Merseyside Dance Promoters Network present:
LEAP Dance Festival reaches its 18th anniversary in 2010 and celebrates with an impressive yearlong programme of dance activity across the region.
Merseyside Dance Initiative (MDI) is celebrating having reached 18 years of LEAP Contemporary Dance Festivals across the region. For 2010, LEAP will expand its normal March festival into a yearlong programme of dance with the launch of the new Merseyside Dance Promoters Network (MDPN) to maximise dance opportunities in 2010. The network consists of leading venues within the Liverpool City Region who are working with MDI to increase the amount of dance in the venues diaries throughout the year.
Already, an exciting mix of Local, National and International companies are programmed in the city’s theatres across the year from Mathew Bourne’s Swan Lake, Candoco Dance, Tmesis, National Dance Company of Wales and Wayne McGregor’s Random Dance to name but a few, a usual concentrated programme of dance will cluster around the festival dates in March 2010.
MDI are also working with Culture Liverpool to animate the city centre with dance, the International Day of Dance on 29th April and City Steps 12th and 13th June are significant dates for the diary when the city will see a host of dance activity on the streets including some surprises. New dance works and commissions are also in the planning and will be premiered within the year. Extra activities such as seminars, dance intensives, workshops, ‘An audience with’ style events and public dance classes are also planned and all fitting with Liverpool’s Year of Innovation, Health & Well Being.
MDI Director Karen Gallagher said:
“As part of celebrating LEAP’s coming of age, MDI has initiated the Merseyside Dance Promoters Network and together we will be producing a year long programme of dance that we are very excited about. We are producing a virtual dance house together where different styles of dance can be presented at different sized venues thus providing something for everyone. There will be lots of chances to see and take part in dance with an eclectic mix of events both indoors and out.”
General Manager of Liverpool Empire Hannah Ashdown said:
“We’re delighted to be part of the Merseyside Dance Promoters Network and we are working hard to bring a wider and exciting range of traditional and contemporary dance to the region. It’s an honour to have secured Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake for its first ever Liverpool dates here at the Empire, and we look forward to many future collaborations.”
“I’m delighted that the Bluecoat has been a part of MDPN and it’s been great to see the participating venues working together to bring this impressive programme of fantastic performances to the city. It’s also very exciting to see the inclusion of home-grown talent through TILT, a monthly platform for the city’s emerging dance artists, as well as the New Moves Northwest showcase and the Everyman debut for Liverpool-based company Tmesis. It’s a great time for dance in Merseyside!
MDPN (Merseyside Dance Promoters Network) was initiated in 2009 by MDI to work with all of the venues in the region to increase the presentation of dance across Merseyside offering more frequent opportunities to see the best of dance and to build new audiences and an increased and quality programme of all types of dance remains in the city. Liverpool Empire, Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, The Bluecoat, Unity Theatre, Floral Pavilion, Rose Theatre, Black-E and Southport Arts Centre are all part of the network.
MDPN will also continue to create a positive and lasting impression by promoting and nurturing dance in the region and will be showcasing and supporting emerging talent, programming performances for local and regional dancers such as the Community Dance Showcase, North West Moves, New Moves Liverpool and Family Dance Days. Early in the New Year will see the announcement of a public competition using YouTube and social network sites for youngsters to record and send in their 3-5 minute dance via mobile and the winner will have the chance to perform their piece to the public at the Liverpool Playhouse as part of the Community Showcase.
LEAP Contemporary Dance Festival has grown significantly year by year and a vast array of dance has taken place across the Liverpool city region, beginning in 1992 LEAP was set up to celebrate achievements in dance on Merseyside, the festival lasted three months and took place all over Merseyside. It originally included physical theatre and mime in partnership with the Unity Theatre. In 2002, LEAP returned to its origins as a dance focused event, becoming a more concentrated festival to celebrating its 10th anniversary.
MDI has worked with and promoted a variety of companies over the last 17 years of the Leap Dance Festival such as: Random Dance Company, Shobana Jeyasingh, Richard Alston, Henri Oguike, Wendy Houstoun and Russell Maliphant, New Art Club, Nigel Charnock to name but a few. Also MDI has promoted international companies such as Sylvain Emard, Holy Body Tattoo and Estelle Clareton (Canada), Urban Bush Women, (America), Nora Chipaumire – Zimbabwe / USA Johannes Weiland (Germany) Serge-Aimé Coulibaly- Burkina Faso and Mei Yin Ng (Malaysia/USA). Some of these artists will return in the year of celebration, marking their contribution to dance promotion in Liverpool over the years.
MDI is a regularly funded organisation of Liverpool City Council and Arts Council England (NW) to date the programme is supported by Culture Liverpool, MDPN, Brindley Arts Centre and City BID, with more sponsors to be revealed as the year unfolds.
For more information or to register for newsletters
www.leap2010.co.uk
MDI (Merseyside Dance Initiative) is a dance development agency of local, national and international significance, based in the NW of England. Set up to develop dance in Merseyside and beyond, MDI inspires people through dance to take part, create and see dance, working in partnership with artists, venues and others in an environment that is inclusive, supportive, challenging and innovative. Focusing on strengthening the dance sector, it nurtures and sustains a healthy dance culture, through contacts locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. A Regularly Funded Organisation of the Arts Council of England (ACE) and Liverpool City Council, MDI provides a strategic overview for dance development in the Merseyside region and beyond. MDI was established in 1993 following the success of the first LEAP Contemporary Dance Festival which took place in 1992. MDI was involved in developing the initial bid prior to the announcement of Liverpool’s success in being named European Capital of Culture 2008. MDI has worked in partnership with Liverpool Culture Company since 2003 to ensure the cultural impact of dance is fully represented in the city during 2008.
Current LEAP 2010 Listings
January – June 2010
January
11 – Brendan Cole Live and Unjudged – Liverpool Empire
23-24 – Miranda Tufnell Dance Intensive – LJMU IM Marsh
29 – Candoco Dance Company – Floral Pavilion
February
9 – ACE Dance and Music – Rose Theatre
11-13 – Tmesis – Everyman Theatre
13-14 – Stop Gap Masterclass – The Bluecoat
21 – Movema – Chinese New Year – Black-E
22-27 – Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake – Empire Theatre
22 – LEAP Official Launch – Empire Theatre
23 – Mei Yin Ng – Liverpool Arts College
24 – Touchdown Dance – Rose College
27 – Flashmob – City Centre
March
2 – Dance 3 – Unity 2
3 – New Moves Liverpool – Unity Theatre
4 – Yael Flexer – The Brindley
5 – Company Chameleon – Brindley
6 – Community Showcase – Playhouse Theatre
7 – Family Dance Day – Floral Pavilion
8 – Stan Wont Dance – Rose Theatre
10 – Hiroaki Umeda – The Bluecoat
11 – Transitions – Floral Pavilion
13-14 – TILT 3 – Kazimier
14 – Pasion de Buena Vista – Liverpool Empire
17 – Mélanie Demers and Laïla Diallo – The Bluecoat
19 – Liverpool Little Stars – Sprtslinx – Outdoors
18-20 – A Fevered Sleep – Unity Theatre
19-20 – National Dance Company of Wales – Liverpool Playhouse
19 – Earthfall – Unity Theatre
20 – Company Chameleon Dance Intensive – MDI
24 – New Moves North West – The Bluecoat
27 – Vienna Festival Ballet – Floral Pavilion
28 – Diversity (Bringing a Toy Story to Life) – Liverpool Empire
April
21-25 – Moves 10 – The Bluecoat
28 – My Name Is – Rose Theatre
29 – International Day of Dance – Various locations
29 – Vienna Festival Ballet – Crosby Civic Hall
May
12 – New English Contemporary Ballet – Floral Pavilion
28-29 – Wayne McGregor | Random Dance – Liverpool Playhouse
June
12-13 – City Steps – Various City Centre locations
12-13 – TILT 4 – Kazimier
15-18 – Sefton Schools Dance Association ‘Wain Cain’ Festival – Crosby Civic Hall
19-20 – Movema Tent – Africa Oye
21-26 – Strictly Come Dancing (The Professionals) – Liverpool Empire
VENUE INFORMATION
Liverpool Empire – www.liverpoolempire.org.uk 0844 847 2525
Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse – www.everymanplayhouse.com 0151 709 4776
The Bluecoat – www.thebluecoat.org.uk 0151 702 5324
Unity Theatre – www.unitytheatreliverpool 0151 709 4988
Floral Pavilion – www.floralpavilion.com 0151 666 0000
Rose Theatre – www.edgehill.ac.uk 01695 584468
Black-E – www.theblack-e.co.uk 0151 709 5109
Southport Arts Centre – www.seftonarts.co.uk 01704 540011
The Brindley – www.thebrindley.org.uk 0151 907 8360
Festival Contact:
Artistic Producer: Karen Gallagher Karen@mdi.org.uk
Telephone: 0151 708 8810
For further information, images and interview requests please contact Bill Elms at Bill Elms Associates on 07930 454376 (mobile) or email bill@billelms.com – www.billelms.com
Information can also be found on www.mdi.org.uk