City Arts welcome Extraordinary Bodies & head to the Ashbourne Streetfest

Date published: 11 May 2017

Posted by: Joe Pick

Mixed ability circus group

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Extraordinary Bodies come to Nottingham

Extraordinary Bodies is the UK’s leading inclusive Circus Company. They are made up of disabled and non-disabled dancers, actors and circus performers. This year they are touring the country to meet new people, share their performance skills and collect stories.

As part of this tour, in May this year, City Arts will host Extraordinary Bodies, and help them discover what it is like to live in Nottingham in 2017. Three artists from the Extraordinary Bodies team will be running circus and performance skills workshops at venues around the city, including City Arts, Dance 4 and the newly established Notts Circus Hub on Sneinton Market. They will be working with a cross-section of local people including, but not limited to, school pupils, care home residents, university students, local amateur & professional dancers, and circus professionals.
During the sessions, they will be asking the question ‘what am I worth’, and exploring ideas of identity, citizenship and worth in the 21st century. What they learn during their visit to Nottingham, and nine other places around the UK, will inform a new show that is going into production and will tour in 2018.

Places are limited, but if you would like to participate in the Extraordinary Bodies residency contact alison@city-arts.org.uk

Ernest Cook Trust

City Arts at Ashbourne Streetfest

Giant Puppets

City Arts will bring a burst of carnival colour to the Ashbourne Streetfest on Sunday 18 June 2017. The Streetfest is part of the Ashbourne Festival, which takes place every June and July in the small Derbyshire Dales market town.

Our giant puppets birds, joined by the Can Samba band and dancers, will lead a Rio inspired procession through the town centre. In the weeks leading up to the parade several local schools will make silk banners with professional artists from Kinetika, who have created work for the FIFA World Cup 2009, the London Paralympic Games and Team GB Parade in 2012. Other schools will work with the brilliant Jess Kemp to create stunning carnival headdresses. School children, locals and vistors are invited to join the procession.

Our huge geodesic dome will also be making an appearance at the Streetfest weekend, inhabited by Michael Davis’ beautiful giant chimes. These unique musical instruments can be played by anyone. If you fancy a day out in the Dales, please come along and join us!