Big Dance fever sweeps the south east

12th July 2010

Big Dance came to the south east in July, with live performances, flash mobs and dance workshops happening across the region. Big Dance is a vibrant campaign that aims to get as many people as possible engaged with dance. Thousands of people of all ages were involved across the south east, including many young people.

The regional events were coordinated by South East Dance through six hubs in Oxford, Buckinghamshire, Surrey, Brighton and Hove, Kent and Portsmouth.

As part of Big Dance South East England, schools across the south east region signed up for the Big Dance Schools Pledge, undertaking 100 minutes of extra dance activity during Big Dance week. Many of them linked with partner schools across the globe for a Guinness World Record attempt at 1pm on Friday 9th July for the largest dance class in the world.

Hampshire Dance led the activity for the Portsmouth hub. Young people aged 8 – 23 years old from local street dance groups, Streetforce and Most Wanted formed a flash mob group to take dance to the streets of Portsmouth. Led by Roni Cheeseman, they performed flash mobs in a popular shopping destination, Gunwharf Quays, popping up and breaking into dance unexpectedly amongst the shoppers!

The flash mobbers performed a phrase commissioned by South East Dance especially for Big Dance South East England. Helen Parlor (ex-Motionhouse) then adapted the phrase especially for the flash mob group and the specific spaces they were performing in around the shopping centre.

Roni Cheeseman commented “The flash mob performances were a great way to bring dance to a new audience. It was an exciting opportunity for the young people involved to work with Helen Parlor, who is a very experienced choreographer and great to work with. Everyone had great fun. The two street dance groups came together really well.”

Big Dance South East England was led by South East Dance and delivered in partnership with Brighton and Hove City Council, Creative Partnerships at the Centre for Community Engagement - University of Sussex, Kent County Council, Hampshire Dance, Oxford City Council, Woking Dance festival and Wycombe Swan Theatre.

To find out more about Big Dance 2010 visit the Big Dance website.

See photos of the event on our Facebook page.