So it’s time for Dancin’ Oxford’s annual spring dance festival for 2021. The annual city-wide celebration of dance that provides an opportunity for participants to actively engage in high-quality dance, through an exciting programme of participatory activity and a performance programme.
So what’s on the agenda.
Dancin’ Oxford has scheduled a reduced programme for this Spring, but there are lots to do for families, and people of all ages…all to be enjoyed in the privacy of your own home.
From 05 to 14 March, you can join Emma Boor from Wild Boor Ideas as she shares with you five marvellous, magical and mysterious ways to make ‘Shadow Magic’ using things, from around your home, that are easy to find! You’ll get themed worksheets (based on the popular topics of Monsters, Birds, The Zoo, Under the Sea and Buildings and Homes) to help you and your child make puppets and move and modify objects to make fantastic worlds and crazy characters.
On 06 March, there’s Spring Awakening – a Spring version of their Global Dance Film last Autumn – where dance companies from Oxford and its twin cities have created their response to a single piece of music. Over 20 dance groups from across 7 cities are participating; Oxford and twin cities: Ramallah, Perm, Leon, Padua, Wroclaw and Leiden. The film will go live on their Facebook and our YouTube channel at 1.00pm.
On the same day, at 11.00am and 1.00pm, Aakanksha Rawat from Sonia Sabri Dance Company will lead an online workshop for children aged 3-8 and their families to do together, using high energy Kathak dance, delicate hand gestures and big bold moves.
From 07 to 14 March, NEST will host creative dance sessions for all ages every morning at 9.00am. The sessions will last approximately 30 minutes and you’ll some space to make yourself a nest that you can dance in and out of safely, on your own or with a partner (and that includes soft toys).
On 11 March, you can watch Still Breathing – a film make and a play-reading of the spoken word piece that will inspire the future stage development – that voices the fears, frustrations, fatigue and anger as yet another Black life is taken by the system that is there to protect. The project is by Unlock the Chains Collective who make and produce theatre that explores the Black experience through the fusion of dance, music, song and spoken word.
You’ll find more information here >>> Still Breathing by Euton Daley’s Unlock the Chains Collective
On 13 March, at 2.00pm, there’s a talk event by Neon Dance to discuss the creation of teleoperated robots that can be used to connect with other bodies in a space where you are not. Neon Dance is an internationally renowned organisation that creates dance works exploring technology and design with the body as the central tenet. Their new work Prehension Blooms explores social connectivity and collaboration by integrating bio-inspired robotics.
Then there’s Baby Boogie which will be streamed live from the DJ Shed at 2.30pm on 13 March. This virtual family disco will bring a much need party vibe to the comfort of your own home, with disco diva Em-J and DJ Daley on the decks! Clear yourself some space, throw some funky moves to our disco music, enjoy the fun and join in our disco games, statues, musical bumps, action songs and more. Dressing up and disco lights are optional!
Some of the events are free, and others ask for you to make a £3/£4 donations – before or after the event.
Dancin’ Oxford is built around three key events during each year:
- A Spring Dance Festival (March) consisting of 10 days of performances, participatory workshops, talks and digital installation and film.
- An early Summer Outdoor free public performance programme, accompanied by workshops and activities in the community.
- An Autumn Family-focussed Dance Week – linking into the National Family Arts Festival.
Plans are already on the way for the outdoor event in the summer weekend of 03 to 04 July.
See the full programme at dancinoxford.co.uk
