IN THE BRAIN by Hofesh Shechter Company to Extend UK Tour After London Premiere

Hofesh Shechter Company has announced further UK dates for IN THE BRAIN, the company's new production currently touring internationally ahead of its London premiere at the Southbank Centre's Queen Elizabeth Hall this month.

Following its London opening, the production will continue its UK tour with newly announced performances at London's artsdepot in September, DanceEast in Ipswich in October and Exeter Northcott Theatre in November, giving audiences across the country further opportunities to experience the acclaimed new work.

Created by internationally celebrated choreographer Hofesh Shechter for the extraordinary young dancers of Shechter II, IN THE BRAIN is a visceral, immersive dance experience where theatre collides with rave, ritual and collective release.

Part rave. Part ritual. Part collective awakening. IN THE BRAIN invites audiences to surrender to the beat and lose themselves in a thrilling world of movement, music and shared human energy.

Performed by eight exceptional dancers selected from more than 1,200 dancers from 49 countries, the work pulses with Shechter's unmistakable choreographic language—raw, hypnotic and explosive—driven by a thunderous techno score composed by Shechter himself.

Developed from CAVE, originally created for Martha Graham Company and Studio Simkin, IN THE BRAIN expands into a full-length theatrical experience exploring rhythm, ecstasy, freedom and human connection. Bodies surge and collide through shifting states of intensity, from moments of meditative communion to ecstatic bursts of feral energy, transforming the stage into something between underground club, collective ceremony and fever dream.

Launched in 2018, Shechter II is the only paid professional development programme of its kind for emerging contemporary dancers in the UK. Manifesting every two years, it offers exceptional artists aged 18–25 the opportunity to train, create and tour within Hofesh Shechter Company.

Over 1,200 dancers auditioned from 49 countries for the 2026 company. The final eight selected are Matilde Agostinone (Italy), Teige Bisnought (UK), Nagga Baldina (Italy), Skiye Nataliah (UK), Federica Fantuzzi (Italy), Woojin Kwon (South Korea), Armand Lassus (France) and Ella Roberts (UK).

IN THE BRAIN is produced by Hofesh Shechter Company. Commissioned by Agora, Cité Internationale de la Danse, Montpellier. Co-commissioned by Migros Culture Percentage Dance Festival Steps, Château Rouge, scène conventionnée – Annemasse, Espace 1789, scène conventionnée danse - Saint-Ouen, Scène nationale de Bourg-en-Bresse, Düsseldorf Festival!, with production support from Théâtre de la Ville Paris.  

IN THE BRAIN is based on an original work called CAVE, produced by Martha Graham Company, Studio Simkin and Sharing Space, which premiered at City Center Dance Festival, New York City, on 6 April 2022.  

Tour Dates

artsdepot, London
9–10 September 2026 https://www.artsdepot.co.uk/event/shechter-ii-in-the-brain/

DanceEast, Ipswich
21–24 October 2026 https://www.danceeast.co.uk/performances/in-the-brain-shechter-ii/

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