Akram Khan video transcript

Culture is difficult to define. I would call it formless, it’s like a melting pot. It’s not restricted to one taste or one colour.

What’s interesting now is, even though we’re speaking different languages we’re all having to communicate with each other in one tongue.

Art has that ability to break boundaries so even when I perform at Sadlers Wells there’s an audience which is so mixed… it only happens in London!

It’s more about the art form that just about the nationality. Some of the focus has to go towards the arts, and sports is an art form.

I regard athletes as artists because they are redefining, they are working on, they are developing like a painter would, like a sculptor would. They are constantly wanting to do better and to express themselves.

There’s something very beautiful about the Olympics. It’s a sense of hope that we can get better, we can achieve better.

It suddenly involves the entire world. It doesn’t matter what culture or race you’re from, we all watch sports to a certain degree.

I feel it’s really important to focus on the young generation. It’s about finding a common language and still trying harder to bring things together. And what better than sports?

London is 24-hours - full of energy. It’s always so different; you’re always discovering something new.

The world is coming to London, as you like, but we have to look at it like London is reaching out to the world.

Look outwards, don’t look inwards.