On 23 May Central Youth Theatre will be celebrating the official launch of their Everybody Dance Now festival, which will run from 29th July – 6th August across the city of Wolverhampton.
Everybody Dance Now is part of Dancing for the Games which is inspired by London 2012 and part of the Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands. It has been funded by Legacy Trust UK, an independent charity set up to help build a lasting cultural and sporting legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as Arts Council England and Advantage West Midlands.
The festival is a celebration of social dance in the city. For almost a year young members of the group have been working to prepare for the festival. The group spent last Autumn interviewing local people for their memories of dancing and dance halls in Wolverhampton, and are now in rehearsal for four newly commissioned shows, based on these recollections. Young people have also been involved with planning the events of the festival itself.
The festival week will see performances across the city from Central Youth Theatre, local youth theatre Kuumba Arts Movement, and six European youth theatres, as well as public dances and an exhibition of local memories. It also involves the transformation of the former Low Level railway station into a site specific ballroom space in which some of the performances will be staged.
Youth Theatre director, Jane Ward, says, “We are pleased to announce that we are now ready to officially launch our programme and festival guide. The festival is going to be a jam-packed week, with performances from some of the most talented young theatre groups from across Europe, the chance for everyone in Wolverhampton to get involved with dancing, and a fantastic celebration of the history of our city and its residents. We’re bringing the Cultural Olympiad of London 2012 right into the heart of Wolverhampton”.
