GHOST PELOTON Set for Yorkshire Festival 2014, 16-17 May

On Friday 16 and Saturday 17 May 2014, a ghost peloton of 30 synchronised cyclists in LED light suits will commit to mass choreographed movement in a live performance that fuses endurance sport, dance and public art. A collaboration between Phoenix Dance Theatre and Glasgow-based public arts organisation NVA in partnership with Sustrans, Ghost Peloton is a 45-minute event. It will unite the live action of the cyclists in their controllable LED light suits with film projection of stunningly illuminated dancers interacting with a nationally reputed 'flatline' BMX stunt cyclist. This film also includes the Ghost Peloton blazing a trail through iconic locations drawn from the Tour de France route through Yorkshire.

Ghost Peloton is part of Yorkshire Festival 2014, the first cultural festival in the Tour de France's 111 year history. Until 6 July, a vast programme of world-class cultural events is taking place in the lead up the first two race days of the Tour, the Grand Départ, this year hosted by Yorkshire.

"Ghost Peloton draws on talented and diverse artists coming together to create something unique, engaging and appealing on many levels. I am proud and excited to be sharing it with the world. It really is Yorkshire giving you more! Looking at world class art in a fresh way." - Sharon Watson, Artistic Director, Phoenix Dance Theatre

Directed by Angus Farquhar of NVA and choreographed by Sharon Watson, Artistic Director of Phoenix Dance Theatre, Ghost Peloton will include a new film by Mark Huskisson to be broadcast in connection with the opening days of the Grand Départ and a large-scale public performance in Waides Yard, central Leeds on 16 & 17 May.

Inspired by the wheel in motion, the work fuses performance cycling with choreography performed by Phoenix's dancers on film, and the varied landscapes of Yorkshire. Each ghost rider, bike and performer will be illuminated by Phil Supple's brilliant lighting design utilising NVA's bespoke LED light suit which can instantaneously change colour, flash-rate and luminosity supported by a stunning electronic score by Hebden Bridge composers Frame Missing.

The live event, film of the dancers, and the creation of a short film of the Ghost Peloton on the Tour de France route, will be compiled into a short film intended for broadcast to an audience of 180million people in over 150 countries during the opening days of the race, 5 & 6 July 2014.

New cyclist rehearsal and dance filming photos by Tim Smith © NVA and Phoenix available at this link: https://yorkshire.app.box.com/culturalfestival/1/1919569139

Ghost Peloton, 16 & 17 May, Waides Yard, The Tetley, Hunslet Rd, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS10 1JQ.
Part of Yorkshire Festival 2014.

For more information about the project visit: nvaspeedoflight.org.uk/location/ghostpeloton
For more info about the festival visit: www.yorkshirefestival.co.uk

Yorkshire Festival is supported by Arts Council England, Yorkshire Water, Welcome to Yorkshire and the Local Authorities of Yorkshire.