DanceWorks: Choreographing History

Curated and created through an innovative partnership with the world leading dance house, Sadler’s Wells, these artist-led films give viewers a unique insight into the world of contemporary and classical dance in Britain today.

Each film takes us behind the scenes with an extraordinary dancer at different points of their careers and from diverse backgrounds and styles. We follow their process as they create new work and explore ideas and themes that inspire them through dance pieces, which will be showcased in extended sequences within the films.

Choreographing History

Experimental and highly original, Shobana Jeyasingh’s new work Contagion will, through dance, evoke the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, which killed over 50 million people.

This film will be a unique insight into a choreographer’s artistic process and their sources of inspiration as Shobana researches the pandemic and attempts to translate what she finds into movement, working closely with dancers on the stage.

Part of BBC Four's Dance Season

• Producer: Bia Oliveira for Sadler’s Wells
• Director: Glen Milner for ClearStory
• Commissioning Editor: Emma Cahusac for BBC Arts
• Executive Producer: Molly Milton and Russell Barnes for ClearStory
• Executive Producer: Alistair Spalding for Sadler’s Wells

Publicity contact: MC4/SRB