Lift Off Dance Festival is coming
Liz Crosthwaite • Published 2 Feb 2012 10:30
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LIFT OFF: The festival features dance acts, performances and workshops to suit everyone
An extravaganza of dance is returning to South Hill Park, Bracknell, in the form of its annual festival Lift Off. Renowned for bringing an eclectic mix of dance to audiences from Bracknell and beyond, Lift Off is set to be bigger and better than ever this year.
The Guide caught up with festival director Lena Dee to find out more about the workshops, professional performances and exciting school galas that make up the Lift Off programme, which begins tomorrow (Saturday), and runs until Sunday, March 25.
"We just put out an advert in September for any community groups that want to take part and then I tried to pull together a mixture of performers, so it's got everything from flamenco to ballet to contemporary and street dance," Lena told The Guide. "All ages take part, from six-and seven-year-olds to over 50s groups! It's a lot of organising but a lot of fun too!"
Some of the more traditional highlights of the festival include a Tchaikovsky Gala Evening with Vienna Festival Ballet on Saturday and Sunday, March 24-25, and a tea dances on Sunday, February 26 and Sunday 18, March, but there are also more contemporary, edgy offerings too. KathakBox, by Sonia Sabri Company, date to be confirmed, offers a brand new dance style, Urban Kathak, which mixes Indian Kathak dance into the rhythms of hip hop culture, with dynamic dancers, a spoken word artist, a beatboxer and a turn-tablist.
"One of the things that probably is also quite fun is Aakash Odedra's Rising, on Thursday, February 9," said Lena. "If people watched TV on Christmas Day they would have seen choreographer Akram Khan's film Homeland. He has created a piece for Aakash, with two other pieces by contemporary choreographers. It's one of the highlights."
Lena explained that Lift Off was open to avid dancers, beginners and the merely curious, with streetdance workshops and beginner contemporary classes, to instruction for would-be dance tutors. "Obviously Strictly and So You Think You Can Dance have done a really great job, they have brought a lot of people into dance and some of them will be peforming at the festival." said Lena.
"For beginners there is Just JHOOM! - a new Bollywood workout class aimed at people who have never done dance. If you like Zumba you'll like it! People can come and try it out, and if they enjoy it there is a new class that has just started at South Hill Park."
School and youth & commAn extravaganza of dance is returning to South Hill Park, Bracknell, in the form of its annual festival Lift Off. Renowned for bringing an eclectic mix of dance to audiences from Bracknell and beyond, Lift Off is set to be bigger and better than ever this year.
The Guide caught up with festival director Lena Dee to find out more about the workshops, professional performances and exciting school galas that make up the Lift Off programme, which begins tomorrow (Saturday), and runs until Sunday, March 25.
"We just put out an advert in September for any community groups that want to take part and then I tried to pull together a mixture of performers, so it's got everything from flamenco to ballet to contemporary and street dance," Lena told The Guide. "All ages take part, from six-and seven-year-olds to over 50s groups! It's a lot of organising but a lot of fun too!"
Some of the more traditional highlights of the festival include a Tchaikovsky Gala Evening with Vienna Festival Ballet on Saturday and Sunday, March 24-25, and a tea dances on Sunday, February 26 and Sunday 18, March, but there are also more contemporary, edgy offerings too. KathakBox, by Sonia Sabri Company, date to be confirmed, offers a brand new dance style, Urban Kathak, which mixes Indian Kathak dance into the rhythms of hip hop culture, with dynamic dancers, a spoken word artist, a beatboxer and a turn-tablist.
"One of the things that probably is also quite fun is Aakash Odedra's Rising, on Thursday, February 9," said Lena. "If people watched TV on Christmas Day they would have seen choreographer Akram Khan's film Homeland. He has created a piece for Aakash, with two other pieces by contemporary choreographers. It's one of the highlights."
Lena explained that Lift Off was open to avid dancers, beginners and the merely curious, with streetdance workshops and beginner contemporary classes, to instruction for would-be dance tutors. "Obviously Strictly and So You Think You Can Dance have done a really great job, they have brought a lot of people into dance and some of them will be peforming at the festival." said Lena.
"For beginners there is Just JHOOM! - a new Bollywood workout class aimed at people who have never done dance. If you like Zumba you'll like it! People can come and try it out, and if they enjoy it there is a new class that has just started at South Hill Park."
School and youth & community galas also take place throughout the festival, showcasing the talents of youngsters from dance groups and schools from around the South East, including Prospect School and Bulmershe.
"The community galas are another highlight for me," said Lena. "It's a great way of the friends and family of people who do classes locally to see it in a professional context, so they can see
that progression from doing a weekend or after school class."
Find the full line-up at www.southhillpark.org.uk
This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 02 Feb 12
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