Time to dance with Leicester festival

Ballet Hispánico present Carmen as part of the festival (photo: Marius Fiskum)

Leicester’s action-packed annual festival Let’s Dance International Frontiers returns next month with an array of bold and beautiful performances.

Audiences will be able to enjoy a comprehensive and entertaining programme of performances by international superstars as well as fast-rising UK companies, choreographers and soloists. There will also be workshops and masterclasses, networking opportunities and film screenings.

The festival opens on May 12 at the Guildhall with a barnstorming performance by the acclaimed Brazilian company Cia Pé No Mundo. They describe their unique style of dance language as “Afro-indigenous Brazilian expressions mixed skillfully with contemporary dance”.

May 16 and 17 sees headlining performances at Curve Leicester by the mighty New York City-based Ballet Hispánico, who will perform their electrifying reimagining of Carmen, a contemporary take on Bizet’s beloved classic. The sensual choreography fuses contemporary dance with nods to the Spanish paso doble, flamenco and movement of the Latin American diaspora. Ballet Hispánico is the USA’s leading Hispanic dance company and the largest cultural institution of its kind in the United States. The festival’s artistic director, Pawlet Brookes MBE, said: “Since I started Let’s Dance International Frontiers 15 years ago, it has become a leading platform in the UK for Black dance. Its reputation has grown steadily over the years and it’s now a huge, popular draw for audiences and artists from all over the UK and from many parts of the world.

“Over the years we have presented premieres by an incredible portfolio of dancers and choreographers based in London, Leeds, Manchester, Leicester and Birmingham and from countries near and far including France, Norway, Italy, Rwanda, Nigeria, South Africa, Brazil, Cuba, Jamaica, Japan, Australia, the USA, and many others. It is truly an internationally recognised dance festival and every time I travel to events in other countries, I always bump into familiar faces or people who know who we are. Brookes, who is also chief executive of festival organisers Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage, said: “We love being based in Leicester – it’s such a great, diverse and exciting city. We’ve built up solid relationships with the city’s theatres, cinemas, hotels and restaurants. We’re looking forward to welcoming our ever-growing national and international audiences to this year’s fantastic programme.”

Visit serendipity-uk.com for tickets and more information.