Sutra: Sidi Larbi & Antony Gormley with the Shaolin Monks

Celebrated Flemish/Moroccan choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui presents a dance work inspired by the skill, strength and spirituality of Buddhist Shaolin monks, collaborating with Turner Prize-winning artist, Antony Gormley, who created a design consisting of 21 wooden boxes, as well as with Polish composer Szymon Brzóska, who created a beautiful score for piano, percussion and strings.

The 17 monks performing in Sutra are directly from the original Shaolin Temple, situated near Dengfeng City in the Henan Province of China and established in 495 AD by monks originating from India.

The monks follow a strict Buddhist doctrine, of which Kung Fu and Tai Chi martial arts are an integral part of their daily regime. Sidi Larbi followed a life-long interest of exploring the philosophy and faith behind the Shaolin tradition by visiting and working with the Shaolin monks over several months, thus realizing his dream through his Sutra dance performance.