Folklore spectacular brings together best of traditional and modern performers from across the globe

THE Balbir Singh Dance Company’s aqua-dance spectacular Sychronised, commissioned for the London 2012 Olympic Games, will be one of the highlights of this year's Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance, which runs from August 13 to 20.

It pays homage to Busby Berkeley’s legendary Hollywood ‘water musicals’ and will be staged at the Forum swimming pool featuring ten swimmers, ten dancers and live orchestral music.

The festival, which has taken then theme of Portrait of a Distant Land... Across the Seas, will also showcase the talents of BBC Young Dancer 2015 winner, Connor Scott, who trains at Dance City’s Centre For Advanced Training, and Vidya Patel, winner in the South Asian Dance Category.

Artistic director Olga Maloney says: “We have scoured the world, visiting dance companies in their local communities to bring our audience the very best in international dance. We are proud of the healthy mix of traditional and contemporary programming that fits alongside the education and development work. “The Folklore Festival stands by its traditions of not only bringing some of the top performers to Tees Valley but also setting the benchmarks for other festivals and practitioners to follow.”

The festival will be reinforcing its ties with education by delivering a number of projects including Cave of Hands with Respect Theatre and dance masterclasses with the Macmillan Academy from Middlesbrough; Billingham Community Primary School; and the festival’s continued association with Tees Valley Dance.

Eight days of dance, theatre and storytelling will illuminate the town, as dancers from eight countries scattered around the globe will be bring audiences to their feet with some breath-taking acts of world dance.

Visiting companies include:

Bashkortostan (Russia) – Folklore song and dance ensemble Miras; Chile – Ballet Folklorico Tupa Marka; Egypt – Egyptian Folklore Group; Martinique – Ballet Racine Creole; Mexico – Ballet Folklorico de Estado de Hidalgo; Mexico (2) Ballet La Grana ‘Beatriz Ramirez’ de Autlan, Jalisco and Mariachi Rosales; North Cyprus – Alaykoy Folklore Ensemble; South Korea – Society for Korean Dance Education; UK – Newcastle's Eliot Smith Dance Company, Yuvel Soria, Bellamy School of Ballet, Tapshoes & Tutus and Respect Theatre.

The Balbir Singh Dance Company will also be setting up exclusive drop-in sessions aimed at providing a chance for anyone keen to take part in Synchronised and Painting the Indian Gods, to get involved. The festival will also play its part in the Tees Dance Film Fest an event supported by Tees Valley Dance – with films being shown in everyday venues around Billingham including a local bingo hall.

There will also be the legendary Uncle BIFF’s Children’s Club for young people to enjoy the wonders of dance; and a number of students from Teesside University will be using the Festival to fulfil work placements as part of their BA (Hons) Dance degree module.

A major contributory factor of the festival’s appeal to supporters and funders was the training elements for young people. This is represented by daily International Youth Dance workshops from Monday, August 15 and Friday, August 18, 1.30pm to 2.15pm at Seven Entertainment Hall (above ASDA in Billingham).

The town centre will once again see the Festival Arena acting as a hub for daily events, and for staging the opening and closing ceremony. On the opening day there will be the annual parade that illuminates the streets of Billingham, and there will also be a fireworks display to close the the final day.

Councillor Norma Wilburn, Stockton Borough Council’s cabinet member for Arts, Leisure and Culture, says: “Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance is a vibrant and exciting event that is anticipated by so many residents both from the Borough and visitors from further afield. To have hundreds of performers bring their first class performances from across the globe right on the doorstep in Billingham is a real coup for the area and a boost for the local economy. It complements the exciting summer of events planned as always in Stockton Borough, sitting alongside the renowned Stockton International Riverside Festival. I’d encourage everyone to come down to Billingham in August and take in the magical dance, theatre and storytelling that will be on offer across the eight days.”

Jane Tarr, director north, Arts Council England says: “I’m delighted support from Arts Council England will allow BIFF to present new, contemporary work with diverse roots from some of the North’s most exciting dance artists, alongside the festival’s traditional programme of performances by visiting international folk dance companies. I hope people in Billingham and Stockton will support the festival and maybe go and try some of the new performances, as well as the festival favourites.”

  • Full line-up on billinghamfestival.co.uk. Box Office: 01642-553220 or billinghamfestival.co.uk/billinghamfestival/store You can follow the Festival on social media via Facebook facebook.com/billinghamworlddancefestival and on Twitter @BillFest
  • There’s a walk-in box office in Billingham Town Centre, 5 West Precinc, with the opening times of Monday to Saturday, 10.30am to 2pm