Dance to the City - International Dance Festival Birmingham 2014
2014 marks the fourth Biennial International Dance Festival, one of the largest dance festivals in Europe, with four weeks of dance bringing Birmingham to life in it's streets, squares and theatres. The festival co-produced by DanceXchange and Birmingham Hippodrome features a mix of world-class performers, premieres, traditional venues and social dance events with 2014 introducing a weekly 'paint the town red' series of social dance events open to all with spaces across the city opening up to host gatherings such as a Brazilian street party or midnight tango milonga.
A short video trailer to the 2014 festival is shown below:
The Hippodrome will be hosting Sylvie Guillem, Sadler’s Wells’ Breakin Convention, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s m¡longa, as well as New Adventures and RE:Bourne's new production of Lord of the Flies, Swiss Company Alias’s Sideways Rain, and Vancouver’s Kidd Pivot led by Crystal Pite will perform Tempest Replica; http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/news/dancexchange-and-birmingham-hi-2715
The following video on RE:Bourne's production of Lord of the Flies from the Glasgow production of 2011, http://www.new-adventures.net/rebourne/lord_of_the_flies_glasgow_2011, gives a tantalising taste of what looks to be one of many highlights of the festival.
In an exciting new relationship for IDFB 2014, the festival will work for the first time with Birmingham's renowned Symphony Hall to create Concert Danse; an ambitious reimagining of Durufle's Requiem performed by Birmingham-based choir Ex Cathedra alongside Québécois Dance Company Cas Public and a talented cast of over 50 UK musicians and dancers. This unique production on Friday 2 May will combine incredible live music with evocative dance to create an ethereal, haunting atmosphere, transforming Symphony Hall as never before.
http://www.broadwayworld.com/uk-regional/article/International-Dance-Festival-Birmingham-2014-to-Kick-Off-in-the-UK-April-24-20140109#
Following on the success of the previous festivals in 2008, 2010 and 2012 the social dance events in this years festival look to reach an even wider audience and build on engaging with rich mix of residents and visitors.
Artistic Director of DanceXchange and Co-Artistic Director of IDFB 2014, David Massingham said “This IDFB will continue to build on the successes of our previous three festivals, reaching wider and new audiences for dance by presenting work in innovative ways and creating new opportunities to participate. IDFB 2014 will showcase some of Birmingham’s finest venues, and gives DanceXchange and Birmingham Hippodrome the opportunity to present a wide range of innovative and entertaining dance.”http://events.birmingham.gov.uk/events/international-dance-festival-birmingham-2014/
Festival Listings reproduced from: http://events.birmingham.gov.uk/events/international-dance-festival-birmingham-2014/
| Thurs 24 – Sat 26 April | Birmingham Royal Ballet // Triple Bill | The Crescent Theatre |
| Sat 26 April | MY Dance Festival | Ruddock Hall |
| Sat 26 April | Paint the Town Red (Midnight Milonga) | Venue TBC |
| Tues 29 – Wed 30 April | Fabulous Beast // The Rite of Spring & Petrushka | Warwick Arts Centre |
| Tues 29 – Wed 30 April | Alias // Sideways Rain | Birmingham Hippodrome |
| Fri 2 – Sat 3 May | Kidd Pivot // Tempest Replica | Birmingham Hippodrome |
| Fri 2 May | Concert Dansé (World Premiere) | Symphony Hall |
| Sun 4 May | Paint the Town Red (Swingamajig) | Venue TBC |
| Tues 6 – Wed 7 May | Mickael ‘Marso’ Riviere // Double Bill (World Premiere) | DanceXchange, The Patrick Centre |
| Tues 6 – Wed 7 May | Sylvie Guillem // 6000 Miles Away | Birmingham Hippodrome |
| Thurs 8 – Sat 10 May | Les 7 Doigts de la Main – Séquence 8 | Birmingham Repertory Theatre |
| Fri 9 – Sat 10 May | Aakash Odedra // Double Bill (World Premiere) | DanceXchange, The Patrick Centre |
| Tues 13 – Sat 17 May | Luca Silvestrini’s Protein // Border Tales | DanceXchange, The Patrick Centre |
| Wed 14 – Sat 17 May | New Adventures // Lord of the Flies | Birmingham Hippodrome |
| Sat 17 May | Paint the Town Red (Footwork) | Venue TBC |
| Tues 20 – Wed 21 May | Breakin Convention | Birmingham Hippodrome |
| Wed 21 – Sat 24 May | B-Town (World Premiere) | Victoria Square |
| Fri 23 – Sat 24 May | Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui // m¡longa | Birmingham Hippodrome |
| Sat 24 May | Paint the Town Red (Capoeira) | Venue TBC |
The International Dance Festival Birmingham 2014, also known as IDFB, website provides more information:
http://www.idfb.co.uk/
Comments