Big Dance 2016 Lineup Set

Big Dance celebrates a decade of expansion and development in dance across the country in 2016, in this, the final Big Dance year, with events and performances all over the country between 2 and 10 July 2016.

Big Dance, founded by the Mayor of London in 2006 and now produced in partnership with People Dancing, is both a festival and a national campaign. Over the last ten years, millions of participants, international dance stars and dance organisations across the UK have joined together, creating the biggest festival of dance ever staged. With the support of such stars as Tamara Rojo, Darcey Bussell, Wayne McGregor, Matthew Bourne, Arlene Phillips and Bruce Forsyth, Big Dance has been part of a huge growth in audiences and participation in dance over the last ten years, and leaves a legacy of collaborative working between dance organisations, unique to the UK.

As the curtain raiser to this year's Big Dance, Akram Khan will lead the Big Dance Pledge 2016 inviting everyone, irrespective of age, ability or experience, to be inspired and join in a free dance on a world stage on Friday 20 May. Every country is invited to take part, taking their cue from an original piece of choreography specially created for Big Dance by Akram Khan, to commissioned music by Nitin Sawhney. All the learning materials including demonstration videos are available free on the Big Dance website www.bigdance.org.uk

Over the Big Dance Weekend, 2 and 3 July there will be performances, workshops, outdoor events, street dances all over the country, involving professionals and amateur enthusiasts in communities. Full details will be available from the Big Dance websitewww.bigdance.org.uk

Jacqueline Rose, Director of Big Dance, said: "Reflecting the strong growth in the dance community in the UK, our aim over these last ten years has been to encourage participation in the joy and the personal and social benefits of dancing. Together with our partners, we have aimed to be inclusive, risk-taking, taking dance out into the communities where people live. Whether it is through the travels of the Big Dance Bus, or the numerous commissioned programmes for television, or the large-scale public events such as those hosted in Trafalgar Square, we hope to have influenced people's appreciation of dance, and contribute to the structure for encouraging further development in the artform the future."

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, said: "Over the last decade Big Dance has become a phenomenon, bringing together millions of people, not just in London, but in cities up and down the UK and around the world. Whether as seasoned hoofers, or coy first timers, it has got people of all ages, genders and from different communities dancing. As Big Dance steps out for the final time, we want to see as many people shaking a leg, bodypopping, pirouetting, or simply swaying, to make this the top terpsichorean treat of 2016.'

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