Akram Khan's CHOTTO DESH at The New Victory Theatre

Chotto Desh, Akram Khan Company's first piece of dance theater for family audiences, makes its NY Premiere at The New Victory Theater from November 4-13, 2016. Adapted from Khan's much-loved, autobiographical production, DESH (2014 Bessie Award for Outstanding Production, 2012 Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production), Chotto Desh includes a mix of Khan's original choreography alongside new material.

Directed by Sue Buckmaster of Theatre-Rites (Mojo, New Vic 2012; Mischief, New Vic 2011), Chotto Desh, meaning "small homeland," draws on Khan's unique cross-cultural storytelling, creating a compelling tale of a young man's dreams and memories, from Britain to Bangladesh. Featuring a solo male dancer and a mix of contemporary dance, humorous text, visual design and an evocative original score, Chotto Desh employs enchanting animations and large, playful props by DESH designer and Oscar winner Tim Yip (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). Buckmaster draws out Khan's younger experiences to create familiar, touching and often comical scenes of a young man struggling with cultural identity, a complex relationship with his father and the desire to dance.

Khan, now a father of two, states, "Chotto Desh and DESH touch on the same themes - identity, parents, children, migration and immigration. It's important to remember that we are all immigrants, if you go back far enough. We tend to forget that. These are universal themes and it's important for children to know about them." Chotto Desh is co-commissioned by MOKO Dance, Akram Khan Company, Sadler's Wells London, DanceEast, Théâtre de la Ville Paris, Mercat de les Flors Barcelona, Biennale de la danse de Lyon 2016 and Stratford Circus Arts Centre, and supported by Arts Council England. The production made its world premiere at DanceEast's Jerwood Dancehouse before appearing at Sadler's Wells in 2015.

"Creating Chotto Desh was the first time that I was responding to existing choreographic material and adapting it for a younger audience. It was both challenging and inspiring to respect the original, which was already hugely successful and magical, and create a child-friendly version," adds Buckmaster. "It was an opportunity to develop the use of myth and storytelling, plus the use of objects and dance as a more abstract and poetic way to reflect on the complexities of our current dilemmas regarding cultural tensions and sensitivity, and make the work accessible to a much wider public."

Akram Khan is one of Britain's most celebrated choreographers and a recipient of the International Society for the Performing Arts Distinguished Artist Award, the Fred and Adele Astaire Award, the Herald Archangel Award (Edinburgh International Festival), the South Bank Sky Arts Award and six Critics' Circle National Dance Awards.

Under Khan's guidance, the innovative Akram Khan Company, founded in August 2000 by Khan and producer Farooq Chaudhry, creates works that range from kathak and modern solos to artist collaborations and ensemble productions. At the request of film director Danny Boyle, the Company performed a piece, choreographed by Khan, during the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. The Company's notable repertory includes Until the Lions (2016), iTMOi (2013), Vertical Road (2010), Gnosis (2009), zero degrees (2005), Kaash (2002) and DESH, Khan's most lauded work. DESH premiered in 2011, appearing at the Curve Theatre in Leicester and at Sadler's Wells in London, for which it received the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production. DESH made its U.S. premiere at Lincoln Center's White Light Festival in 2013, earning a New York Dance and Performance (Bessie) Award for Outstanding Production. The company is currently in residence at the University of the Arts, London, and Khan is an Associate Artist of Sadler's Wells, London, and Curve Leicester.

Chotto Desh features Dennis Alamanos and Nicolas Ricchini in alternating solos. Artistic direction and original choreography is by Akram Khan with direction and adaptation by Sue Buckmaster. Musical composition is by Jocelyn Pook, lighting design is by Guy Hoare, sound design is by Alex Stein and Jose Agudo is assistant choreographer. The stories of Chotto Desh were imagined by Karthika Naïr and Akram Khan, written by Naïr, Buckmaster and Khan and voiced by Leesa Gazi and Sreya Andrisha Gazi. Chotto Desh includes original visual design by Tim Yip, original visual animation by Yeast Culture and original costume design by Kimie Nakano. The grandmother's fable in Chotto Desh is taken from the book The Honey Hunter.

Public Performance Schedule: 10 performances

Friday, November 4 at 7pm*

Saturday, November 5 at 2pm / 7pm

Sunday, November 6 at 12pm / 5pm

Friday, November 11 at 7pm

Saturday, November 12 at 2pm / 7pm

Sunday, November 13 at 12pm / 5pm

*sign-interpreted performance

Chotto Desh has a running time of 55 minutes with no intermission and is recommended for everyone ages 7 and up.

Tickets for Chotto Desh at The New Victory Theater (209 West 42nd Street) are $10, $13, $18 or $25 for Members based on seat locations, with full price tickets starting at $16. Tickets are available online (NewVictory.org) and by telephone (646.223.3010). The New Victory Theater box office (209 West 42nd Street) is open Tuesday through Saturday from 12pm-7pm.

Theatergoers who buy tickets for three or more New Victory shows qualify for free Membership benefits, including locked-in discount ticket prices, free unlimited exchanges (up to 48 hours in advance) and access to a first-look purchase period for newly added performances.

The New Victory Theater brings kids to the arts and the arts to kids as New York City's premier theater devoted to the highest quality performing arts for kids and families. Serving the city in all its diversity, The New Victory Theater on 42nd Street presents theater, dance, circus, opera and music from around the world at affordable ticket prices. In addition to its public performances, the New Vic is also the largest provider of live performance to NYC school kids, serving 40,000 students in grades PreK-12 from more than 200 schools, after school programs and day camps each year. The New Victory Theater's contributions to the cultural landscape of the city have been honored by the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities with the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, a national Arts Education Award from Americans for the Arts and a Drama Desk Award for "providing enchanting, sophisticated children's theater that appeals to the child in all of us, and for nurturing a love of theater in young people."

Founded in 1990, The New 42nd Street is an independent nonprofit organization charged with the continuous cultural revival of 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues. Committed to the transformational power of the arts, The New 42nd Street builds on the foundation of seven historic theaters to make extraordinary performing arts and cultural engagement part of everyone's life. The New 42nd Street fulfills this purpose by ensuring the ongoing vibrancy of 42nd Street's historic theaters; maintaining and fully using the New 42nd Street Studios and The Duke on 42nd Street to support performing artists in the creation of their work; and through The New Victory Theater, New York's premier theater for kids and families.

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