Akram Khan Releases Short Film ‘XEN’ Ahead Of His Final Performance As A Solo Dancer

Sadler’s Wells has commissioned Associate Artist Akram Khan to create a short film inspired by XENOS, his final new full-length solo show which receives its UK premiere at Sadler’s Wells on Wednesday this week, running until 9 June. The 7-minute film, XEN, produced by Illuminations for Sadler’s Wells, is a reimagined version of Akram Khan’s performance for the screen.

Khan said: “XEN has been a wonderful experience and an incredible learning process, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. When I was growing up, music videos had a huge influence on me and inspired me to dance, and it’s amazing to be able to share XENOS in a different way and with wider audiences through the film.”

Khan conjures the shell-shocked dream of a colonial soldier in the context of the First World War. Meaning ‘stranger’ or ‘foreigner’, XENOS takes place where humanity stands in wonder and disarray, on the border between East and West, past and present, mythology and technology. The production reveals the beauty and horror of the human condition and seeks to express tales of loss, hope and redemption, through a movement language that shifts between classical kathak and contemporary dance.

Khan is one of the most celebrated and highly regarded dance makers working today. An instinctive and natural collaborator, he has been a magnet to world-class artists from diverse cultures and disciplines. XENOS marks Khan’s final performances as a solo dancer in a new full-length piece. The production is part of Sadler’s Wells’ 20th anniversary celebrations, and is among 20 commissions marking 20 years of the current building, which opened in 1998.

Alistair Spalding, Sadler’s Wells Artistic Director and Chief Executive said: “I am so excited about this new collaboration with Akram Khan, which beautifully complements his live performances at Sadler’s Wells. We have a long standing ethos of accessibility and having the short film of XEN available on our website for free means that anyone around the world can enjoy and be inspired by Akram’s work.”

Images courtesy Sadler’s Wells