SERENDIPITY, the arts producing organisation based in Leicester and led by its award-winning Artistic Director Pawlet Brookes, curates and presents the annual dance festival LET’S DANCE INTERNATIONAL FRONTIERS in Leicester between April 29th and May 11th.
LET’S DANCE INTERNATIONAL FRONTIERS – LDIF – launches on April 29th – International Dance Day – and focuses on diversity in dance by showcasing new work from emerging local talent and internationally acclaimed performers and companies.
LDIF19’s theme is Black Dance: A Contemporary Voice, which will be the focal point of discussion at the conference on April 30th.
“This year’s theme, Black Dance: A Contemporary Voice is about recognising and celebrating how dance from the African and African Caribbean diaspora has shaped, influenced and informed contemporary dance practice and what this means to the international dance community. Says Artistic Director Pawlet Brookes
“We are delighted to present Ronald K. Brown/Evidence in their LDIF and Leicester debut. Ronald K. Brown is a trailblazing African American choreographer, behind many popular works for Alvin Ailey and his own company Evidence. Evidence will present a triple bill: Torch, a tribute to Ron’s friend Beth Young, Come Ye, set to the music of Nina Simone and Fela Kuti, and the popular Four Corners (part of the Ailey repertoire).”
(photo above: Pawlet Brookes by Damon Smith/The Unloved)
David Mead, editor of SeeingDance.com: “LDIF is a really welcoming dance festival that has something for everyone: performances from emerging and established artists, including well-known names from overseas rarely seen in the UK, plus workshops, films and a conference. I love the contemporary vibe and that director Pawlet Brookes is always on the lookout for new spaces to host events alongside established venues. LDIF truly captures the richness of dance across all forms and all cultures: diversity in the truest sense of the word.”
LDIF19 artists include:
Ayikodans, from Haiti, led by choreographer Jeanguy Saintus who will be presenting a new commission, ‘Reflections’.
New York-based Ronald K. Brown/Evidence whose mission is “to promote understanding of the human experience in the African Diaspora through dance and storytelling” and whose performances (May 10 and 11) will include ‘Four Corners’, the piece Brown made for the Alvin Ailey Company.
The USA’s leading deaf/dance company, Urban Jazz Dance Company led by the charismatic Antoine Hunter will make a welcome return to LDIF19.
The Norwegian dance company Tabanka founded and led by Thomas Talawa Presto
British artists include the choreographer/creative director Kwesi Johnson, pioneer of Hip Hop Theatre and founder of Kompany Malakhi; the British/Japanese choreographer/dancer Mistato Shimizu whose mesmeric ‘Fly’ has been developed in partnership with Serendipity; and Alesandra Seutin, the first and only UK dance artist to train as a certified Germaine Acogny teacher and ambassador.
Films include a double dance bill ‘A Good Man’ (2011) (poster left) the documentary about the life and journey of acclaimed US dance-maker Bill T Jones and ‘Never Stand Still’, the 2012 behind-the-scenes documentary about Jacob’s Pillow, the famous dance festival and venue in Massachusetts, narrated by Bill T Jones.
LDIF19 will mark nine years since the festival was founded during which time artists from the UK, USA, Canada, France, Sweden, Japan, Norway, Belgium, Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, Guadeloupe, Brazil, Senegal, Philippines, Zimbabwe, South Africa and more have been presented at LDIF.
