The sixth Birmingham International Dance Festival (BIDF) takes place next month, and for 24 days will be doing its best to get the people of the city up and dancing.
A programme of theatre performances will be supported by extensive outdoor activities - the majority of which are free - spilling out onto Victoria Square and other city locations.
“We want to open up new and surprising ways for the people of the Midlands to experience dance,” says Lucie Mirkova, Artistic Director at DanceXchange - the Birmingham -based dance house which produces the festival.
Well versed in every aspect of dance, this is Lucie’s first festival in this role, having previously worked as Executive Producer for the company. Having “danced before I could walk”, Lucie’s passion for the art form shines through. “It’s part of my life. Dance is an amazing experience. It gives you the freedom to express yourself in so many ways...’
Originally from Prague, Lucie founded a community dance company before studying choreography at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, going to work as a producer for dance company DOT504. Moving to the UK in 2010, Lucie pursued her love of dance from another angle, undertaking an MA in Arts Management & Policy before moving to Birmingham.
With Lucie at the helm and her ‘partner in crime’ Paul Russ, the festival’s Associate Artistic Director , programming for this year’s festival sees a shift towards a more international outdoor content, and more opportunities for people to take part.
“We wanted to open up the dialogue between national and international practices, and BIDF is the perfect place to make this happen.
What’s also very exciting is the Midlands made programme, new commissions and presentations created by artists living and working in the Midlands. This is about how we bring local artists together and nurture their talents.”
Drawing audiences from across the Midlands and beyond, the festival aims to show choreographic practice at its best, pushing the boundaries of dance as a contemporary art form. So what does Lucie think is the most adventurous aspect of this year’s programming?
“New Creation, by Cecilia Bengolea & Florentina Holzinger, which hasn’t premiered yet.”
Described as a ‘collaborative experimentation, reflecting on the interface of nature and the artifice of the human body’, New Creation is a brave move for the festival, but one which Lucie is confident will pay off. “We know the artists previous work. Although they aren’t too well known in the UK, they are internationally so it’s very exciting.”
Alongside UK star choreographers like Wayne McGregor (Atomos at New Alexandra Theatre, 1 & 2 June), audiences will enjoy a programme of work from numerous international artists. These include at The Patrick Studios an immersive virtual reality experience VR_1 from Company Gilles Jobin & Artanim (Switzerland); Guide, a dreamy audio visual experience by Vera Ondrasikova & Collective (Czech Republic) which fuses the past with the present; and at Midlands Arts Centre Only Bones, a display of physical buffoonery from the Kallo Collective (Finland/New Zealand).
Challenging preconceived ideas about what dance is, the programme also features performances that people might not normally associate with a dance festival. Take ISH Dance Collective, for example. The Dutch company brings Elements of Freestyle.
Dominating Birmingham Hippodrome’s main stage on 14 June will be four skating ramps which will be constructed and deconstructed in numerous formations while performers demonstrate their skills in breakdance, inline skating, skateboarding, freerunning, BMX, and freestyle basketball.
“It’s a culture,” says Lucie. “It’s about breaking barriers and realising that dance can be many things.”
For 10 days Victoria Square in the heart of the city will be transformed to create a fresh and vibrant festival vibe, with a wonderful programme of exciting acts, activities and workshops suitable for any age with food and drink provided by local foodie favourites and live music each evening from Hare & Hounds of Kings Heath. The programme kicks off on 1 June with the first visit to the city of the incredible Morning Gloryville with their high-energy empowering morning sober rave suitable for everyone.
An event on the scale of Birmingham International Dance Festival doesn’t happen without support from numerous partners. New additions to the partner programme for 2018 are Colmore Business District, as Festival Square Sponsor, and West Midlands Railway, who’ve jumped on board as Official Travel Partner.
“I think it’s great that these big organisations see dance as a way to promote Birmingham as a destination, driving more people to visit our vibrant city.”
Birmingham is increasingly recognised as a city that’s good at delivering outdoor festivals which is very appealing for partners to be part of.”
Before BIDF 2018 has even got off the ground, Lucie is giving thought to the next festival and beyond. “You’re always thinking about future programming and making connections. It’s surprising how long it takes to negotiate those big gigs. I’m already in conversation for 2020 and 2022, to tie in with the Commonwealth Games. I’m talking to people about work that combines sports with dance.”
For now, though, it’s all about 2018 and making sure that everything runs smoothly. Fingers crossed, then, that all goes well in terms of the one thing that festival organisers can’t influence - the British weather.
The sixth Birmingham International Dance Festival (BIDF) takes place next month, and for 24 days will be doing its best to get the people of the city up and dancing.
A programme of theatre performances will be supported by extensive outdoor activities - the majority of which are free - spilling out onto Victoria Square and other city locations.
“We want to open up new and surprising ways for the people of the Midlands to experience dance,” says Lucie Mirkova, Artistic Director at DanceXchange - the Birmingham -based dance house which produces the festival.
Well versed in every aspect of dance, this is Lucie’s first festival in this role, having previously worked as Executive Producer for the company. Having “danced before I could walk”, Lucie’s passion for the art form shines through. “It’s part of my life. Dance is an amazing experience. It gives you the freedom to express yourself in so many ways...’
Originally from Prague, Lucie founded a community dance company before studying choreography at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, going to work as a producer for dance company DOT504. Moving to the UK in 2010, Lucie pursued her love of dance from another angle, undertaking an MA in Arts Management & Policy before moving to Birmingham.
With Lucie at the helm and her ‘partner in crime’ Paul Russ, the festival’s Associate Artistic Director , programming for this year’s festival sees a shift towards a more international outdoor content, and more opportunities for people to take part.
“We wanted to open up the dialogue between national and international practices, and BIDF is the perfect place to make this happen.
What’s also very exciting is the Midlands made programme, new commissions and presentations created by artists living and working in the Midlands. This is about how we bring local artists together and nurture their talents.”
Drawing audiences from across the Midlands and beyond, the festival aims to show choreographic practice at its best, pushing the boundaries of dance as a contemporary art form. So what does Lucie think is the most adventurous aspect of this year’s programming?
“New Creation, by Cecilia Bengolea & Florentina Holzinger, which hasn’t premiered yet.”
Described as a ‘collaborative experimentation, reflecting on the interface of nature and the artifice of the human body’, New Creation is a brave move for the festival, but one which Lucie is confident will pay off. “We know the artists previous work. Although they aren’t too well known in the UK, they are internationally so it’s very exciting.”
Alongside UK star choreographers like Wayne McGregor (Atomos at New Alexandra Theatre, 1 & 2 June), audiences will enjoy a programme of work from numerous international artists. These include at The Patrick Studios an immersive virtual reality experience VR_1 from Company Gilles Jobin & Artanim (Switzerland); Guide, a dreamy audio visual experience by Vera Ondrasikova & Collective (Czech Republic) which fuses the past with the present; and at Midlands Arts Centre Only Bones, a display of physical buffoonery from the Kallo Collective (Finland/New Zealand).
Challenging preconceived ideas about what dance is, the programme also features performances that people might not normally associate with a dance festival. Take ISH Dance Collective, for example. The Dutch company brings Elements of Freestyle.
Dominating Birmingham Hippodrome’s main stage on 14 June will be four skating ramps which will be constructed and deconstructed in numerous formations while performers demonstrate their skills in breakdance, inline skating, skateboarding, freerunning, BMX, and freestyle basketball.
“It’s a culture,” says Lucie. “It’s about breaking barriers and realising that dance can be many things.”
For 10 days Victoria Square in the heart of the city will be transformed to create a fresh and vibrant festival vibe, with a wonderful programme of exciting acts, activities and workshops suitable for any age with food and drink provided by local foodie favourites and live music each evening from Hare & Hounds of Kings Heath. The programme kicks off on 1 June with the first visit to the city of the incredible Morning Gloryville with their high-energy empowering morning sober rave suitable for everyone.
An event on the scale of Birmingham International Dance Festival doesn’t happen without support from numerous partners. New additions to the partner programme for 2018 are Colmore Business District, as Festival Square Sponsor, and West Midlands Railway, who’ve jumped on board as Official Travel Partner.
“I think it’s great that these big organisations see dance as a way to promote Birmingham as a destination, driving more people to visit our vibrant city.”
Birmingham is increasingly recognised as a city that’s good at delivering outdoor festivals which is very appealing for partners to be part of.”
Before BIDF 2018 has even got off the ground, Lucie is giving thought to the next festival and beyond. “You’re always thinking about future programming and making connections. It’s surprising how long it takes to negotiate those big gigs. I’m already in conversation for 2020 and 2022, to tie in with the Commonwealth Games. I’m talking to people about work that combines sports with dance.”
For now, though, it’s all about 2018 and making sure that everything runs smoothly. Fingers crossed, then, that all goes well in terms of the one thing that festival organisers can’t influence - the British weather.
Birmingham International Dance Festival takes place in the venues, streets and squares across Birmingham from 1 to 24 June.
A programme of outdoor activities will take place at Victoria Square from 1 to 10 June. Visit bidf.co.uk for details