ADAD News and Events
2008 has been a great year for building partnerships and new initiatives. ADAD launched Open Stage™, an informal platform for dance of the African Diaspora, which took place in June and September. We partnered with Feedback 33, a dancer’s mentoring forum based at London Studio Centre and Independent Dance, based at Siobhan Davies Studios to host these events. The artists and companies who participated included Tavaziva Dance Company, Iris Debrito and Uchenna Dance Company (Vicki Igbokwe). The professional feedback panels included Thea Barnes, Jacky Guy and Funmi Adewole. We are grateful to all who have attended and made it possible to create a safe space for the artists to present new work and work in progress.
ADAD’s photographic exhibition ‘Black Dance’ in Britain 1930’s to 1990’s: Moments also continued to tour in 2008. Moving to Stratford Circus in East London for four months and then to The Drum in Birmingham for a two-month run starting in December 2008. The photographs continue to inspire and educate audiences wherever they are exhibited. One of the highlights of the tour was the Portrait of a Nation project in East London. This initiative saw a group of young people coming together to explore their heritage under the title ‘This is who we think we are’. The group created a performance incorporating dance, music, and drama and used the photographic exhibition as a talking point about the heritage of black dance artists in Britain.
Upcoming Events in 2009
Tuesday February 17th Open Stage @ Irie! Dance Theatre
Thursday February 19th Dance Under Construction @ the Drum
Thursday March 12th Studio to Stage @ Swindon Dance
Thursday March 19th Dance Under Construction @ the Drum
Thursday April 23rd Open Stage @ East London Dance
Thursday April 30th Dance Under Construction @ the Drum
Friday June 5th-7th Festival of Dance of the African Diaspora @ London’s Southbank Centre
For details of these events, keep checking the ADAD Events page by clicking here.
