Sadler’s Wells associate artist Jasmin Vardimon is a leading force in British dance theatre. With her company now based in Kent, Jasmin’s award-winning show Park will be running for two nights on her new turf this week.

Park is a kaleidoscopic and athletic spin on modern urban life performed by eight dancers.

The piece of dance theatre by the award-winning Ashford-based Jasmin Vardimon Company promises to make a statement at Canterbury’s Marlowe Theatre this week.

Choreographer Jasmin was raised in a kibbutz of poets and creatives in Israel that was founded by her grandparents.

The mum of one has lived in the UK for the past 16 years and currently lives in London, commuting to the ‘ideal space’ she discovered for her company at Ashford’s Stour Centre three years ago.

“It’s exactly what we needed,” says Jasmin, who won three gongs at the Culture Awards for East Kent back in June: the artist award, the Canterbury award, and the destination east Kent award.

“It’s a bit isolated from the busyness of London but still close enough, and we’ve received fantastic support from the community. I’m here every day.”

Jasmin, 43, choreographed and directed Park, which first toured in 2005, though she no longer dances in it herself.

Featuring an eclectic soundtrack that includes Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Brian Eno, it’s the story of a park, an urban oasis where eight characters play, ?ght, fall in love and learn to survive. Young lovers wrestle in a historic fountain, a graf?ti artist sprays his story, a busker ?nds his only appreciative audience in a bag lady, and a ?ag-waving bully rants worn-out political beliefs.

But the park itself is under threat – the public space is to be sold to a private investor for commercial purposes.

“I don’t want to tell you the end – it’s important to come and see it,” says Jasmin, who categorises her style of dance as dance theatre.

“I find the themes explored and social comments even more relevant now than they were 10 years ago.

“Bullying, otherness, alienation, gender and homelessness are all explored in this island of urban lives.”

Jasmin sees her work not only in terms of dance but as a way of communicating ideas in different art forms.

“There is spoken word, technology, animation, projections – a lot of layers,” she said.

While interest in dance shows on TV like Strictly and So You Think You Can Dance is high, Jasmin is keen to spread the message that there are many genres with the power to move a wider audience. She adds: “Dance can be so engaging intellectually and emotionally, as well as visually.”

Jasmin Vardimon’s Park is at Canterbury’s Marlowe Theatre on Tuesday, October 14 and Wednesday, October 15 at 7.30pm. Tickets cost from £9. Visit www.marlowe theatre.com or call 01227 787787.

More details on the Ashford-based Jasmin Vardimon Company at jasminvardimon.com