Birmingham Hippodrome in collaboration with FABRIC present a packed dance programme on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 August on the Bullring Dance Stage on the Lower Mall at Bullring & Grand Central (outside M&S) with dance popping up in other spaces around the city across the bank holiday weekend.
Chris Sudworth, Creative Director at Birmingham Hippodrome said: “We are delighted to be delivering such a rich dance programme across Birmingham Weekender 2024, and that we have been able to draw on knowledge and support from our colleagues at FABRIC, the Midlands strategic dance development organisation, to inform our curation of regional and national work of the highest quality. This - as well as performance and engagement opportunities from Birmingham Royal Ballet, Hippodrome Associate Sonia Sabri Company and regular partners Break Mission, Eloquent and Marshon Dance - creates another opportunity for us to collectively demonstrate that Birmingham is a city of dance, leading the way and that dance is for every body.”
Paul Russ, Artistic Director of FABRIC commented: “We’re pleased to have worked with the Hippodrome to make dance a highlight of Birmingham Weekender, offering so much local and international dance. As part of this exciting programme FABRIC is proud to present commissions realised through Stomping Ground and FABRIC’s Residency programme, which celebrate great talent from the city and region and beyond”
Look out for a treadmill taking centre stage for Walker Movement Theatre Company’s Tread -expect contemporary dance and stunt performance whilst Break Mission bring Swan Break a modern-day version of the classic dance merging street and classical styles. Chad Taylor performs Closer to My Dreams through poetry, rap and hip-hop choreography; Performers College are collaborating with Birmingham Royal Ballet to create a new dance inspired by Luna, BRB’s new work inspired by the pioneering women of Birmingham; and an exciting version of Torch of Excellence (a Birmingham Weekender 2023 seed commission from Eloquent Dance), is all about celebration and leaving the audience inspired and energized and feeling connected to something bigger.
Inclusive dance runs throughout the programme, Linden Dance Company’s Keep Moving and FABRIC’s Future Shift dancers are collaborating to create a new piece – Uplift - that explores empowerment and confidence in owning who you are, choreographed by Sara McQueen and Christopher Radford. Leading UK D/deaf and disabled dance, and Olivier award nominee Mark Smith will present the premiere of their new work SYNERGY produced by Rachael Veazey.
1000 Trades Square over at New Street Station will be transformed by a number of performances over the weekend from Sonia Sabri Company’s Mughal Miniatures – expect a pop-up Indian garden – to No Fit Circus’ Bamboo high impact, outdoor circus and dance with and on bamboo. And if all this dance action gets audiences toes tapping across the whole weekend 24 – 26 August look out for Marshon Dance Company’s Flashmobs happening on the concourse at New Street Station and at pop-up locations throughout the Festival.
Birmingham Weekender 2024 is free to attend and runs from Friday 23 August to Monday 26 August. Read the full programme and plan your weekend: www.birminghamhippodrome.com/calendar/birmingham-weekender-2024
Birmingham Weekender 2024 is produced by Birmingham Hippodrome in partnership with Bullring & Grand Central with funding through HM Government’s and West Midlands Combined Authority’s Commonwealth Games Legacy Fund and Arts Council England.
FABRIC, Global Streets and Without Walls are programme partners.
Birmingham Weekender 2024 is supported by Birmingham City Council, United by 2022, Southside District, The Arcadian, Colmore BID, Central BID, Network Rail and is part of 100 Days of Creativity.
