Special Collections Blog: Special Collections Blog

Akram Khan, new Chancellor of De Montfort University

The Special Collections team would like to warmly welcome our new Chancellor, Akram Khan, a world-renowned dancer and choreographer who was awarded an MBE in 2005 for services to dance. Blending elements of Kathak and contemporary dance Akram has worked with global superstars from the worlds of contemporary and classical dance, through to pop stars.

Akram studied contemporary dance at De Montfort University in the mid 1990s before transferring his degree to the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds. He received an honorary doctorate in 2004 from De Montfort University.

His name and influence peppers our archives as he has worked with the university over the years as well as partnering with dancers such as Aakash Odedra whose dance company archive we hold.

Akram becomes the seventh Chancellor at DMU since it became a university in 1992. For information about previous Chancellors have a look at this article prepared for our recent 150th anniversary celebrations!

If you would like to see any of the interviews, publications or graduation ceremony booklets featured in this article, please contact us to make an appointment.