6000 miles away with Sylvie Guillem

Sadler's Wells presented a mixed programme devised and performed by internationally acclaimed dancer and Sadler's Wells Associate Artist Sylvie Guillem.

Widely recognised as one of the world's greatest dancers, Sylvie Guillem stars in this new evening of work by three of today's most important choreographers; Mats Ek, William Forsythe and Jiří Kylián.

This Sadler's Wells / Sylvie Guillem production features iconic dance-maker William Forsythe's new duet, Rearray, for her and Paris Opera Ballet étoile Nicolas Le Riche.

Acclaimed Swedish choreographer Mats Ek's new solo, Ajö (Bye), for Guillem, set to Beethoven's last piano sonata, has been heralded as a “masterpiece” by Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

Completing the evening is a duet from Kylián's work 27'52” performed by dancers handpicked by the choreographer.

6000 miles away marks Sylvie Guillem's highly-anticipated return to Sadler's Wells that is set to be a highlight of 2014's cultural calendar.

Sylvie Guillem

Pure physical prowess was the beginning of Sylvie Guillem's career, but it was theatre that seduced her and made her the great star of her generation. Born in Paris, she began as a gymnast with Olympic hopes, but at 11 when she and her group attended the Paris Opera's ballet school for polishing, she switched ambitions. The teachers accepted her with delight, bowled over by her extraordinary physique, amazing feet, tremendous jump, and equally by her intelligence and determination.

Joining the Paris company at 16, she raced right up the hierarchy, winning promotion every year in the annual competitions. In December 1984, aged 19 (and only five days after she had won promotion to première danseuse ranking), she was appointed by Nureyev as étoile, star dancer, coming on stage at the end of her first Swan Lake to make the announcement publicly. However, because the Opéra's administration would not change her contract to make it easier for her to accept invitations abroad, in 1988 she resigned and made London her main base, with a guest contract at The Royal Ballet.

Travelling worldwide to perform with many companies, she took further opportunities to enlarge her repertoire. Guillem's interest in modern-dance choreography led her to the experiment of putting on versions of two solos by the German expressionist pioneer Mary Wigman, Summer Dance and The Witch's Dance, which she showed in an experimental programme at The Hague in 1998. Maybe this could indicate a possible future for her activities, but for the present Guillem seems largely to have given up traditional classical ballet, in favour of modern choreography.

After that, who can tell – but it is impossible to believe that the dance world will lack a strong input of whatever sort from the unique Sylvie Guillem.