Yorkshire Dance presents ‘Friday Firsts #24’…

Yorkshire Dance celebrated its 30^th birthday back in 2012, making 2014 its 32^nd year of championing the development of dance in Yorkshire. Yorkshire Dance creates opportunities for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to see, make and take part in high quality dance that is rooted in their creativity, in their lives and in their communities, with the power to transform and inspire.

The Friday Firsts programme was launched in order to showcase new work by independent choreographers and dance companies working on the small scale. Each Friday First evening has its own distinct theme and will often be the first chance to see performances by the most promising dance makers from Yorkshire and beyond.

The 24^th Friday First will take place on June 6^th at the Yorkshire Dance building, curated by Yorkshire Dance Associate Artist Gary Clarke. Winner of the 1998 Brian Glover Memorial Award, Gary Clarke is an established contemporary dance artist, performer and choreographer. He has received both critical and audience acclaim for his ground-breaking work which has toured extensively both nationally and internationally.

The evening promises to be an eclectic mix of established artists from the world of dance, theatre, film, drag and cabaret, whose work explores themes of gender, sexuality, identity and relationships. Bend It aims to take the audience on a queer journey of provocation and celebration.

Hosted by drag diva Mysti Valentine, the evening will include live performances from The Place Prize finalists h2dance, Luca Silvestrini’s Protein Dance (performed by Stuart Waters), solo artist Amy Bell and the avant-garde dance duo Thick and Tight (aka Daniel Hay Gordon and Eleanor Perry).

There will also be a special screening of the late, great Nigel Charnock’s 10 Men and the international premiere of award winning choreographer Lea Anderson and film maker Marisa Zanotti’s new documentary film Edits, followed by a post film discussion with Lea Anderson and guests.

Gary Clarke tells TSOTA “it is really exciting for me to be curating an evening of work at Yorkshire Dance. Bend It is a celebration of ‘Queerness’ and an appreciation to our country where diversity is celebrated and not spat upon.”

For tickets & more information visit www.yorkshiredance.com/bend-it