Sadler’s Wells today announces Ebony Scrooge, a brand-new take on Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol, as the first Christmas show at its new venue Sadler’s Wells East in Stratford. A ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company production, the hip hop dance theatre show is brought to life by ZooNation’s Associate Artistic Director Dannielle “Rhimes” LeCointe.
Ebony Scrooge follows a fashion designer as she is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future and rediscovers her Caribbean roots. The production will be created and rehearsed in-house at Sadler’s Wells East and features original music from Boy Blue Co-Artistic Director Michael 'Mikey J' Asante MBE.
Also at Christmas, Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures’ Olivier Award-winning adaptation of The Red Shoes returns to Sadler’s Wells Theatre from December, while Birmingham Rep’s much loved production of The Snowman takes flight once more – the production has been a stalwart at Sadler’s Wells home in the West End, the Peacock Theatre, for the last 28 years.
Breakin’ Convention Festival is back this Spring, hosting the very best international hip hop dance theatre. New for 2025, the Festival includes a family weekend at Sadler’s Wells East with free performances on The Dance Floor, and an Opening Night hosted by BBC 1Xtra DJ Fee Mak at Sadler’s Wells Theatre. Highlights announced so far include S.T.U.C.K by international waacking icon and model Mounia Nassangar, and The Ruggeds, currently the most successful b-boy crew in the world, who return to Breakin’ Convention to celebrate their 20-year anniversary with a brand-new show, featuring live music and Olympic standard breaking.
The Flamenco Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary with dance and music across two weeks this summer in both Islington and Stratford. Highlights include the UK premieres of shows from ‘the queen of flamenco’ Sara Baras, new work from Manuel Liñán, and performances by Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía.
Kontakthof – Echoes of ’78, a Sadler’s Wells, Pina Bausch Foundation and Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch production, has been selected for the prestigious Theatertreffen in Berlin in May 2025. The 62nd edition of Berliner Festspiele’s Theatertreffen presents ten of the most remarkable productions from the last season, chosen by a jury of seven critics, to provide an insight into the German-language theatre landscape. It is very rare for a dance production to have an invitation – the last time Pina Bausch had one was 40 years ago. Kontakthof – Echoes of ’78 received its world premiere to great acclaim at the Opernhaus Wuppertal in autumn 2024. Sadler’s Wells today announces the production will tour to Festspielhaus St. Pölten, Austria and Amare, The Hague, Netherlands in autumn 2025, following the presentation in Berlin, Germany. The production comes to Sadler’s Wells Theatre in spring 2026, with more international dates to be announced soon.
After a hugely successful inaugural year that included a world tour, the resurgent London City Ballet returns with a new repertoire titled Momentum, which includes an early George Balanchine work and a piece by New York City Ballet’s artist in residence Alexei Ratmansky, set against a backdrop of a Wassily Kandinsky masterpiece.
Sadler’s Wells Artistic Associate Jasmin Vardimon’s re-imagining of Alice in Wonderland ALiCE, co-commissioned by Sadler’s Wells, is back by popular demand. ALiCE at Sadler’s Wells Theatre forms part of the company’s 25th anniversary celebrations, alongside NOW, which is playing at Sadler’s Wells East in March.
Second Hand Dance presents The Sticky Dance in Studio 1 at Sadler’s Wells East. Co-created by Rosie Heafford and Takeshi Matsumoto, it’s an interactive, engaging and colourful installation for children and their carers involving a tapestry of sticky tape.
THE HEAT, a Sadler’s Wells commission, is a surreal piece of dance theatre by Becky Naumgauds, presented in the Lilian Baylis Studio, which transforms the home into a dreamscape of tension and primal energy.
Breakin’ Convention
SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE
Breakin’ Convention Festival Opening Night
featuring WORLD & UK PREMIERES
Friday 2 May
Tickets from: £15
Sadler’s Wells’ groundbreaking hip hop festival, Breakin’ Convention, is back this Spring for its twenty-second year of showcasing the best of international hip hop artistry.
The Opening Night is hosted by BBC 1Xtra DJ Fee Mak, and features S.T.U.C.K by international waacking icon and model Mounia Nassangar. Five women and non-binary performers seek to find an answer to mental and physical blockages using waacking, a dance of urgency and expression born of oppression.
Joining them on the programme is The Ruggeds, currently the most successful b-boy crew in the world, who return to Breakin’ Convention to celebrate their 20-year anniversary with a brand-new show, featuring live music and Olympic standard breaking.
More artists will be announced for the Breakin’ Convention Festival Opening Night line up in the coming months.
Recommended for ages 12+
BSL co-compere
Breakin’ Convention
SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE
Breakin’ Convention 2025
featuring WORLD & UK PREMIERES
Saturday 3 – Sunday 4 May
Tickets from: £15
Hosted and curated by UK Breakin’ Convention Artistic Director Jonzi D, Breakin’ Convention 2025 showcases the best of hip hop for the twenty-second year running. New for 2025, the Festival includes a family weekend at Sadler’s Wells East with free performances on The Dance Floor, situated in Sadler’s Wells East’s foyer.
The stellar lineup includes incredible performances, live DJs, dance workshops, graffiti classes, emcees, and food stalls taking over both Sadler’s Wells and Sadler’s Wells East in an unforgettable experience.
Artists hailing from the world over, as well as the best of UK talent, including Mounia Nassangar, Saido Lehlouh, and The Ruggeds, will take to the stage across the weekend. Full lineup to be announced soon.
Recommended for ages 12+
Becky Namgauds
LILIAN BAYLIS STUDIO
THE HEAT
Thursday 22 – Friday 23 May
Tickets from: £17
THE HEAT, a surreal dance theatre piece by London-based multidisciplinary artist Becky Namgauds, begins in the realm of a domestic space.
As the landscape unravels, cracks appear and the audience are presented with dark vignettes of simmering desires and moments of biting absurdity, transforming the home into a dreamscape of tension and primal energy. THE HEAT explores the home as both a place of danger and also a sanctuary where we can be our most real selves.
With great physicality and dark humour, the dancers paint a portrait of the wild forces that lie just beneath the surface.
The piece features music specially composed by Domenico Angarano and intricate set and costume design by Linbury Prize-winning production designer Yimei Zhao.
THE HEAT is a Sadler's Wells commission
Audio described performance on Friday 23 May
This production contains full nudity
Jasmin Vardimon Company
SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE
ALiCE
Friday 23 - Saturday 24 May
Tickets from: £15
Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Jasmin Vardimon’s re-imagining of Lewis Caroll's classic,?Alice in Wonderland, returns to Sadler’s Wells following its previous run in 2022.
ALiCE promises?a?show of?arresting?images, strong performers and?kinetic scenery. A woman, or perhaps a child, unsure of her identity and where she is going, escaping or exploring, discovering the powers within her?changing body. The world around her is different, curious, and compelling.
Jasmin Vardimon’s ALiCE follows NOW, a retrospective of the last twenty-five years of work at the Jasmin Vardimon Company, which visits Sadler’s Wells East in March.
Co-commissioned?by Sadler’s Wells and DanceEast, iCCi (University of Kent) and Kent County Council
Recommended for ages 7+
The original production of ALiCE was a Sadler’s Wells co-production
Audio described performance and accompanying touch tour on Saturday 24 May
Second Hand Dance
SADLER’S WELLS EAST – STUDIO 1
The Sticky Dance
Thursday 29 – Saturday 31 May 2025
Tickets from: £14
Three dancers' shimmy through the audience weaving a tapestry of sticky tape in this tactile dance performance for young children. Audiences are encouraged to explore freely, choosing how they engage, and turning the rules upside down.
The Sticky Dance is open for two hours for each performance. The recommended time in the space is 45 – 60 minutes, although guests are welcome to stay for longer or less with entrance slots available every 15 minutes. The first two slots have a lower capacity, for children who might prefer a gentler start.
Co-commissioned by Southbank Centre and The Place, and South East Dance. With support from Stanley Arts and using public funding by Arts Council England.
Recommended for ages 3-5 and their families
Flamenco Festival 2025:
The Flamenco Festival returns to London to celebrate its 20th anniversary with some of the finest talent from Spain.
Ballet Flamenco Sara Baras
SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE
Vuela
UK PREMIERE
Tuesday 27 May - Sunday 1 June
Tickets from: £15
Ballet Flamenco Sara Baras celebrates its 25th anniversary with a tribute to the flamenco guitar virtuoso, Paco de Lucía.
Vuela (meaning “fly”) is performed by Sara Baras together with 12 exceptional musicians and dancers. It takes audiences on a choreographic journey of 15 unique pieces across four acts, each revolving around a different word: Wood, Sea, Death and Fly.
Sara Baras is celebrated for her lightning-fast footwork, intricate hand, arm and body movements, as well as her captivating stage presence and choreography.
Compañía Manuel Liñán
SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE
Muerta de Amor
UK PREMIERE
Monday 2 June
Tickets from: £15
Andalusian dancer and choreographer Manuel Liñán debuts his latest work with 12 performers on stage, including musicians and flamenco dancers. Muerta de Amor embraces desire and fantasy while showcasing Liñán trademark subversive brilliance.
Liñán is a Flamenco Festival regular, and most recently presented his creation Amor Amado Amén as part of the Festival in 2023. In 2024, Liñán’s ¡VIVA! returned for performances at The Peacock Theatre.
Compañía Mercedes Ruiz
SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE
Romancero del Baile Flamenco
UK PREMIERE
Tuesday 3 June
Tickets from: £15
Bailaora and choreographer Mercedes Ruiz and composer and guitarist Santiago Lara present the UK premiere of Romancero del Baile Flamenco - an authentic and elegant flamenco journey.
Established artists in the current flamenco scene, they have created 12 shows over 20 years working together, which has led them to step into some of the most important theatres in the world: Theatre de la Ville (Paris), Auditorio Parco de la Música (Rome), Teatro La Fenice (Venice), International House of Music (Moscow), Sadler's Wells, and Teatro Gran Via (Madrid).
Farruquito
SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE
Con-Cierto Flamenco
UK PREMIERE
Wednesday 4 June
Tickets from: £15
Farruquito debuted with his grandfather – the renowned Farruco – in 1987. Now he is joined on stage by his son, El Moreno, to share in the family legacy in this endearing and captivating performance.
Juan Manuel Fernández Montoya, known artistically as Farruquito, is a dancer characterised by strength, passion and a refined technique, and he is considered one of the greatest exponents of current flamenco.
Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía
SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE
Pineda: Romance popular en tres estampas
UK PREMIERE
Friday 6 June - Saturday 7 June
Tickets from: £15
Based on the play by Federico García Lorca, this narrative flamenco ballet follows the tragic and true tale of Mariana Pineda.
Mariana Pineda explores a conflict of fate, freedom and womanhood, recounting her short and turbulent life. A beautiful young widow and mother, Mariana falls in love with the revolutionary Don Pedro de Sotomayor. As the law closes in around her, she must make the impossible choice of betraying her lover or saving her life.
Returning to Sadler’s Wells, Granada-born Patricia Guerrero directs the Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía for the first time, presenting this story in three acts and bringing new vibrancy to the heroine’s tale.
Estévez/Paños y compañía
SADLER’S WELLS EAST
Retablo experimental sobre el baile flamenco
UK PREMIERE
Sunday 8 June
Tickets from: £15
Estévez and Paños, joined by Alberto Sellés, Jorge Morera, and Manuel Montes, draw inspiration from the classical flamenco dance form, the bodily expression of a cantaor (flamenco singer) transformed into movement, and the historic dialogues between artists.
They celebrate the union of tradition and vanguard, the orthodox and the experimental, the interplay of cante (song) and baile (dance), and the convergence of body and soul, past and present. This performance invites audiences to experience flamenco as never before: a fusion of zapateado, song, dance, silence, and pure expression – a vibrant tribute to the ever-evolving art of flamenco.
London Children’s Ballet
PEACOCK THEATRE
Ella’s Big Chance – A Jazz Age Cinderella
Thursday 3 – Sunday 6 July
Tickets from: £18
This exciting new production of Ella’s Big Chance – A Jazz Age Cinderella by London Children’s Ballet (LCB) will be performed by a talented company of 50 young dancers, aged 9-16, to the music of a live orchestra. Full of humour, drama and excitement, this is the perfect introductory show for children aged 3+ and for the whole family to enjoy.
London Children’s Ballet Ella’s Big Chance – A Jazz Age Cinderella is based on an original story by Shirley Hughes and adapted for the stage with a new scenario by LCB’s artistic director Ruth Brill. It features choreography by Kristen McNally, a new score composed by Ian Stephens and a new set and costume designs by Carrie-Ann Stein.?Shirley Hughes was a much-loved author illustrator, most famous for the Alfie books and Dogger.
Recommended for ages 3+
London City Ballet SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE
Momentum
Saturday 13 – Sunday 14 September
Tickets from: £15
London City Ballet, the former resident company of Sadler's Wells, returns after a staggering inaugural year. This season delivers a brand-new repertoire showcasing artists rarely seen in the UK. Joined again by the celebrated ballerina Alina Cojocaru, who will appear at all performances.
London City Ballet present George Balanchine's Haieff Divertimento - an early work by the master choreographer originally thought lost for 40 years after its premiere and to this day remaining unseen outside the USA.
Alexei Ratmansky, New York City Ballet's artist in residence, is a leading light on the global dance scene. ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’ is set to Modest Mussorgsky’s eponymous score against a backdrop of Wassily Kandinsky’s masterpieces, allowing the dancers to truly bring the art to life.
Unseen in the UK since its 2009 premiere, Consolations & Liebestraum by Liam Scarlett is a response to Franz Liszt’s piano score of the same name. Played live, Scarlett's ballet depicts the lifecycle of a relationship from blossoming to fracturing.
Emerging choreographer, Florent Melac, best known as a Premier Danseur at the Paris Opera Ballet, creates a new work in a unique, fluid, musical style which combines inventive transitions with intimate partnering.
An artist development project with rising choreographic voice, Tasha Chu will be showcased at selected venues throughout future seasons as London City Ballet build momentum and continue bringing dance to venues across the country.
BSL interpreted post-show talk on Sunday 14 September
Sadler’s Wells, Pina Bausch Foundation and Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch
Kontakthof – Echoes of ’78 ON TOUR
An encounter with Pina Bausch’s piece Kontakthof
Conceived and Directed by Meryl Tankard
Theatertreffen, Berlin, Germany: May 2025
Festspielhaus St. Pölten, Austria: 11 October 2025
Amare, The Hague, Netherlands: 15, 16, 18 October 2025
Kontakthof – Echoes of ’78 is a new encounter with Bausch’s seminal work, conceived and directed by Meryl Tankard, who was one of the main characters in 1978, and produced by Sadler’s Wells, the Pina Bausch Foundation and Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch. For this unique production Tankard reunites with other dancers from the original cast.
Originally premiered in 1978, Kontakthof is a cornerstone of Bausch’s repertoire, created at a time when her work was beginning to receive international recognition. It is a key example of her long-standing collaboration with Rolf Borzik, whose striking set and costume designs helped shape the work’s enduring legacy.
During the creation of the 1978 production, Pina Bausch often mused on the idea of seeing her original cast dance the piece when older. Now – 47 years after the premiere of the original production, Kontakthof – Echoes of ’78 ?features interactions between past and present. The live performance integrates projections of Borzik’s footage from the original Kontakthof with the company as young dancers performing with those no longer with us on stage
Birmingham Repertory Theatre
PEACOCK THEATRE
The Snowman
Saturday 22 November – Sunday 4 January 2026
Tickets from: £18
Back for its 28th year, The Snowman is a magical stage adaptation of the much-loved picture book by Raymond Briggs and the film directed by Dianne Jackson. The Snowman, a heartwarming tale of a boy and a snowman who comes to life, is an enchanting introduction to dance for the whole family.
The Snowman is directed by Bill Alexander and features music and lyrics by Howard Blake, including the song ‘Walking in the Air’, design by Ruari Murchison, lighting by Tim Mitchell, and choreography by Robert North, all of which is accompanied by a live orchestra.
Audio described performance and accompanying touch tour on Saturday 13 December
Relaxed performance on Wednesday 3 December
ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company
SADLER’S WELLS EAST
Ebony Scrooge
WORLD PREMIERE
Wednesday 26 November - Sunday 4 January 2026
Tickets from: £15
A brand-new adaptation of A Christmas Carol, Ebony Scrooge blends hip hop, comedy and physical theatre. This new festive family show follows Ebony, the formidable mastermind behind a renowned fashion empire who has cancelled Christmas for her landmark fashion show.
Surrounded by wealth, style and success, Ebony embarks on a journey accompanied by three mystical visitors to rediscover her Caribbean roots, and the true meaning of happiness.
Ebony Scrooge is brought to life by East London born and raised choreographer Dannielle 'Rhimes' Lecointe, Associate Artistic Director of ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company. It features original music from Artistic Director of Boy Blue Michael 'Mikey J' Asante MBE, and is the first festive season show at our new theatre Sadler’s Wells East.
A ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company and Sadler’s Wells production
Audio described performance and accompanying touch tour on Saturday 13 December
Relaxed performance on Wednesday 17 December
Captioned performance on Saturday 6 December
Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures
SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE
The Red Shoes
Tuesday 2 December – Sunday 18 January 2026
Tickets from: £15
A timeless fairytale and Academy Award-winning movie, The Red Shoes has captivated audiences and inspired generations of dancers with its tale of obsession and possession. Victoria Page lives to dance but her ambitions become a fierce struggle between the two men who inspire her passion.
Matthew Bourne’s double Olivier Award-winning production of the legendary Powell and Pressburger film is set to a score orchestrated by Terry Davies, featuring the music of golden-age Hollywood composer Bernard Herrmann, with designs by Lez Brotherston (set and costumes), Paule Constable (lighting) and Paul Groothuis (sound).
An intoxicating drama where life imitates art with fateful consequences, The Red Shoes will dazzle your senses and break your heart.
Audio described performance and accompanying touch tour on Saturday 10 January.