Let’s Dance International Frontiers is the dynamic annual dance festival in Leicester which presents live performances by fast-rising and established dance artists from the UK and abroad. The festival starts on International Dance Day, 29 April, and runs until 6 May 2023.
Tap dancers Annette Walker and Lee Payne, and live music from the multi award-winning British saxophonist Soweto Kinch will kick the festival off at its opening night.
Shows at Curve Leicester and street performances of dance, music and poetry will take place throughout the city.
Founder, CEO and Artistic Director of Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage, Pawlet Brookes MBE, launched the first LDIF in 2011 to showcase high quality dance that celebrates diversity. Serendipity’s mission is to centre perspectives from the African and African Caribbean Diaspora and present them as cultural experiences for all audiences. Since 2011 Serendipity has supported the work of 280 artists from over 46 countries.
Artists who have premiered their work in the UK at LDIF include Nora Chipaumire (USA), Germaine Acogny (Senegal), Kyle Abraham (USA), Urban Bush Women (USA and the only professional African American women’s dance company), Talawa Dance Ensemble (Norway), Ballet Hispánico (USA) choreographer Jeanguy Saintus (Haiti) and many more.
LDIF Artistic Director Pawlet Brookes MBE (left) is founder, CEO and Artistic Director of Serendipity:
“I’m delighted to announce that we’ll be presenting a packed programme of dance at Leicester Curve studio spaces where audiences will be able to access outstanding dance performers from the UK, USA, Brazil, Norway, Sweden, Jamaica and more.
“LDIF23 delegates will have a choice of exciting workshops and masterclasses as we explore the history of dance techniques, ground-breaking technology and new ideas.
“Rising dance talent takes centre stage with Signatures and Black British Dance Platform: two initiatives that support UK and international artists. We will share experimental works at digital spaces across the city centre in partnership with the Black Digital Dance Revolution.
“This year we’re stepping into the world of jazz with a live performance from the multi-award-winning British saxophonist Soweto Kinch and champion tap dancers Annette Walker and Lee Payne in a new piece, Dance Inside the Music which will open the festival on 29 April.
“Finally, in a very exciting development, we have struck a unique partnership with the legendary Howard University in Washington DC – the historically Black research university – who will be sending a group of fellows/students to come and join us for the festival.”
As the finale to LDIF23, Serendipity presents the UK premiere of BLACK HOLE: TRILOGY and TRIATHLON – a multidisciplinary performance choreographed by the award-winning movement artist SHAMEL PITTS, co-created and performed by his Brooklyn-based arts collective TRIBE.