Bracknell

Bracknell Forest Borough Council and South Hill Park Arts Centre’s annual dance festival Lift Off is taking place from March 9 to March 16.

The Bracknell festival is a showcase of national, community and schools dance featuring more than 500 local and regionally based amateur dancers as well as professional performers and digital artists.

The festival opens with the SAKOBA Dance Theatre - a pioneering African based dance company - which explores the roots of African dance. Principal dancer Bode Lawal will also lead a master class and education workshops.

The ever-popular Bracknell schools gala includes pupils from Birch Hill School doing a combination of line dance with street and hip hop; pupils from Wildridings School will fuse jazz and street funk; and for the first time pupils from Wellington College will take part.

The youth and community gala mixes high energy with community talent and includes a Bollywood performance from Bracknell’s Indian Community Association, tap from the Red Hot Peppers and South Hill Park’s own Danceforce will showcase their funky modern moves.

There is also a chance to find out about the Council’s Arts Council-funded local dance group for older people, by watching dancer Ann Dickie who has a national reputation for successfully and creatively challenging the idea of who can dance.

Ann will perform her solo dance Any Queen and there will also be an opportunity to join a discussion about her dance past and current work with Bracknell Forest residents.

And to prove that dance is for everyone, Lift Off closes with a tea dance. A popular event for local people - providing a chance to dance such delights as the cha cha cha, jive and waltz.

To add further flavour to this already bursting dance week South Hill Park will be screening two classic films with dance at their core - West Side Story and On The Town.

Chloé Mason, South Hill Park’s Marketing and Press Officer, said: We are really looking forward to working with Bracknell Forest Borough Council on another exciting Lift Off.

It is a great to see community groups get the opportunity to perform alongside and learn from professional dance companies. We have a wealth of great dance related performances throughout the week which are sure to inspire and delight everyone.

Cllr Iain McCracken, the Bracknell Council’s Executive Member for Leisure, Corporate Services and Public Protection, said: "The Council is delighted to be working with South Hill Park Arts Centre yet again to bring this range of local and international performers to Bracknell Forest.

”There is a wide variety of dancing to appeal to lots of different tastes, so please do take a look or even get involved.”

For more details, times and locations about Lift Off, visit www.southhillpark.org.uk or call the box office on 01344 484 123.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council