The event runs May 12th-17th.
Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage, Leicester, will celebrate the 15th anniversary of the annual dance festival, LET'S DANCE INTERNATIONAL FRONTIERS 2025 (LDIF25), founded by its dynamic Artistic Director, Pawlet Brookes MBE, who is also CEO of Serendipity.
LDIF25 features headlining performances on May 12th at Leicester Guildhall by Brazilian company Cia Pé no Mundo and at Curve Leicester on May 16th and 17th by New York City's Ballet Hispánico. Throughout the week there will be performances from up and coming UK talent, international superstars, films, workshops and masterclasses as well as networking opportunities and the chance to meet, learn, enjoy and participate.
Says Pawlet Brookes MBE, “LDIF has become a leading platform in the UK for Black dance. It's 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 France, Norway, Italy, Rwanda, Nigeria, South Africa, Brazil, Cuba, Jamaica, Japan, Australia, the USA, and many others.
“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 and this year we'll be presenting events at Curve Leicester, the Guildhall, and at Serendipity's own performance space.
We've previously staged shows at the Sue Townsend Theatre, Leicester Museum and Art Gallery, and Phoenix Cinema as well as outdoor spaces around the city and we regularly welcome audiences from Leicester and surrounding towns and cities, London, and further afield.
“This year's theme Intersection: Diasporic Dialogues explores the ways in which we can build stronger bonds and unity across the Diaspora. Black culture, whether it is rooted in Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, the USA or Europe is not a monolith, but connected by a shared global history. Through discussion and performance at this year's LDIF, we will connect the threads to honour the past, present and future of Black dance in all its complexity.”
· April 29th International Dance Day – LDIF25 launches at Serendipity's performance space in the heart of Leicester.
· May 12th Cia Pé no Mundo from Brazil perform at Leicester's 14th century Guildhall
· May 16th and 17th Ballet Hispánico from New York City perform a superb new version of Carmen at Curve Leicester
· Daily performances by international companies, workshops, masterclasses, and film screenings.
· Performances by and platforms for fast-rising UK companies, choreographers, musicians, and soloists.
· Opportunities to meet the artists, join discussions, observe top talent at work, learn new crafts and disciplines
Art Exhibition: LDIF25 will also give visitors the opportunity to view many of the original paintings from Serendipity's recent landmark art exhibition 100 Black Women Who Have Made A Mark at Curve on the mezzanine. Curated by Pawlet Brookes MBE the exhibition features 100 portraits of significant Black British women by five Black female artists based in the UK. Subjects include familiar faces from the world of performing arts and literature including Bernardine Evaristo, Sharon Watson, Kathy Williams, Brenda Emmanus, Stella Kanu, Dame Cleo Laine, Josette Simon, Mona Hammond and Gina Yashere, alongside pioneers in science, technology, medicine and law.
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