Sadler’s Wells in October: eight premieres including Associate Artists Akram Khan and Alesandra Seutin and more

This October, Sadler’s Wells sees all four of its venues host some of the foremost dance artists in the world, with UK premieres alongside returning favourites.

Sadler’s Wells Theatre plays host in October to four major presentations, the first of which is a quadruple bill from the English National Ballet entitled R:Evolution. Including pieces from the visionaries George Balanchine, Martha Graham, William Forsythe and David Dawson, the music for three of the works – by Tchaikovsky, Menotti and R. Strauss – will be performed live by English National Ballet Philharmonic, with Madeleine Pierard singing Strauss’s masterwork. The month at Sadler’s Wells Theatre closes out with the premiere of a new piece by Akram Khan, his final work with Akram Khan Company. Entitled Thikra: Night of Remembering, and created in collaboration with award-winning visual artist Manal AlDowayan, the production draws inspiration from the ancient landscape, mythology and cultural heritage of Indian, Arab and European histories, stories told via Khan’s distinctive choreographic language.

October at Sadler’s Wells Theatre also sees the return of Hofesh Shechter’s critically acclaimed Theatre of Dreams, a year on from its UK premiere at Sadler’s Wells last October, as well as Birmingham Royal Ballet’s beloved Black Sabbath – The Ballet. Shechter’s Theatre of Dreams is performed by the dancers of Hofesh Shechter Company, delving deep into the worlds of fantasy and the subconcious, and follows its nomination for Best New Dance Production at the 2025 Olivier Awards. Black Sabbath – The Ballet celebrates the Brummie musical icons Black Sabbath with a theatrical evening of dance set to full orchestrations of legendary Black Sabbath tracks such as Paranoid and Iron Man, as well as new orchestral works inspired by their music.

This October at Sadler’s Wells East sees five productions spanning across different styles of dance from contemporary, to hip hop to Kathak, including four premieres. Dance Umbrella presents the UK debut of Andrea Peña & Artists’ with BOGOTÁ, which brings together ancient mythology, magical realism and baroque architecture. In this brutalist alternative world the queer body meets Colombian political heritage. Breakin’ Convention presents the UK premiere of PRISM by Montreal-based company Tentacle Tribe, choreographed by Tentacle Tribe co-founders, Québeco-Vietnamese b-girl Emmanuelle “Cleopatra” Lê Phan & Swedish b-boy “Elon Wandering Spirit” Höglund. PRISM is a hypnotic dance show that draws on hip hop and contemporary.

Multidisciplinary artist and researcher Pepa Ubera presents the world premiere of Sadler's Wells co-commission The Machine of Horizontal Dreams. Through choreography, sound, light, video, and immersive technology, this boundary-pushing performance installation invites audiences to reimagine Western ideas of progress. Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Alesandra Seutin brings the UK premiere of Mimi’s Shebeen, her collaboration with KVS (Royal Flemish Theatre, Brussels). The genesis of Mimi’s Shebeen began when Seutin was a child, listening to her mother singing the legendary music of Miriam Makeba, an iconic music artist and civil rights activist from South Africa who was banished from her home country.

Finally, Akram Khan Company presents the return of the much-loved family show Chotto Desh adapted by Sue Buckmaster. Chotto Desh, which means ‘small homeland’, draws on Khan’s unique cross-cultural storytelling, creating a tale of a boy’s dreams and memories from Britain to Bangladesh. The production blends Kathak and contemporary dance with a mix of spoken text, dreamlike animation, visuals and specially composed music.

At the Peacock, Sadler’s Wells’ home in the West End, October marks the return of Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman’s supernatural sensation Ghost Stories to the West End. The Olivier Award-nominated theatre show returns to London following its first ever full UK tour, playing a limited six-week season at the Peacock Theatre throughout October through to Saturday 8 November. Suitable for audiences aged 15 and over, this production sees a professor investigate three alleged hauntings, hoping to debunk the presence of any paranormal visitors.

This October in the Lilian Baylis Studio sees three varied productions with something for every age. Amit Noy presents the UK premiere of A Big Big Room Full of Everybody’s Hope, bringing together three generations of his own family to explore the memory that is held between bodies and how we process trauma. Company of Elders, Sadler’s Wells’ resident company for non-professional dancers over 60, invites audiences to join their journey of identity in two new pieces made for them by Euan Garrett and John-William Watson. Ichi Ni San presents the UK premiere of Club Ninja, a show for younger audiences using the interplay between light, shadow and dance to highlight the mischievous sneakiness of the Ninja character.

Finally, over on Digital Stage, there are three films available to stream at home. Dancing at Dusk – A moment with Pina Bausch’s The Rite of Spring returns to Digital Stage until 8 December in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Pina Bausch’s The Rite of Spring, which is now on the final leg of its tour appearing at the Bâtiment des Forces Motrice in Geneva (7 October) and at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris (24 – 28 September), the same venue where Stravinsky’s ballet created shockwaves across the dance world when it premiered there in 1913.

The Little Match Girl, the dance production based on Hans Christian Andersen’s traditional tale performed with live music, is free to access for schools from now until 31 January 2026. There is also a selection of creative teaching resources available on Padlet, which have been tailored to suit those working at Key Stage Levels One and Two. Rounding out the month, and as part of Digital Stage's 'In Conversation with Artists' series, there is a new film focused on Jonzi D, Artistic Director of Breakin’ Convention. An exclusive interview with Jonzi D, the film deep dives into his career as a dance artist, from his contemporary dance training to his route into hip hop dance, where he emphasises the importance of hip hop being recognised as a dance style within traditional theatre spaces.

Watch all three films here: Digital Stage - Sadler's Wells