CANDOCO, a company of disabled and non-disabled dancers brings a double bill exploring identity and perception to Bristol Old Vic Theatre

Kicking off their 25th birthday year, Candoco brings 'Let's talk about Dis', an evening of work choreographed by Hetain Patel and Alexander Whitley to Bristol Old Vic Theatre.

Both choreographers are alumni of Sadler’s Wells New Wave Associates, marking them out as two of the most exciting artistic talents working in the UK today. Working across three languages, CounterActs uses minimal text to create unique and visceral experiences for audiences, moving fluidly between English, French and BSL.

Artistic Co-Director of Candoco, Pedro Machado said: “To create CounterActs we sought out two dance makers who sit at the extremes of the traditional dance-making spectrum: Hetain Patel is a visual artist whose piece for Candoco is his first dance commission whilst classically trained dancer Alexander Whitley has worked extensively within the world of contemporary dance. With training and experience that is very different to that of our dancers, they each had to find a common ground with the company. In fact the company itself became the common ground. One piece talks about the identity of the group, in the other the group is busy working tightly in cooperation. Paired together as an evening of work, CounterActs profiles the incredible range of our dancers and invites audiences to see how various and diverse dance can be.”

In his first company commission, visual artist Hetain Patel has created a playful and intimate piece. First performed by Candoco in 2014, Let’s Talk About Dis builds on an exploration of the dancers’ individual personalities and physicalities, interrogating questions of what identity is and how it is formed, challenging audiences to think beyond surface appearances.

Since 1991, Candoco Dance Company have created stimulating and challenging work with an inclusive company of disabled and non-disabled dancers. Working with world leading choreographers, Candoco aim to disrupt the genre, changing perceptions of what dance is and who can dance.

Let's Talk about Dis comes to the Bristol Old Vic on Friday, February 12 Feb. Suitable for all ages, however Let's Talk About Dis does explore some adult themes

Visit bristololdvic.org.uk/counteracts for more details.