Akram Khan (dancer)

Khan was born in Wimbledon, London, England, into a family from Dhaka, Bangladesh. He began dancing and trained in the classical South Asian dance form of Kathak at the age of seven. He studied with Sir Pratap Pawar, later becoming his disciple. He began his stage career in the Adventures of Mowgli tour 1984–1985 produced by the Academy of Indian Dance, now Akademi South Asian Dance. At the age of 13, he was cast in Peter Brook's Shakespeare Company production of Mahabharata, touring the world between 1987 and 1989 and appearing in the televised version of the play broadcast in 1988.[1]

Following later studies in Contemporary Dance at De Montfort University[2] and Performing Arts at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance and a period working with Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker's Brussels based X-Group project, he began presenting solo performances of his work in the 1990s.

In August 2000, he launched Akram Khan Company. Always one for collaboration, he founded it alongside former dancer and recently graduated arts manager, Farooq Chaudhry.[3] His first full-length work Kaash, a collaboration with Anish Kapoor and Nitin Sawhney, was performed at the Edinburgh Festival in 2002.[4]

"The rules of Khan’s new company were simple: take risks, think big and daring, explore the unfamiliar, avoid compromise and tell stories through dance that are compelling and relevant, with artistic integrity."[3]

As choreographer-in-residence and later associate artist at the Southbank Centre,[5] he presented a recital with Pandit Birju Maharaj and Sri Pratap Pawar; and A God of Small Tales, a piece for mature women for which he collaborated with writer Hanif Kureishi. He remained an associate artist at the Southbank Centre until April 2005, the first non-musician to be afforded this status, and is currently an associate artist at Sadler's Wells Theatre.[6] In 2005, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2005 New Year Honours for his services to dance.[7]

In 2008, he co-starred with Juliette Binoche in a dance-drama piece called in-i at the Royal National Theatre, London.[8]

In summer 2006, Khan was invited by Kylie Minogue to choreograph a section of her Showgirl concert. Khan appeared as a huge projection behind the singer as she performed. The songs were set in an Indian temple scenario, inspired by a trip Minogue made to Sri Lanka.[9] He has made pieces for the Ballet Boyz and Cloud Gate Dance Theater of Taiwan.[10]

Akram Khan Company performing Vertical Road at Curve Theatre, Leicester in November 2010

Khan and his dance company performed at the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony. Live music was provided by Emeli Sandé singing 'Abide With Me'.[11][12][13]

The Manchester International Festival announced a co-production of Giselle between themselves English National Ballet and Sadler's Wells Theatre that was directed by Khan and performed at the Palace Theatre, Manchester in September 2016. The critically acclaimed production has now gone on tour to Bristol Hippodrome, the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton and Sadler's Wells Theatre, London later in the year.[14][15]

"Since its formation, Akram Khan Company has become undisputedly one of the foremost innovative dance companies in the world. Khan has become a global icon for his use of collaboration, ensemble production, and especially his unique mix of Kathak and contemporary movement. Akram Khan Company is an associate artist at Sadler’s Wells Theatre and Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London and Curve Theatre in Leicester."[3]

• British Bangladeshi
• List of British Bangladeshis
• What Do Artists Do All Day?

• Akram Khan Company website
• Archive film of Akram Khan Dance Company performing Kaash ("If") in 2003 at Jacob's Pillow
• Mackrell, Judith. All the right moves. The Guardian. 4 April 2001
• Gilbert, Jenny. An audience with the rhythm king. The Independent. 20 April 2003
• Acocella, Joan. Hard and Fast: What an Indian tradition can do for modern dance. The New Yorker. 23 October 2006
• Crisp, Clement. Akram Khan, Sadler’s Wells, London. Financial Times. 17 November 2009
• Poulton, Lindsay. Dancer Akram Khan: 'My body is my voice'. The Guardian. 9 December 2009
• Mackerell, Judith. MoveTube: Why Akram Khan will command the Olympic stadium. The Guardian. 27 July 2012