Alastair Macaulay lecture on Fred Astaire for DANSOX, St Hilda’s College, 1 March 2018 – Maggie Watson reports

Last Thursday, on a snowy night, St Hilda’s College Oxford warmly welcomed the local dance community to learn more about Fred Astaire, arguably the greatest dancer of the twentieth century. New York Times critic Alastair Macaulay gave an entertaining, witty and enlightening talk, as he showed us a series of filmed dance excerpts, while placing Astaire’s work in its cultural and choreographic context.

 

Dancin’ on the Green: Dancin’ Oxford Summer Festival, Gloucester Green 15th July 2017

Join Dancin’ Oxford for a fabulous summer afternoon of performances on the Dance Stage in Gloucester Green.  The varied programme includes national professional companies James Wilton Dance (who performed Leviathan to a sell-out audience at Pegasus this March), Company Chameleon, Sole Rebel Tap and C-12 Dance Theatre, plus the ever popular Grannny Turismo (who are bringing their revved-up shopping trolleys back to the streets of Oxford!) plus talented local street dance crews Beat Street and Step2Dance.  It’s free, it’s exciting, it’s awesome, it’s the very best in dance to the heart of the City! All afternoon there will be much to see and enjoy (including a mass Zumba workout!).

Stay for 10 minutes, for an hour or all afternoon. See below for a schedule of performing groups.  Bring the family, a picnic or choose from the many street food stalls on site selling food from around the globe. Fun for everyone, and best of all its free!

Date:  Saturday 15th July, 12.00-4.00pm

Location:  Gloucester Green Market Square, Oxford OX1 2BU

Dancin’ On The Green features:

James Wilton Dance – Leviathan
A 25 minute performance of the sell-out show seen at Pegasus in February, Leviathan will leave you gasping for air under the sheer ferocity of movement. A cast of 7 will wow you with a blend of athletic dance, martial arts, capoeira and partner-work, accompanied by a powerful electro-rock soundtrack by Lunatic Soul! Follow Captain Ahab and the crew as they search for the great white whale Moby Dick…you won’t regret it

Company Chameleon – Push
Athletic yet sensitive, Push is a beautiful yet powerful and engaging male duet, which looks at the different stances we take as relate to one another. The piece looks at how we push to exert dominance and control, and at other times choose to submit and step back
Choreographed by Anthony Missen and Kevin Edward Turner, aka Company Chameleon.
Co-commissioned by Without Walls and Dance Initiative Greater Manchester

Sole Rebel Tap – Spatterdash
An energetic and colourful tap show to an electro-swing soundtrack created especially by The Chicken Brothers. Sole Rebel Tap’s glamorous dancers tear up the stage with spats, fishnets and tailed jackets dancing to well- known music, creating an uplifting and popular show which will appeal to all ages.

Plus, don’t miss some of the best Urban Dance crews Oxford has to offer, including Beat Street and Step2Dance

C-12 Dance Theatre return to Oxford with Secret Encounters – A series of short dance pieces, choreographed by exciting, diverse and award winning choreographers that will pop up unexpectedly. Inspired by “First encounters that last forever”, the pieces will transform outdoor spaces into a live performance for a brief moment. The times will be secret, the locations will be secret…… Catch them if you can! CLICK TO WATCH TRAILER

Dancin’ on the Green is supported by Oxford Playhouse

12.15 – 12.35pm – Music (DJ Set)

12.35 – 12.40pm – Beat Street (street dance)

12.40 – 12.50pm – Sole Rebel Tap – ‘Spatterdash’

12.50 – 1.10pm – Company Chameleon – ‘Push’

1.10 – 1.15pm – Step2 Dance (street dance)

1.15 – 1.40pm – James Wilton Dance – ‘Leviathan’

1.40 – 1.50pm – Sole Rebel Tap – ‘Spatterdash’

1.50 – 2.05pm – Granny Turismo (On the Green)

2.05 – 2.10pm – Compere

2.10 – 3.00pm – Zumba ‘Summer Jam’ (with George Martini & team)

3.00 – 3.05pm – Beat Street (street dance)

3.05 – 3.25pm – Company Chameleon – ‘Push’

3.25 – 3.30pm – Step2 Dance (street dance)

3.30 – 3.55pm – James Wilton Dance– ‘Leviathan’Dancin’ on the Green

 

Sole Rebel Tap in “Tapestry” – Cassington Village Hall, Saturday 27th April 2013

Oxfrod based choreographer Hannah de Cancho‘s company Sole Rebel Tap will be reprising their successful show Tapestry, premiered at Pegasus Theatre during this year’s Dancin’ Oxford Festival, at Cassington Village Hall this Saturday 27th April.  This evening of live dance and music offers tap dance with a contemporary edge; the company of six versatile dancers and musician Debian Blak charm their audiences with an explosive and contagious energy.

 

Dancin’ Oxford brings dance to the streets of Oxford 1st-11th March 2013

Dancin’ Oxford, 1 – 11 March 2013, has 6 fabulous free street dance events in addition to an exciting array of performances in the city’s venues. Participants are professional and amateur, choreographers and dancers mostly from Oxfordshire though with some notable exceptions.