UTOPIA

Following the fantastic audience reaction to Utopia in Victoria Square, Birmingham, the IDFB team is looking to create a stage version of this dance extravaganza, to tour large scale venues in 2011.

Charged and vibrant, this folkloric celebration was a brand new commission for our 2010 Festival.

Directed by Arthur Pita, contemporary dancers formed a brand new dance company collective alongside Russian, Spanish, Indian and African folk dance groups, all moved to the turbo-folk Gypsy and Balkan beats of Birmingham’s very own band The Destroyers.

Spells were conjured up as wild rhythms drew pulsating movement from this international spectrum of exceptional dances. Horned figures in gleaming gold made their presence felt while rituals, fire and a relentless stampede of exotic dances and frenzied songs brought together this riotous 40-strong cast in a 30-minute outdoor extravaganza unlike any other!

Arthur said: “There were bits of furniture all over the place and basically it looked like 40 people, plus the band, have attacked the Square! It was a very vibrant and a real cross-cultural event.”
Click here to visit Arthur’s website and find out more about his work

Max Gittings from The Destroyers couldn’t wait for Utopia to begin: “It’s been a while since our last dance extravaganza, so we were very excited to be part of Utopia. Being at the heart of a fully staged outdoor spectacular involving dance groups and musical sounds from across the world, whilst collaborating and forging new links with exciting and talented artists, is the very essence of what The Destroyers are all about.”
Click here to visit The Destroyers website

Folk dance companies featured:

Barynya (Russian)
Ilnur Ayupov, Vitaly Erdniev, Aleksey Ermakov, Boulat Moukhametov, Rustem Mulyukov, Evgeny Shatlovskiy, Rustam Sakaev, Azamat Valiullin
Email them.

Temperamento Español (Spanish)
Michelle Jimenez Alder, Manfredi Gelmetti, Juana Jimenez, Samantha Quy
Email them.

Janavak (Indian)
Manojkumar P. Bagga, Bharatsinh K. Bariya, Kishore Dave, Charmy Modi, Radhika Patel, Akshay R Patel, Hinal Patel, Pazayillath Muralidharan, Pooja Purohit, Padmakumar Nadar, Revanta Sarabhai
Email them.

Vocab Dance Company (African)
Hannah Anderson-Rickett, Naomi Deira, Sia Kpakiwa, Kelechi Nwanokwu, Ria Uttridge, Fire Warrior
Email them.

Contemporary dancers
Kristina Alleyne, Jordi Calpe Serrats, Elisabetta D’Aloia, Lisa Hood, Edd Mitton, Keil Morris, Mikah Smillie, Noi Tolmer, Joe Walking

Band: The Destroyers

Leo Altarelli – Trumpet/vocals
Dave Adams – Accordian
Mark Davis – Tuba
Aaron Diaz – Trumpet
Jamie Fekete – Guitar
Max Gittings – Flutes
Mick Howson – Hurdy Gurdy
Gaz Jones – Clarinet
Frank Moon – Bass/Oud & Musical Director
Paul Murphy – Lead Vocal
Daniel O’Connell – Drums
Louis Robinson – Band Leader & Violin
Richard Shrewsbury – Trombone
Dan Wilkins – Electric Guitar/percussion

Artistic Director: Arthur Pita
Creative Producer: David Massingham
Assistant Director & Costume Designer: Yann Seabra
Production Manager: Simon MacColl
Lighting Designer: Chahine Yavroyan
Sound Designer: Andy Pink
Set Designers: Nicola Richardson & Marianne Taviner of Vortex Creates and team
Musical Director: Frank Moon
Costume Supervisor: Giulia Scrimieri
Set Dressers: Jay Bartmanis & Penelope Watson
IDFB Producer: Hannah Sharpe

Lighting Operator: Nathan Atkinson
Production Electrician: Karsten Tinapp
Carpenter: Martin Streeter
Site Manager: Mark Blakey Clark
Site Support: Barbra Egervary
Site Facilities Provided by: Commbus
Scaffolding by: John Law and Modern Scaffolding
Sound Equipment Supplied by: SSE
Lighting Equipment Supplied by: Stage Electrics
Production Development: Neil Cooper

The large water feature in Victoria Square, incorporated into the Utopia stage set, was created by award-winning Indian sculptor Dhruva Mistry in 1993, commissioned by Birmingham City Council. This comprises four sculptural works: The River, Youth, The Guardians, and Object (Variations).