"Grand Finale was quite simply one of the most astonishing performances of dance I have seen in the last 30 years."(Audience member)
Part gig, part dance, part theatre and wholly original – there is no better way to describe Grand Finale, the latest work of internationally celebrated choreographer Hofesh Shechter.
Spectacularly bold and ambitious, Grand Finale  is at once comic, bleak and beautiful, evoking a world at odds with  itself, full of anarchic energy and violent comedy. Filtering this  irrepressible spirit, Shechter creates a vision of a world in freefall,  featuring an exceptional ensemble of dancers and a live band of  musicians.
Grand Finale was nominated for an Olivier award  for Best New Dance Production and has been nominated for Outstanding  Production in the Bessies 2018.

Source: Hofesh Shechter Company

Hofesh Shechter is recognised as one of the UK’s most exciting contemporary artists, with his eponymous Company touring worldwide to audience and critical acclaim. A former Drummer in a rock band, Shechter is renowned for creating the musical scores for each of his dance creations with his raw, atmospheric music complimenting his Company’s unique physicality. After graduating from the Jerusalem Academy for Dance and Music Hofesh moved to Tel Aviv to join the world-renowned Batsheva Dance Company. Here he began drum and percussion studies which continued in Paris at the Agostiny College of Rhythm. Subsequently he began experimenting and developing his own music whilst participating in various projects in Europe involving dance, theatre and body-percussion. In 2002 Hofesh arrived in the UK.

Hofesh made his choreographic debut with the duet "Fragments" (2003), followed by Cult for "The Place Prize" 2004 and "Uprising" (2006), his ever-popular work for seven men. The three works formed the triple bill "deGENERATION", Hofesh’s first full evening of work. In 2007 he was commissioned by London's three major venues The Place, Southbank Centre and Sadler's Wells to create "In your rooms". Drawing further from Hofesh’s now signature style of original music and choreography, Shechter was catapulted into the media spotlight with much anticipation surrounding the premiere of the work, resulting in sell-out performances and standing ovations at Sadler’s Wells Theatre.

After forming his international Company of highly skilled, individually talented dancers in 2008, Hofesh created "The Choreographer’s Cut" in 2009. Commissioned by Sadler’s Wells and performed at London’s iconic music venue the Roundhouse; Hofesh reworked his acclaimed double bill "Uprising/In your rooms" to feature a band of 20 musicians alongside a company of 17 dancers. Also in 2009 Hofesh was commissioned by Brighton Festival to create the “exquisitely acrimonious” "The Art of Not Looking Back" (The Observer, 2009) which was inspired by and made for six female dancers.

In May 2010 Hofesh presented his first full length work "Political Mother" which premiered at the Brighton Festival.

Returning to the piece in 2011, Sadler’s Wells commissioned Hofesh to create "Political Mother: Choreographer’s Cut", with an even larger band of 24 musicians and 16 dancers. Fresh from the show’s success, Hofesh’s worked in collaboration with the sculptor Antony Gormley to create "Survivor", a large-scale art/music performance which premiered at the Barbican in January 2012. Hofesh has just premiered his most recent work, "Sun" at the Melbourne Festival, which is now touring worldwide.

Hofesh worked as choreographer at The Royal Court Theatre for "Motortown" by Simon Stephens (2006) and on "The Arsonists" (2007), collaborating with director Ramin Gray on both productions.  He was choreographer for the National Theatre’s award-winning production of Saint Joan (2007), directed by Marianne Elliot and starring Anne Marie Duff. He also choreographed the hit dance sequence ‘Maxxie’s Dance’ for the opening of the second series of Channel 4’s popular drama Skins. Hofesh recently collaborated with the Metropolitan Opera, New York on Nico Mulhy's Opera, "Two Boys".

His last creations are "Barbarians" (2015) and "Grand Finale" (2017).


Source: Hofesh Shechter Company’s website

More information: hofesh.co.uk

Artistic direction: Hofesh Shechter

Creation: 2008

Hofesh Shechter Company is one of the world’s leading dance companies.

In 2008, in response to popular demand following the smash hit success of the double bill "Uprising/In your rooms", Shechter, Helen Shute and Colette Hansford formed Hofesh Shechter Company and the Company embarked on its first world tour.

Since 2008, under the banner of Hofesh Shechter Company, Shechter has produced works including his first “Choreographer’s Cut” – commissioned by Sadler’s Wells and performed at The Roundhouse. He reworked his acclaimed double bill "Uprising/In your rooms" to feature a band of 20 musicians alongside a company of 17 dancers. In 2009 Shechter was commissioned by Brighton Festival to create the ‘exquisitely acrimonious’ "The Art of Not Looking Back" (The Observer, 2009), which was inspired by and made for six female dancers. In May 2010 his first full-length work "Political Mother" premiered at the Brighton Festival, winning 5 star reviews from all the major national press and subsequently embarking on an extensive international tour, further cementing the Company’s reputation.

2011 saw the second time Shechter created a ‘Choreographer’s Cut’ of his work, this time for "Political Mother". Shechter collaborated with Antony Gormley on "Survivor" commissioned by the Barbican and reaching sell-out audiences for its run in January 2012. In October 2013, Shechter unveiled his next major creation "Sun" at Melbourne Festival, co-produced by partners around the world.

The company last's creations are "Barbarians" (2015) and "Grand finale" (2017).

Source: Hofesh Shechter Company 's website

More information

hofesh.co.uk