BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT winners Diversity will be among those taking part in a month-long celebration of dance coming to Reading from this weekend.
Dance Reading is a festival that celebrates all forms of the art, and will take place in venues across the town and beyond.
It starts with two performances of CODE, which fuses music, physical theatre, parkour, live rap and bike stunts, the spectacular show is in partnership with Community Safety Partnership and Safer Streets 4 and supported by Reading Football Club and Reading Borough Council.
Performed by Justice In Motion at 10.30am and 1.30pm, there is no booking required.
Afterwards, the Royals will take on Portsmouth in a League One clash.
South Street Arts Centre is to host five shows.
The award-winning Bert and Nasri bring first The End and then The Beginning to the venue on Wednesday, November 1 and Thursday, November 2.
Taking on themes of relationships, ageing and climate change, the beautiful, funny and thought-provoking dance-theatre pieces feature, respectively, young John Madejski Academy actor Olly and a chorus of residents aged 60 and over.
On Sunday, November 19, sees a double-bill of Ruins – Fubunation’s exploration of masculinity within the Pan-African diaspora – and hip-hop choreographer Dani Harris-Walter’s heart-stirring, coming-of-age piece Happy Father’s Day.
Then on Saturday, November 25, multi-award-winning, multi-form artist Katherine Radeva, whose work has been seen everywhere from the Barbican to BBC iPlayer, shares her latest show 40/40.
Diversity will be at The Hexagon on Wednesday, November 15, and Thursday, November 16. They will also understand youth group visits and workshops.
Drishti Dance mark their 15th anniversary with an evening of traditional, storytelling Indian dance at Wokingham’s Whitty Theatre on Sunday, November 26, followed on Saturday, December 2 by the grand finale, the JUMP! showcase.
This will feature hip-hop, kathak, ballet, contemporary, belly dancing, lindy hop – and maybe even some tap – from Reading’s dance schools, dance groups and individual dance professionals.
The event moves to Queen Anne’s School in Caversham for the first time.
Festival producer Beth Allum said: “A big part of our mission is to spread the joy of dance as far as possible and to celebrate all the incredible dance that is taking place in Reading.
“This year, our youth project and a team of amazing young people are making the festival happen, there’s so much going on behind the exciting programme of shows and workshops.
“We want to get everyone moving, however they can, from football fans to senior citizens looking for a new challenge, the thrill of seeing people of all ages trying dance for the first time is unmatched.”
The full programme, booking details, and opportunities to get involved can be found at: dancereading.com
