FUSE UV Street Party at Illuminate Festival of Light 2018

Members of Barbican Theatre’s FUSE Diverse Dance team are bringing an eye-catching UV performance to Illuminate 2018 on Friday 23 November at Plymouth’s historic Royal William Yard.

This innovative piece features 139 dancers and participants from all ages and backgrounds, led by our FUSE Diverse Dance Lead Practitioner and Choreographer Suzie West

“The performance we’ve created features an incredible and diverse range of styles and communities in Plymouth popping up across Royal William Yard. It showcases Bollywood, Hip Hop, African, Greek, Bharatanatyam and Contemporary. It’s a real celebration of culture, imagination, humanity and light!”

The FUSE UV Street Party will take place at Plymouth’s stunning Royal William Yard on a UV Street (between Melville Building and Ocean Studios), lighting up the performers. There will also be opportunities to watch our different FUSE teams and tribes as they have ‘pop up moments’ around the yard and the Illuminate festival.

Suzie continues: “The different groups of performers begin to unite on the UV Street, revealing hidden UV patterns on their skin and costumes as the UV light hits them. Through dance, music and light, they find common ground and celebrate with a big street party, with audiences being able to join in as well if they want to. It’s going to be so much fun and a great opportunity for all sorts of people to come together! “

To create the Illuminate performance a FUSE Diverse Dance spring-board residency took place in early November. FUSE Practitioners and experienced dancers from Avant Garde Dance, Sia Gbmoi and Dani Walters-Harris, worked with 139 people across one week. This specially made dance piece brings four tribes together blending Hip Hop, African, Kathak, Greek, Contemporary and Folk.

There will be two opportunities to watch / be a part of the FUSE Illuminate UV Street Party at Royal William Yard on Friday 23 November:

·         Fuse UV Street Party 6pm (with ‘pop up’ performances across Royal William Yard from 5:30pm)
·         Fuse UV Street Party 8pm (with ‘pop up’ performances across Royal William Yard from 7:30pm)

Entrance to the Illuminate Festival of Light and the FUSE UV street Party performance is FREE.

For more information about Illuminate Festival of Light events in Plymouth please visit www.illuminate-festival.co.uk. For more information about Barbican Theatre’s FUSE Diverse Dance project please visit barbicantheatre.co.uk/fuse