marseille, direction (LA)HORDE join forces to transform the entire Royal Festival Hall and wider site with the UK Premiere of WE SHOULD HAVE NEVER WALKED ON THE MOON.

‘We should have never walked on the moon’ is a quote borrowed from Gene Kelly, who was reported to have said it to Buzz Aldrin. Featuring a cast of 50, including dancers from both companies, DJs and a limousine, this ambitious project explores the role of the body in a post-internet age of infinite information, communication and expression. It subtly considers the dominance of mainstream American culture and how movement becomes a force of homogenisation. 

Audiences are invited to roam freely around the entire Royal Festival Hall building and wider Southbank Centre site at their own pace as performances and digital works take place throughout the evening. Artists will perform in the Royal Festival Hall auditorium with the audience watching from the stage, as well as in unusual spaces, including backstage areas in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Undercroft and the Southbank Centre’s outdoor terraces. 

This large-scale project continues the Southbank Centre’s collaborative relationship with the two powerhouse dance companies, and further demonstrates their joint commitment to surprise and inspire London audiences.

Choreography includes works by (LA)HORDE, Rambert’s Artistic Director Benoit Swan Pouffer, Lucinda Childs, Cécilia Bengolea & François Chaignaud, and Oona Doherty. 

Mark Ball, Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre said: “The Southbank Centre makes culture happen; we are a creative engine room where artists can make inspiring new works and experiences for audiences. This hugely ambitious large-scale project continues our collaborative relationship with two powerhouse dance companies Rambert and (LA)HORDE, and demonstrates our commitment to making bold, surprising and memory-making experiences in the heart of the capital”.

Aaron Wright, Head of Performance & Dance at the Southbank Centre said “Our iconic site is a space where culture makers come to congregate, collaborate and create their best work. It therefore feels fitting that we’ve handed the keys to two world class dance companies, for a once in a lifetime collaboration. Featuring a cast of 50, with dancers from both Rambert and (LA)HORDE X Ballet national de Marseille, We Should Have Never Walked On The Moon, invites audiences to totally rethink what dance can be. It offers a unique opportunity to get up close to live performances and move through cinematic installations across our transformed site to consider what movement can tell us about the age we live in.”

Benoit Swan Pouffer, Artistic Director of Rambert said: “We’re very excited to continue our collaboration with (LA)HORDE and the Southbank Centre with this innovative reimagining of We Should Have Never Walked On The Moon; a coming together of artistic minds and talents. As audiences follow their instincts and create their own unique experiences walking through the different spaces of the Southbank Centre, this immersive dance event promises to be as exciting as it is unexpected.”

(LA)HORDE said: “We have designed ‘We Should Have Never Walked on the Moon’ as an encounter between the dancers of Ballet national de Marseille and performers who have been historical collaborators in our early work. Today, we are delighted to expand this dialogue by bringing in dancers from Rambert and students from the Rambert school, uniting two major European companies through a shared repertoire. We're also thrilled to perform at the Southbank Centre in London again - this time taking over the Royal Festival Hall and wider site - as we only recently made our London debut at the iconic venue.”

This presentation of WE SHOULD HAVE NEVER WALKED ON THE MOON is made possible with the support of Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels. Rambert’s collaboration with (LA)HORDE is supported by Cockayne – Grants for the Arts.

Tickets are on sale www.southbankcentre.co.uk / 0203 879 9555.