The Great Train Dance
on The Severn Valley Railway
On 23 July 2011, The Great Train Dance performers; dancers and students from throughout the region, transformed the Severn Valley Railway into a magical experience with a puzzle to solve. In a Hitchcock thriller designed for families, this fascinating performance drew all ages on the train into the world of the absurd and seduce everyone into hunting for clues.
Local heritage mixed with the allure of steam to create a surreal backdrop for this mystery. As the landscape came alive with dancers, the puzzle of The Great Train Dance unfolded. Equipped with a map and a keen eye for unexpected goings on, audience members recorded their findings until all was revealed in the grand finale at Highley Engine House.
The Great Train Dance was a Dancing for the Games project, funded by Legacy Trust UK, an independent charity set up to create a cultural and sporting legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games across the UK. The project was inspired by London 2012 and part of the Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands. The initiative involved upwards of 500 participants in a variety of roles, and 16 appointed dance leaders encouraged local young people to join in both as dancers and in the fun activities surrounding and supporting the project.
“Steam trains have always been a big part of my family life so it’s very exciting for me to be creating a unique dance around the Severn Valley Railway. It is an ambitious but easily accessible project which everyone can get involved in in some way. The work is part of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad and it’s going to be fun as well as an opportunity to do something completely different. It’s got national as well as regional appeal, from train enthusiasts to people who have maybe never visited the railway or seen a steam train up close before.” Rosie Kay
Notes:
For more information or to arrange interviews with Rosie Kay please contact Lesley Wilde M: 07920 707000 or E: lesley@wildething.co.uk
For information on Rosie Kay Dance Company log on to www.rosiekay.co.uk
Dancing for the Games and the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad: Dancing for the Games is part of the Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands and is inspired by London 2012. It is a three year programme funded by Legacy Trust UK, Arts Council England West Midlands and Advantage West Midlands that uses the inspiration of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to get as many people as possible dancing across the West Midlands.
The Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands is already touching the lives of thousands of people. To date some 347,400 people in the West Midlands have been involved in the Cultural Olympiad as audiences or participants, either as part of Open Weekend, the Inspire Programme, or through our specific regional programmes. For more information about the Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands, please visit, www.wmfor2012.com/culture
Legacy Trust UK is an independent charity set up to create a cultural and sporting legacy across the UK from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is funded through a £40million endowment from Big Lottery Fund, Arts Council England and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
