Press Release: Rosas returns to Sadler’s Wells Theatre with the UK premiere of EXIT ABOVE this autumn

[Jan McNulty]

Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Meskerem Mees,    Jean-Marie Aerts, Carlos Garbin / Rosas                                          EXIT ABOVE - after the tempest / d'après la tempête / naar de storm  Sadler’s Wells Theatre   Tuesday 12 - Wednesday 13 November 2024  Tickets from £25  Ticket Office: 020 7863 8000 or www.sadlerswells.com      © Anne Van Aerschot    Sadler’s Wells International Associate Company Rosas returns to Sadler’s Wells Theatre with the UK premiere of EXIT ABOVE from Tuesday 12 – Wednesday 13 November. In EXIT ABOVE, acclaimed Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker explores walking as a primary form of movement, and the tension between marching together and stepping out alone. As a soundtrack to this exploration, De Keersmaeker returns to the roots of Western pop and blues music.      The starting point for the performance is the song “Walking Blues” by legendary blues artist Robert Johnson. The journey then leads back to Der Wanderer by Schubert, the best-known composer of the 19th century.  Meskerem Mees, an upcoming Flemish singer songwriter with Ethiopian roots performs other variations of ‘walking songs’, composed together with Jean-Marie Aerts, sound architect of TC Matic, and with dancer and guitarist Carlos Garbin.     In EXIT ABOVE, walking as primal motion and the blues as musical source meet. Choreographically, De Keersmaeker takes the simplest of movements and adds her signature layers of complexity, using precise geometrical patterns. EXIT ABOVE explores the tension between romantic solitary ‘wandern’ (wandering) and the political potential of a group of unarmed people walking together, the individual and the collective, the line and the circle.    Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker founded Rosas in 1983 in Belgium. Her choreographic practice draws its formal principles from geometry, numerical patterns, the natural world, and social structures and is grounded in a rigorous exploration of the relationship between dance and music.  Rosas is a Sadler’s Wells International Associate Company    BSL interpreted post-show talk with Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and Sir Alistair Spalding on Tuesday 12 November 2024.    Listings Information                          Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Meskerem Mees,     Jean-Marie Aerts, Carlos Garbin / Rosas     EXIT ABOVE - after the tempest / d'après la tempête / naar de storm  Sadler’s Wells Theatre  Tuesday 12 – Wednesday 13 November   Tickets from £25  Ticket Office: 020 7863 8000 or www.sadlerswells.com    Cast and creative team  Choreography: Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker  Created with and danced by: Abigail Aleksander, Jean Pierre Buré, Lav Crnčević, José Paulo dos Santos, Rafa Galdino, Carlos Garbin, Nina Godderis, Solal Mariotte, Meskerem Mees, Mariana Miranda, Ariadna Navarrete Valverde, Cintia Sebők (danced by Margarida Marques Ramalhete), Jacob Storer  Music: Meskerem Mees, Jean-Marie Aerts, Carlos Garbin  Music performed by: Meskerem Mees, Carlos Garbin  Scenography: Michel François  Light Design: Max Adams  Costume Design: Aouatif Boulaich  Text and Lyrics: Meskerem Mees, Wannes Gyselinck  Opening Text: Walter Benjamin Über den Begriff der Geschichte, Thèse IX   Dramaturgy: Wannes Gyselinck  Rehearsal Directors: Cynthia Loemij, Clinton Stringer  Artistic Coordination and Planning: Anne Van Aerschot  Assistant to the Artistic Director: Martine Lange  Tour Manager: Daniel Demoustier  Technical Director: Thomas Verachtert  Technicians: Inès Maes, Arno Truyens  Sound: Alex Fostier  Costume Coordinator Alexandra Verschueren assisted by Els Van Buggenhout  Wardrobe: Chiara Mazzarolo  Sewing: Chiara azzarolo, Martha Verleyen     Production: Rosas  Coproduction: Concertgebouw Brugge (Bruges), De Munt / La Monnaie (Brussel / Bruxelles / Brussels), Internationaal Theater Amsterdam, Le théâtre Garonne (Toulouse), GIE FONDOC OCCITANIE (Le Parvis Tarbes, Scène nationale ALBI Tarn, Le Cratère Alès, Scène nationale Grand Narbonne, Théâtre Garonne)  Acknowledgements: Baptiste Alexandre, Naomie Bentein, Bert De Swert, Michel Dierickx, Steven Fillet, Nicolas Fiszman,  Ann-Sofie Merlier, Miet Ongena, Tom Pauwels, Jean-Luc Plouvier, Olivier Thys, Emma Zune  World Premiere: May 31 2023, Théâtre National Wallonie, Brussels presented by Théâtre National Wallonie- Bruxelles, De Munt/ La Monnaie, Kaaitheater and Kunstenfestivaldesarts with the support of Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels    This production is realized with the support of the Tax Shelter of the Belgian Federal Government, in collaboration with Casa Kafka Pictures    Rosas is supported by the Flemish Community and the Flemish Community Commission (VGC)    About Rosas  Rosas is the company of the choreographer and dancer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker. It was founded in 1983 during the creation of the piece Rosas danst Rosas. Since her debut in 1982 with Fase, Four Movements to the Music of Steve Reich, De Keersmaeker has been engaged in a rigorous exploration and articulation of movement, from its simplest forms to its most complex. The relationship between movement and music is essential to De Keersmaeker’s concept of dance. Rosas has expanded the art of dance as an act of writing movements in space and time, and has over the years explored choreography in partnership with other compositional forces, namely music, geometry, the visual arts, and language. De Keersmaeker’s engagement of these disciplines has involved collaborations with experts—musicians, composers, visual artists, actors, writers—who have at different times been integral participants and performers in Rosas productions.    About Sadler’s Wells          Sadler's Wells is a world-leading dance organisation. We strive to make and share dance that inspires us all. Our acclaimed year-round programme spans dance of every kind, from contemporary to flamenco, Bollywood to ballet, salsa to street dance and tango to tap.          We commission, produce and present more dance than any other organisation in the world. Since 2005, we have helped to bring more than 200 new dance works to the stage, embracing both the popular and the unknown. Our acclaimed productions tour the world. Since 2005 we’ve produced 64 new full-length works and performed to audiences of more than two million, touring to 51 countries.          Each year, over half a million people visit our three London theatres - Sadler’s Wells Theatre, Lilian Baylis Studio and Peacock Theatre. Millions more attend our touring productions nationally and internationally or explore our digital platforms, including Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage.        Sadler’s Wells East       In 2025 we’re opening a fourth London venue in Stratford’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Sadler’s Wells East will house a 550-seat mid-scale theatre, as well as facilities for the new Rose Choreographic School and the hip hop theatre training centre, Academy Breakin’ Convention.           Sadler’s Wells East joins the rich cultural heritage of Stratford, opening in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as part of the East Bank development alongside the BBC, UAL’s London College of Fashion, UCL and the V&A. Sadler’s Wells East will support artist development and training, and the creation of new work. It will build the infrastructure for dance and make it accessible to more people. Sadler’s Wells East will house a flexible theatre presenting a wide variety of dance performances. Community will be at the heart of Sadler’s Wells East with a large open foyer that can be used by everyone as a meeting or performance space. There will also be dance studios and world-class dance facilities for dancemakers to train, create and rehearse productions.        Supporting artists      Supporting artists is at the heart of our work. We have associate artists and companies, which nurture some of the most exciting talent working in dance today. We host the National Youth Dance Company, which draws together some of the brightest young dancers from across the country. Sadler’s Wells Breakin' Convention runs professional development programmes to champion and develop the world’s best hip hop artists, as well as producing, programming and touring groundbreaking hip hop performances.          Learning and community links      Around 30,000 people take part in our learning and engagement programmes every year. We support schools local to our theatres in Islington and Stratford, designing experiences for children and young people to watch, explore and critically engage with the arts. We also run Company of Elders, a resident performance company of dancers aged over 60 who rehearse with renowned artists to make new work for public performances locally, nationally and internationally.          Sadler’s Wells is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation.          www.sadlerswells.com         Stay up to date with everything Sadler’s Wells on social media         Facebook: @SadlersWells         Twitter: @Sadlers_Wells         Instagram: @sadlers_wells     @sadlerswells_east  YouTube: Sadler’s Wells Theatre