Nottdance is back with a month of movement across Nottingham venues, here's the lowdown on what it's all about...
As the weather cools down, it’s always a good idea to keep moving and stave off that chill. Thankfully FABRIC, the new company formed from the merger of dance organisations DanceXchange in Birmingham and Dance4 in Nottingham, is presenting its first full programme of work this Autumn - providing plenty of motivation and inspiration. While there have been a few changes internally, fans will be pleased to know that Nottdance is back.
“Our vision is to inspire people through dance, transforming lives, communities and places,” says Paul Russ, FABRIC’s Chief Executive. Their aim, he says, is “to create unique, thrilling and ambitious programmes and we are delighted therefore to produce our new autumn season presenting performances and workshops across the Midlands, with the highlight being Nottdance 2022, a season of dance and choreographic ideas and works, which includes a new touring partnership with Fierce Festival in Birmingham.”
Nottdance runs from Wednesday 5 – Saturday 29 October with more than 25 events from over seventeen artists across eleven locations in Nottingham. The programme was created in collaboration with partners and artists whose home, place of work or international destination is Nottingham and its wider communities. FABRIC’s international Centre for Choreography (iC4C) will be Nottdance’s hub, while performances, workshops, and social events will shimmy through Nottingham’s theatres, galleries, shopping centres and outdoor spaces.
To ensure that as many people as possible can experience Nottdance, FABRIC has reviewed its pricing structures, introducing a new “Pay What You Can” option for selected events. So while the cost of living is putting a strain on such events, they’re keeping it as inclusive as possible.
Sam Thorne, Director of Nottingham Contemporary, where some of the Nottdance 2022 events will take place, adds: “We are thrilled to be building on Nottingham Contemporary's longstanding partnership with Nottdance to inaugurate this new chapter with FABRIC. We look forward to welcoming new audiences to experience pioneering approaches to performance and choreography.”
The artist line-up, which features Seke Chimutengwende, Clara Furey, Usha Mahenthiralingam, and Janine Harrington, come from near and far and draw on themes of touch, care, decolonisation, personal archives, and labour.
Part of the programme includes FABRIC’s first touring work across the region. Following Clara Furey’s Dog Rising UK premiere in Nottdance on Saturday 8 October, it will also be presented on Thursday 13 October as part of Birmingham’s Fierce Festival, one of FABRIC’s long-term partners, demonstrating an ambition for more international and home-grown work to be showcased across the Midlands.
FABRIC’s autumn season will continue in the Patrick Studio with Altered Skin’s Fatherhood on Thursday 27 and Friday 28 October and Contemporary Dance 2.0 by Shechter II on Thursday 24 and Friday 25 November.
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