This October, Sadler’s Wells will see all four of its venues host some of the world’s foremost dance artists, with UK premieres and returning favourites set to light up the stage.
Sadler’s Wells Theatre opens the month with English National Ballet’s R:Evolution, a quadruple bill featuring works by George Balanchine, Martha Graham, William Forsythe, and David Dawson. The music for three of the pieces—by Tchaikovsky, Menotti, and R. Strauss—will be performed live by English National Ballet Philharmonic, with Madeleine Pierard singing Strauss’s masterwork.
The month closes at Sadler’s Wells Theatre with the premiere of Akram Khan’s final work with Akram Khan Company, Thikra: Night of Remembering. 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, told through Khan’s distinctive choreographic language.
October also sees the return of Hofesh Shechter’s critically acclaimed Theatre of Dreams, performed by Hofesh Shechter Company, and Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Black Sabbath – The Ballet. Shechter’s piece delves deep into the worlds of fantasy and the subconscious, while Black Sabbath – The Ballet celebrates the legendary band with a theatrical evening of dance set to orchestrations of iconic tracks such as “Paranoid” and “Iron Man”.
At Sadler’s Wells East, five productions span contemporary, hip hop, and Kathak, including four premieres. Dance Umbrella presents the UK debut of Andrea Peña & Artists with BOGOTÁ, a work that fuses ancient mythology, magical realism, and baroque architecture. Breakin’ Convention brings the UK premiere of PRISM by Montreal-based Tentacle Tribe, choreographed by Emmanuelle “Cleopatra” Lê Phan and “Elon Wandering Spirit” Höglund.
Multidisciplinary artist Pepa Ubera presents the world premiere of The Machine of Horizontal Dreams, a boundary-pushing performance installation that invites audiences to reimagine Western ideas of progress. Associate Artist Alesandra Seutin brings the UK premiere of Mimi’s Shebeen, inspired by the legendary music and activism of Miriam Makeba.
Akram Khan Company also presents the return of the much-loved family show Chotto Desh, adapted by Sue Buckmaster. This production blends Kathak and contemporary dance with spoken text, animation, and specially composed music, telling a cross-cultural story of dreams and memories from Britain to Bangladesh.
At the Peacock Theatre, October marks the return of Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman’s supernatural sensation Ghost Stories to the West End, following its first full UK tour. The Olivier Award-nominated show plays a limited six-week season, as a professor investigates three alleged hauntings in a bid to debunk the paranormal.
The Lilian Baylis Studio offers three varied productions. Amit Noy presents the UK premiere of A Big Big Room Full of Everybody’s Hope, exploring intergenerational memory and trauma. Company of Elders, Sadler’s Wells’ resident company for non-professional dancers over 60, presents two new pieces by Euan Garrett and John-William Watson. Ichi Ni San brings the UK premiere of Club Ninja, a show for younger audiences that uses light, shadow, and dance to highlight the mischievous Ninja character.
On Digital Stage, three films are available to stream at home. Dancing at Dusk – A moment with Pina Bausch’s The Rite of Spring returns until 8 December, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Bausch’s iconic work. The Little Match Girl, based on Hans Christian Andersen’s tale, is free for schools until 31 January 2026, with creative teaching resources available. Rounding out the month, a new film in the ‘In Conversation with Artists’ series focuses on Jonzi D, Artistic Director of Breakin’ Convention, exploring his career and the importance of hip hop in theatre spaces.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
