Despite a world pandemic, we’ve been busy collaborating with renowned artists and companies via online performances and workshops. We’ve had the pleasure of working with Protein Dance (UK), Martha Graham Dance Company (New York), Propeller Dance (Canada), and through our partnership with The Royal Opera House we have invited guest teachers, Federico Bonelli, Hikaru Kobayashi and David Pickering MBE to name but a few!
Being online has enabled us to reach more companies and dancers internationally, providing inspiration for our next artistic theme Global Moves and Grooves. Given our new global reach, we were thrilled to discover that the International Theatre Institute (ITI) had selected us to represent the UK for International Dance Day 2021!
Have a look at what some of the team have had to say about this fantastic opportunity:
“There are so many fantastic dance companies across the UK, so we are thrilled and honoured that we have been selected and that our work has been recognised by ITI. We are always excited to partner with organisations and share our work in new ways”
Laura Graham, Magpie Dance’s Executive Director
“Although we have been at home, our dancers continue to inspire us by adapting to technology to keep on dancing! It is amazing that we will be connecting internationally and that our work will reach so many more people. We hope this will bring more collaboration opportunities as we look to launch our next artistic theme – Global Moves and Grooves – exploring how and why people dance across the globe”
Alison Ferrao, Magpie Dance’s Artistic Director
In 1982 the Dance Committee of ITI founded International Dance Day to be celebrated every year on 29th April, the birthday anniversary of Jean-Georges Noverre, 1727-1810, the creator of modern ballet. The intention of International Dance Day is to celebrate dance, to revel in the universality of this art form, to cross all political, cultural and ethnic barriers and to bring people together with a common language – dance!
This year International Dance Day 2021 is an online celebration programme. ITI Centres and Cooperating Members, prominent figures of the global dance communities, plus dance companies have contributed more than three hours of beautiful dance performances videos to this online celebration, and we are so honoured to be a part of it. Please watch the International Dance Day 2021 Online Celebration from Thursday April 29th, 14h00 Paris Time at www.international-dance-day.org (for full programme click here).
On International Dance Day, Thursday 29th April, as well as appearing ITI’s International Dance Day 2021 Online Celebration, we will be releasing videos every hour from 9am – 6pm our YouTube channel to show the wonderful work that we have been creating online this year. You’ll see our international collaborations, incredible dance pieces and a series of ‘Learn…’ videos where you can see some Magpie dancers teaching rep and have a go at learning yourself! Please subscribe to our YouTube channel to receive notifications (and follow our Facebook and Twitter pages (@MagpieDance) to hear more about our International Dance Day celebrations this week.