Walsall MakerFest - Let's Dance

Let's Dance

Our dance stage in Gallery Square, hosted by Wolverhampton singer-songwriter Shay Ramsey who has appeared on Britain’s Got Talent, Songs of Praise and was a semi-finalist on The Voice in 2023.

• Walsall Academy of Dance will perform Mountain and Wish, 2 performances created for the 2024 competition season. 11.00am
• JDF Performing Arts College students will perform a piece developed during their induction week especially for MakerFest. 11.10am
• Ignite will present a new piece of dance especially for MakerFest. 11.25am
• Bethel Lighthouse Centre (BLC) provides a space for young people in Walsall. In partnership with Walsall MakerFest, BLC held a one-day Dance Masterclass led by choreographer Shaun Cope. The resulting piece of work will be presented at the festival. 11.25am
• D2 Studio are a Dudley based dance company who will be presenting a new piece of contemporary urban street dance. 11.40am

• Heritage is a Walsall-based Bulgarian folk-dancing group. Through four pieces of dance performed throughout the day, this intergenerational troop will introduce you to the rich culture and regional dance traditions of Bulgaria. 11.50am, 12.10pm, 12.55pm and 1.10pm.
• Me Dance Youth Graduates will perform three pieces entitled Misplaced, Grasping the Dream and Roses of Rage. 11.55am 1.15pm
• Walsall Studio School will be working with renowned international choreographer Shaun Cope, in a dance bootcamp leading to the creation of 2 imaginative and entertaining pieces of dance and a flash mob will take place at 12.35pm and a performance on stage at 12.45pm.
• Linden Youth Company will perform FEAR, an exploration of the body’s response to stress or trauma. The piece champions how, through connection, breath and empathy, we can calm the nervous system and be more in control of our reaction to our surroundings and peers. 1.00pm and 3.35pm
• Ultimate Bhangra: a Walsall-born Bhangra group showcasing a celebration of tradition and community. Two teams of dancers will entertain in a lively programme of Bhangra Dance that will make you want to join in! 1.30pm, 1.40pm, 2.15pm
• Linden Dance Company perform UNBOXED, an emotive work in which the performers engage with two giant wooden cubes. 1.50pm and 3.45pm
• Me Dance Company’s The Junction is a celebration of Spaghetti Junction and the community that surrounds it. 2.25pm and 4.35pm

• Autin Dance Theatre’s Out of the Deep Blue - Outdoor physical theatre featuring a 13-foot tall puppet. The piece tells the story of Eko, a sea giant who rises from the deep ocean to encounter a courageous little girl called Violet. Performance at 2.50pm. Also promenading through the town at 11.50am, 12.15pm & 2.25pm.
• “Break Da Kode” (BDK) is a dance collective from the West Midlands, specialising in break dancing, hip hop & lite feet. 3.20pm 4.05pm.
• Sonia Sabri Company’s The Elephant and the Drummer - Elnaz the elephant longs to dance but feels too big and heavy to join in. Can her friend Dholli help her overcome her self-doubt and find her own joyful rhythm? A fun and empowering dance performance exploring body-positivity and self-acceptance. 4.15pm.
• Sonia Sabri Company’s Kathakaars share the diversity of South Asian dance with contemporary British audiences. Performing regularly across the UK, their repertoire includes Kathak, South Asian folk dances such as Afghani, Marathi and Balochi. 4.35pm.