Posts Tagged ‘brewin dolphin’

Dance Challenge Update

Well, our intrepid dancers-in-training have been attending their classes for several weeks now and we thought it’s only fair to let you see what they’ve been up to.

Satnam Rana from BBC Midlands Today has been throwing some funky moves in her hip hop class, whilst Paul Sargent from Brewin Dolphin has been mistaken on several occasions for Gene Kelly in his tap dancing classes! Kate Lawler from Kerrang! Radio is getting into the Brazilian spirit at her Capeoira classes, and at her last class joined in her first Joda (pronounced hor-da).

Louisa James from ITV Central News is really starting to look the part as a ballet dancer and Keith Gabriel from Citigate has been leaping about the studio in his Contemporary classes.  Fionnuala Bourke from Birmingham Mail is looking very cool in her Club Jazz classes, whilst Jodie Schofield from Smooth Radio has been learning routines from films such as Bugsy Malone, Guys and Dolls and Sister Act in her Musical Dance classes.

It seems to be neck and neck at the moment, so they’ve got everything to work for in the final few weeks to try and win the IDFB Dance Challenge!

Dance Challenge

Hurray! We have launched the IDFB Dance Challenge.

So, what’s the Challenge about, we hear you ask? Well, we asked a number of local personalities, journalists as well as representatives from our sponsor, to each learn a particular style of dance by attending a weekly class at DanceXchange.

Here’s the lowdown on who’s who and who’s doing what:

Kate Lawler from Kerrang! Radio who  will be learning Capoeira

Louisa James from ITV Central News who will be learning Ballet

Satnam Rana from BBC Midlands Today who will be learning Hip Hop

Fionnuala Bourke from Birmingham Mail who will be learning Club Jazz

Jodie Schofield from Smooth Radio who will be learning Musical Dance

Paul Sargent from Brewin Dolphin who will be learning Tap Dancing

Keith Gabriel from Citigate PR who will be learning Contemporary

The participant who makes the most improvement will be hailed as the winner. The IDFB Dance Challenge champion will be chosen by Festival Co-Director David Massingham and will be announced on Saturday, 15th May during the performances at the Bullring.

So, will there be lots of tears and tantrums? Watch this space, because we will be documenting their progress here through photos, videos and blog posts. Our participants will also be charting their own progress through their own publications, broadcasts and websites.

The IDFB 2010 launch

IDFB Launch 002

Last night International Dance Festival Birmingham’s funders, sponsors, organisers and friends came together for the festival’s official unveiling.

After a joint performance by 2FaCeD DaNcE Company, Rosie Kay Dance Company and cossack dancer Bruce Tetlow, festival co-directors David Massingham (DanceXchange) and Stuart Griffiths (Birmingham Hippodrome) took to the stage to welcome everybody and announce a phenomenal line-up of international talent.

The launch pack handed out to guests has details of the festival programme and can be downloaded below, along with a press release from festival sponsor Brewin Dolphin (right-click and save as on the following links):

You can listen to Stuart and David’s speech here:

There are more photos and some video from the evening, which we’ll post here when we receive them. In the meantime, last night’s event left those who attended in no doubt that International Dance Festival Birmingham 2010 will be something exceptional.

International Dance Festival Birmingham 2010 is produced by DanceXchange and Birmingham Hippodrome, and funded by Advantage West Midlands, Arts Council England West Midlands, and Birmingham City Council.  It is also sponsored by Brewin Dolphin, has a Media Partner (BBC WM) and Accommodation Partner (Crowne Plaza Birmingham City Centre), and is part of the West Midlands’ Culture Programme for 2012.

In the picture above:

  • Back row, L-R: Chris Linda (Rosie Kay Dance Company), Mathew Chambers (2FaCeD DaNcE Company), Johnny Autin (2FaCeD DaNcE Company), Stuart Griffiths (Co-Director IDFB), John Driver (Divisional Director, Brewin Dolphin), David Massingham (Co-Director IDFB), Tamsin Fitzgerald (Artistic Director, 2FaCeD DaNcE Company), and Rosie Kay (Director, Rosie Kay Dance Company)
  • Front row, L-R: Robby Graham (2FaCeD DaNcE company), Tilly Webber (Rosie Kay Dance Company), Bruce Tetlow, Nathan French (2FaCeD DaNcE Company)