Faster… is a new one act ballet by Birmingham Royal Ballet’s David Bintley CBE and composer Matthew Hindson inspired by the Olympic motto, ‘Faster, Higher, Stronger’.

Inspired by London 2012, the ballet will explore the themes of speed, power and athleticism and will premiere in the run up to the Games in Birmingham on 27 June.

Faster… forms part of BRB’s Summer Celebration and is one of three ballets performed each evening. The programme also includes The Grand Tour, a playful piece set in the roaring 1920s, and the Shakespeare inspired The Dream.

Faster… runs from 27–31 June at Birmingham Hippodrome, with evening performances at  7.30pm and Matinee performances on 28 June at 2pm and 30 June at 2.30pm. Tickets start at £16.

PHOTO: Imagine Bill

Wings of Desire rocked Victoria Square to its foundations last week. Now you can catch up or relive the experience by checking out the photos from the spectacular event. Created in Birmingham has a good round-up of photos from the event which was the finale to International Dance Festival Birmingham 2012.

Wings of Desire is the free, outdoor spectacular that is set to bring the curtain down on International Dance Festival Birmingham 2012 in style on the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th May in Victoria Square.

Australia’s world famous CIRCA meets Britain’s urban hot ticket 2Faced Dance Company in this dramatic and awe-inspiring production, starring internationally-renowned DJ, film and TV star Goldie and featuring interactive performance experts Seeper.

A love story bridging heaven and earth will unfold before your eyes in this outdoor spectacle, featuring the most amazing transformation of a Birmingham building ever seen.

Angels gather on rooftops as the whole of Victoria Square comes alive with jaw-dropping circus acrobatics and exhilarating dance.

Music resounds and surprises come from all corners as the intensity builds to the ultimate finale moment – a sequence of glorious technicolour projections, bathing the beautifully-restored Town Hall in magical moving imagery.

Here’s an idea of what could be in stall for Town Hall this week:

Over 200 enthusiastic and committed individuals are needed to be part of Wings of Desire the grand finale of International Dance Festival Birmingham 2012.

We seek a diverse range of Community Participants, aged 16-100+, who are available for the dates and times listed below. You do not need to have specific dance or theatre skills to take part, just a keen interest and commitment to be involved in this exciting production. No fees are paid for this opportunity.

Wings of Desire is set to be the highlight of International Dance Festival Birmingham 2012 – a major outdoor dance theatre spectacular in Victoria Square, building on the popular acclaim of Watch This Space in IDFB 2008 and Utopia in IDFB 2010.

Dates and commitments
Daytime creation: Sat 12 May, 10am-4pm and Sun 13 May, 3pm-6pm (venue details tbc)
Evening rehearsal: Tues 15 May 2012, 6pm-10pm approx, Victoria Square
Evening rehearsals and shows: Wed 16 – Sat 19 May, 8pm-10.15pm, Victoria Square

Some flexibility can be given around availability for all rehearsals and all shows, but a commitment is sought for the majority of these listed times.

For further information about the performance and the role required, click here.

To apply: Email Community Engagement Manager Lucy Kenny or call her on +44 (0)121 689 1081.

Didn’t make it to Breakin’ Convention at Sadler’s Wells? Luckily, you have a couple of chances to catch up.

The international hip hop dance festival is coming to Birmingham Hippdrome on 14 and 15 May and you can watch the Sadler’s Wells show  from the comfort of your own home as it is now available to watch online via The Space.

The Birmingham Hippodrome show on 14 May is part of Breakin’ Convention’s fourth UK tour taking in eight venues across the UK with touring international acts Clash 66, Vagabond Crew and ILL-Abilities (Plymouth and Birmingham only) plus local acts in each venue.

The Space is a new on-demand initiative by the Arts Council England in partnership with the BBC that offers audiences a new way to experience some of the most exciting arts events from across the UK. The Space runs for six months, from May to October 2012 giving audiences unique access through their computer, tablet, mobile or connected TV. Breakin’ Convention is the first dance event in The Space offering audiences the opportunity to see all aspects of the international hip hop dance festival, from foyer events to smaller performances in the Lilian Baylis Studio to performances on the Main Stage.

Hosted and curated by Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Jonzi D, Breakin’ Convention is in its ninth year. It features some of the very best UK and international acts in hip hop dance, offering audiences a range of different styles from breaking and popping to locking, b-boying and newer styles such as house dance, devised from the dance floors and born out of club culture. There are also dozens of extra events in the mix including workshops, film screenings, DJ demos, impromptu foyer freestyle sessions and even live aerosol art.

For more information, go to the Breakin’  Convention website, or visit The Space.

You can be part of Encompass, a digital dance performance as part of Dancing for the Games and the Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands.

All you have to do is go to the Encompass website and create a short dance video that will be projected as part of a moving collage at the live performance in Much Wenlock, Shropshire in July.

The “create your kaleidoscope” option is best for where there is less space (ie. at home where they may not be much room to dance), while the “Use your webcam to record your dance” option is good when there is more space.

For more information, go to the Encompass website.

Keneish Dance is looking for strong female African Contemporary and/or Contemporary Dancers to join the company for its first full length production to tour in Autumn 2012. The tour will include a rework of the sculptural installation piece ‘It’s like a thorn in my side’. The ideal candidate will have a strong physicality, performance, theatre skills with a natural sence of musicality.

Rehearsals will be in Birmingham, followed by 6 – 9 performances in the UK between August and October. The first performance will be the opening ceremony for the Billingham International Folkline Festival on the 12th August. A rehearsal and performance fee will be paid and assistance with accommodation will be provided for those traveling from outside Birmingham.

The closing date for submissions is 15th May, with auditions taking place on 20th May in Birmingham. To apply, send your CV and photograph to Kome Ovuworie at keneishdanceaudition@ymail.com.

Keneish was founded in 2009 by Keisha Grant combining African Contemporary and Contemporary Dance with visual arts.

Olga Pericet is hosting a weekend of workshops in Birmingham in early May as part of this year’s International Dance Festival Birmingham 2012.

Olga recently sold out at Sadlers Wells London Flamenco Festival for her contemporary production of Rosa, Metal y Ceniza (Rose, Metal and Ash), which featured Birmingham-based Flamenco dancer Jesus Fernandez.

“Get to grips with the intricate rhythms behind this most passionate of dances in a series of fantastic workshops for all levels – taught by international guest star Olga Pericet and Birmingham flamenco favourite Ana Garcia.

After the success of our flamenco season during International Dance Festival Birmingham 2010, we’re delighted that Olga Pericet and Ana Garcia are returning for more flamenco fun; featuring taster classes for beginners, choreography and body technique classes to help with expression and movement, and intermediate and advanced classes for more experienced participants.”

Check the dates and times below, download the booking form or  contact Ana via email for further information.

Saturday 5th May – Monday 7th May

FLAMENCO TASTER CLASS
Saturday, Sunday & Monday // 11am – 12noon // £30
With Ana Garcia

FLAMENCO LEVEL 1
Saturday, Sunday & Monday // 12.15pm – 1.30pm // £55
With Ana Garcia

FLAMENCO LEVEL 2
Saturday, Sunday & Monday // 1.45pm – 3pm // £60
With Olga Pericet

CHOREOGRAPHY & BODY TECHNIQUE
Saturday, Sunday & Monday // 3.15pm – 4.15pm // £40
With Olga Pericet

FLAMENCO LEVEL 3
Saturday, Sunday & Monday // 4.30pm – 5.45pm // £60
With Olga Pericet

All classes take place at IMI Studio – Birmingham Hippodrome,
Thorp Street, Birmingham, B5 4TB

International Dance Festival Birmingham is underway and the opening week sees a full programme of free outdoor performances, world class theatre shows and opportunities to get involved in the festival.

First up is the premiere performance of Home, which starts at 1.30pm today, as dancers animate Birmingham city centre using ideas, inspirations and choreographic material contributed by 1000 individuals through workshops, open days, and uploading films online, all relating to people’s feelings about the theme of ‘Home’, and what it means to them.

Surprising shoppers, commuters and city workers alike, this bold, inventive new dance production promises three weeks of pop-up performances that will intrigue and fascinate in equal measure.

Individual doormats act as miniature stages for a cast of community and professional dancers exploring what home, identity and belonging mean to them; culminating in a grand finale performance right in the heart of Birmingham.

The full performance schedule for Home is below:

High Street & New Street
Monday 23 April – Saturday 12 May // Daily at 1.30pm

Brindleyplace
Sunday 29 April // 1.30pm

Grand Finale Performance // Bullring, High Street & New Street
Sunday 13 May // 1.30pm

You can also take part in Home workshops:

Brindleyplace (outdoor)
Sunday 29 April // 12noon – 1.15pm & 3pm – 4pm

Home @ the Hub, mac birmingham (indoor)
Saturday 5 May – Monday 7 May // Open daily 11am – 5pm

For the duration of the project, Home will have a base at Pavilions shopping centre, off High St in Birmingham (opposite Laura Ashley and H&M, lower ground floor). Come along and see dance pieces being put together, take part in performances, and pick up information about everything that’s happening during International Dance Festival Birmingham 2012.

The Hub will be open daily until Sunday 13 May 2012. Opening times: 10am-1.30pm & 3pm-4pm.

Printer Jam is a mash-up of ballet and Drum’n'Bass created by Birmingham Royal Ballet. The Drum’n'Bass track was made using sounds from a printer, which BRB choreographed a new piece of ballet to. Below is a video remix of a performance of the piece created by BRB.

Music: Mistabishi
Choreography: Kit Holder
Dancers: Kristen McGarrity and Joseph Caley
Footage recorded in 2010 at Elmhurst School for Dance and the Custard Factory, Birmingham.
I’ve tried to experiment with the visuals while keeping the original choreography reasonably intact.

You can see Printer Jam performed live as part of International Dance Festival Birmingham 2012 on 3 & 4 May at Crescent Theatre with two other one-act ballets.