Ballet Black Makes Sadler's Wells Debut With New Double Bill SHADOWS This November

Now celebrating its 24th year, Cassa Pancho's Ballet Black makes its Sadler's Wells debut with a new double bill SHADOWS performed at Sadler's Wells Theatre from Wednesday 26 – Saturday 29 November.

The company's double bill includes Pancho's darkly comic adaptation of Nigerian-British author Oyinkan Braithwaite's international bestselling novel, My Sister, The Serial Killer, and A Shadow Work by award-winning choreographer Chanel DaSilva.

Cassa Pancho's Ballet Black has transformed the landscape of British ballet, creating a prominent platform for dancers and artists of Black and Asian descent, as well as establishing a new canon of ballet repertoire that resonates with audiences around the world.

Pancho's piece is a thrilling adaptation of My Sister, The Serial Killer. The story follows Korede, who receives a distressed call from her sister Ayoola: she knows that she needs bleach, rubber gloves, nerves of steel, and a strong stomach. It's the third boyfriend Ayoola has killed in “self-defence,” and the third mess Korede must clean up. She would go to the police, but family comes first. Things take a turn when Ayoola begins dating the doctor Korede secretly loves, forcing Korede to choose between saving him and betraying her sister.

A Shadow Work is the British choreographic debut of Brooklyn-born, award-winning choreographer Chanel DaSilva. For this piece, DaSilva delves into the therapy practice of shadow work, which she encountered in her own therapy. It is the process of acknowledging, exploring, and healing the hidden parts of ourselves that we reject and repress into our unconscious minds.

DaSilva's work has been celebrated for its deep exploration of humanity and its potential to inspire transformation both within the dance realm and beyond. DaSilva is the first Black woman to choreograph for The Joffrey Ballet, and she is renowned for inspiring meaningful change through arts.

Cassa Pancho MBE founded Ballet Black in 2001. Since its inception, Ballet Black has been a prolific commissioner of new and critically acclaimed ballets. Cassa Pancho has personally commissioned over 70 new works, actively supporting female choreographers from early stages of their careers, as well as identifying new and providing existing choreographic talent with an exceptional group of dancers and a platform to match. Ballet Black now firmly stands on its own right as an exceptional dance company.

Cassa Pancho, Founder and Artistic Director of Ballet Black said: “We are thrilled to be making our main stage debut at Sadler's Wells this November, with our critically acclaimed double bill, SHADOWS. There is an ongoing discussion about new and diverse voices in ballet and where they might come from; the answer is Ballet Black! It takes an organisation such as ours to lead on this type of work, and we have been doing so, quietly but successfully, for the past 24 years. In this bill, we bring together original, relevant, and exciting works by two diverse women. From therapy and family dynamics to love and murder, SHADOWS explores it all, featuring two brand new musical scores and the adaptation of the best-selling novel, My Sister, The Serial Killer, by Oyinkan Braithwaite."