We’re so excited to announce our hosts and BSL interpreters for BIDF 2021

This week we have an amazing line-up of hosts and BSL interpreters at Centenary Square. Learn more about them below and check out the full programme here.

Hosts

Tarju Le’Sano

30 September

My life’s goal is to create passionate works of substance, not substances… Resonating content that touches people’s hearts and inspires them to be themselves in whatever their path in life.  I want to leave a legacy that my family can be  proud of and embed my name on this rock before  I leave it, Peace and Love!”

Marso Riviere

1 October

KRE8! is an event curated by Marso Riviere, originally created and hosted as part of B-Side Hip Hop Festival since 2016.

Originally set as a 2vs2 Bonnie and Clyde (mixed gender e.g. Male and/or Female and/or Trans identified gender) dance battle contest set as a Live Lab and open to any style under the street dance umbrella and beyond, open to all ages, live music is a crucial part of the event as well as a DJ warming up the audience and filling in intervals.
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From small origins, it has now grown to an international scale with guest dancers from UK and abroad invited to compete. KRE8! celebrates 6 years in the making in September 2021 ! Since the Covid19 regulations and pandemic we have created various online video contests and unique programs, streaming short dance films and interviews with leaders in the Experimental Dance scene like Drosha (Open Your Mind).

Emma Houston

1 October

Like Mercury, a powerful new dance & music collaboration by Emma Houston & Bellatrix, examines dominant narratives of success, & ponders showing up whole outside of them as an act of resistance. Through the lens of queerness, a dynamic trio of movement artists from Houston Dance Collective & world champion beatboxer & musician Bellatrix share stories, dismantle internalised beliefs, & collectively re-imagine a present moment celebrating their identities & centring community. The work moves through stages of tenderness & vulnerability, to gripping & explosive moments of joy & visceral expression, connecting the audience to each individual’s journey in their flaws & brilliance, inviting them into their worlds that intersect, differ & uniquely collide.

Gary Clarke

1 October

Winner of a UK Theatre Award, A Critics Circle National Dance Award, The Herald Angel Award and the 1998 Brian Glover Memorial Award, Gary Clarke is currently regarded as one of the UK’s leading independent contemporary dance artists. He has received great appreciation for his work as a Choreographer, Director, Performer, Mentor, Teacher and Facilitator. He has worked with some of the world’s most prolific dance companies and choreographers and has developed a growing reputation for creating his own extraordinary dance work of various sizes and scales which has received praise from critics and audiences in the UK and abroad.

Gary has a passion for artistic growth and development and has extensive experience in mentoring young dancers, emerging dance makers, established choreographers and organisations including Studio Wayne McGregor’s PEER Mentoring Programme, Hawk Dance Theatre, Morph Dance Company, Ludus Dance Company and Dance United Yorkshire amongst others.

Elizabeth Zeddie Lawal

3 October

Elizabeth Zeddie Lawal is a Theatre maker, producer, facilitator, and host and a firm believer in the power of innovation, young people and social good!

Since graduating from The University of Birmingham in Drama and Theatre Arts in 2016, she has been committed to inclusion, equity, innovation, transformational leadership and most importantly care. She is a strong advocate for social mobility, empowering leaders and communities to thrive whilst using creativity as a mirror to society.

She is the writer of Exhale, a play exploring faith, sexuality and forgiveness.Rappetured and performed at the Global Amnesty International human rights forum in South Africa, and co-wrote and performed at the UBUMUNTU festival in Rwanda and also hosted the commonwealth social in Birmingham!

She has also led TEDxYouth@Brum from 2019 – 2021. Formally, Head of Community at Beatfreeks Collective, Associate Producer at Coventry City of Culture and founder of CVX festival and is now heading up INCO Academy UK.

She is recognised in the Birmingham Mail 30 under 30, The Stage 100 for More than a Moment: Action with and for the Black creative workforce.

BSL Interpreters

Rachel Tipping

30 September & 1 October

Dave Appleby

2 October

Alicia Mawdesley

3 October

I’ve been signing for 11 years, interpreting for 5 years and became a fully qualified, registered interpreter 1 year ago. I am currently in my 3rd  year of a Masters in interpreting. Sign language is a real passion of mine and I love my job. Everyday is different and keeps me on my toes! I work in many different sectors, but I would say that medical and performance interpreting are my favourite. I’m always up for a new challenge though!

Liz Smith

3 October

Liz Smith is a fully qualified British Sign Language (BSL)/English Interpreter, registered with the National Register of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind People (NRCPD),  and owner of DAB Hands Interpreting.

Liz has worked as a Communication Professional for 20 years starting her career as a Communication Support Worker (CSW) at a local college. Liz began her interpreter training in 2004 before qualifying in 2011.