Akram Khan Company

Akram Khan Company
Name	Akram Khan Company
Founded	1999
Founder	Akram Khan
Headquarters	London, England
Genre	Contemporary dance, Kathak, Physical theatre
Notable works	Kaash, Gnosis, DESH, Homeland, Vertical Road

Contents

Akram Khan Company Akram Khan Company is a London-based contemporary dance company founded in 1999 by choreographer Akram Khan. The ensemble blends South Asian Kathak traditions with European contemporary dance practices and has presented works at major venues and festivals including the Royal Opera House, Sadler's Wells Theatre, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and the Avignon Festival. Its practice intersects with institutions and artists across theatre, visual art, music, and film such as Complicité, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Rambert Dance Company, National Theatre, and English National Opera.

History

The company was established after Khan's formative training at Northern School of Contemporary Dance and apprenticeship with Shobana Jeyasingh and veteran Kathak masters, forming in a moment when British dance culture was engaging with diasporic identities through organizations like Arts Council England and venues such as The Place. Early seasons included commissions from Southbank Centre, collaborations with Richard Alston Dance Company, and performances at festivals including Glastonbury Festival and La Biennale di Venezia. Over successive decades the company developed international touring circuits to institutions such as Brooklyn Academy of Music, Teatro alla Scala, Paris Opera, Barbican Centre, and repertory stages in cities like New York City, Paris, Berlin, Mumbai, and Dhaka.

The company's choreography synthesizes Kathak footwork and storytelling with techniques drawn from contemporary dance innovators like Pina Bausch, William Forsythe, and Merce Cunningham. Performances often integrate collaborators from music—including Nitin Sawhney, Zakir Hussain, and Vikram Goyal—and designers associated with Es Devlin, Gavin Turk, and Tim Yip. Spatial and theatrical approaches reflect intersections with theatre-makers such as Peter Brook, Simon McBurney, and Robert Lepage, while dramaturgy engages writers and poets like Homi K. Bhabha and Tariq Ali. The company’s movement language frequently references South Asian mythic figures, regional histories of Bengal, and diasporic narratives resonant with institutions like British Council and Turner Prize contexts.

Key productions include Kaash (2002), Gnosis (2004), DESH (2011), Homeland (2011), and Vertical Road (2009), each receiving runs at venues such as Sadler's Wells Theatre and festivals like Edinburgh International Festival. Kaash explored themes later echoed in works staged at Royal Albert Hall and presented in festivals like Manchester International Festival; Gnosis involved collaborations with Akram Khan’s cross-disciplinary partners and toured to Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre and Southbank Centre. DESH was developed with composer Nitin Sawhney and designer Tim Yip and was later reworked for large-scale platforms including Lincoln Center. Homeland and Vertical Road expanded the company’s repertoire into cross-media projects shown at Gran Teatre del Liceu and Sydney Opera House.

The company has received commissions from major organisations including Sadler's Wells, Southbank Centre, Birmingham Hippodrome, Royal Opera House and international bodies such as Jagriti Theatre and Singapore Arts Festival. Collaborators have included choreographers and directors Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Complicité director Simon McBurney, composers Nitin Sawhney, Zakir Hussain, visual artists Es Devlin, Tim Yip, and film directors like Michael Winterbottom. Cross-disciplinary projects involved institutions such as Imperial War Museums, British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum and broadcasters like BBC for televised and digital commissions.

The company’s artistic leadership centers on Akram Khan with an administrative structure that has engaged executive directors and producers from networks including Arts Council England and Creative Scotland. Dancers have included alumni from Rambert, English National Ballet, Northern School of Contemporary Dance, and international companies like Kochi-Muziris Biennale participants and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy associates. Rehearsal directors, répétiteurs, and choreographic associates have often been drawn from communities connected to Kathak gurus in Kolkata, Dhaka, and Karachi, as well as mentors from Contemporary Dance Trust.

The company maintains extensive touring schedules across Europe, Asia, North America, and Australasia with residencies at institutions such as Sadler's Wells, Barbican Centre, The Place, Brooklyn Academy of Music, and universities including Goldsmiths, University of London, Royal Holloway, University of London, and University of the Arts London. Education programs and workshops have been run in partnership with organisations like Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, DanceEast, National Youth Dance Company, and international cultural agencies including British Council and Asia-Europe Foundation.

The company and its works have received awards and nominations from bodies including the Laurence Olivier Awards, South Bank Sky Arts Awards, National Dance Awards (UK), and international festival prizes at Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Avignon Festival. Akram Khan’s personal accolades connected to the company include a CBE and invitations to curate programmes at major arts institutions such as Southbank Centre and Sadler's Wells, while productions have been featured in critical year-end lists from publications like The Guardian, The Telegraph, and The New York Times.

Category:Contemporary dance companies Category:Performing arts in London Category:British dance companies