Photo Flash: Inside National Youth Dance Company's Premiere of MADHEAD

National Youth Dance Company (NYDC) returns for its seventh year with a new intake of 28 young dancers who join the 10 dancers returning from previous cohorts. The newly commissioned work choreographed by Botis Seva, premieres at DanceEast in Ipswich on 20 April. MADHEAD then tours to Plymouth, Newcastle, Essex, Brighton, Birmingham and for the first time since its inception, closes at Sadler's Wells on 19 July.

MADHEAD draws on the robust, exuberant, impulsive energy of youth culture. Seva's unique movement language of physical theatre and hip hop, along with the youthful energy of the NYDC dancers, drawn from across the country, illustrates the influence and creativity that emerging dance artists can bring to a professional dance collaboration.

The new line up of dancers are given the opportunity to engage with dance through working at the highest level, alongside an artistic team with exceptional standards and artistic integrity. Seva and his artistic team work with the dancers over four residencies to create, develop and rehearse the piece.

Photo Credit: Tony Nandi