Street Dreams - When Ballet Met Bhangra!
Our incredible Performing Arts students delighted the crowds in Bradford's Centenary Square on Friday 17th October with a stunning fusion of ballet and bhangra. Street Dreams, devised as part of a collaborative project with Northern Ballet Theatre and Kala Sangam, used lyrical ballet and rhythmic South Asian dance to explore dreams, love and confusion, inspired by A Midsummer Night's Dreamand traditional Indian storytelling.
All our second year Diploma in Performing Arts students participated in the initial sessions with dancers and musicians from both companies.This was a fabulous opportunity for them and they enjoyed every moment. From the outset training was very intensive - glimpse it here.
Then while our dancers were scheduled additional sessions to polish their routine to exacting standards and prepare to lead workshops passing on some of their newly acquired skills, an elite marketing group was formed to promote the event and and discover the practicalities of running a performing arts company. Guided by NBT's marketing professionals, these students produced and distributed leaflets, wrote letters and press releases and gave radio interviews to ensure a good audience. For our experience hungry students this was a dream come true - You can hear their reactions to the project here.
Despite the chilly day, large crowds gathered to watch the fabulous 8 and a half minute dance performance. If you missed it you can watch the video or enjoy images of their thrilling routine.
Our dancers' enthusiasm was so infectious that many of the audience wished they could join in - and they soon got their their chance with exercise and dance workshops interspersed between each dance performance. The very young and the young at heart were soon getting our Healthy College message that keeping fit can be fun and learning a few fancy dance moves courtesy of our students. Be inspired by images of the public workshops.
Our students are celebrating their success with a trip to the Alhambra to watch NBT's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Alhambra.