Multi-award winning dance organisation MDI launches LEAP dance festival for its 25th year in Liverpool
Merseyside Dance Initiative (MDI) launches two week pop-up dance house for LEAP festival 2017.
In its 25th year in Liverpool, the dance development organisation is working in partnership with The Unity Theatre and Make Liverpool to create the pop-up dance house, which takes place between March 1 and March 12.
Leap 2017 explores the theme of Camouflage – Seen and Unseen- and examines dance as the invisible art form of the city. Each performance questions individual and collective identity, misconceptions and the untold stories in diversity.
In addition, following a Kickstarter campaign, which raised £5,175 to support the creation of the dedicated dance house, MDI is working with Make Liverpool to refit their versatile warehouse to create a fully accessible performance space and festival hub with full catering facilities, bar and exhibition spaces.
Over 131 supporters pledged towards the Kickstarter that surpassed its target in just 44 days.
Karen Gallagher MBE, artistic director of MDI commented: “LEAP 2017 is a celebration of 25 years of dance in Liverpool and we are as passionate as ever about the ‘coming of age of dance’ in the city. We are seeing dance reach a wider audience then ever before., and LEAP as always will produce inspirational and challenging productions. We are excited to take over Make Liverpool, creating a pop-up dance house – a first for the city.”
The festival has already attracted an impressive line-up of national and internationally renowned dancers and choreographers with performances from the award-winning dancer and choreographer Gary Clarke, Glasgow based dance theatre company Barrowland Ballet, and Hetain Patel will be performing his critically acclaimed American Man, which premiered at Sadler’s Wells last November.
The festival will also offer a host of pro-masterclasses for aspiring dancers, workshops from national companies such as Stop Gap Dance Company and a community focused day.
An installation exhibition from Rosemary Lee will run alongside the festival, entitled Without, with a seven screen video installation commissioned by dancers from Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company.
LEAP 2017 is sponsored and supported by Morecrofts solicitors, Edgehill University, Liverpool John Moores University, Jayne Moore Media and bungee-assisted dance specialists, Wired Aerial Theatre with some additional programme taking place in their Higher Space.