This is a free event

This event is part of a timed programme 

Thurs 30 Sept @ 4pm

Centenary Square

DJ G-Zee

Hailing from Birmingham UK, Jessie Gayle also known as DJ G-ZEE is an International Pro Mixmaster. DJ G-ZEE’s life has been steeped

in the love of music, especially in UK Garage and Grime. On graduating from the University of Wolverhampton with a First Class BSC Hons degree in Sound Production, DJ G-ZEE has played at some of the best venues across the UK and also internationally. His career in music spans two action pack decades as a DJ, sound technician, producer, events manager and mentor. DJ G-ZEE has also worked alongside some of the biggest names in the industry such as David Rodigan, Tory Lanez, Jaquees, Nicki Minaj and many more. His captivating, energetic and wealth of knowledge places him as one of the most exciting, eclectic and resilient DJ’s in the UK.

Brooke Milliner presents Don’t Play With L(Kn)ives (cinema)

‘Don’t Play with L(Kn)ives’ is an original Hip Hop Screendance piece that explores knife crime in the UK. Bringing together some of the UK’s finest Hip Hop dancers, a live violinist & a spoken word artist. ‘Don’t Play with L(Kn)ives’ will shine a light on this taboo aspect of British culture – sharing untold stories to deliver a poignant message to young people.

Running time: 15 mins

Beyond Borders presents Our Nature (cinema)

Beyond Borders is an ambitious region-wide participation Dance Development Leaders Group (DDLG) project that has brought together 13 dance artists, 13 aspiring young leaders, over 120 young people, 3 digital artists and a variety of specialists to collaborate and produce original work in response to #OnewithNature.

The project started with online collaboration in March 2021 and accumulates in this celebratory moment at Birmingham International Dance Festival 2021, with the premiere of this bespoke Beyond Borders film. With inclusion, young peoples voices and creativity at its heart, the Beyond Borders film will shine a light on some of the very best West Midlands talent.

Running time: 12 mins

Midlands Made Minute Commissions (cinema)

Unbecoming, Everything You’re Not by Aidan Yau, Shaq Shadare & Kadafi Mulula 

Set in Leicester, a place of diversity, culture, opportunity and leisure, this project aims to show how these aspects of the city are able to create a community thats essence develops individuals, by introducing them to challenges and experiences that allow them not only to find who they are but un-become everything that they are not. The story follows three individuals as they are drawn to the city and discover themselves through interaction with its community and the lessons it teaches.

Natal by Asnath Losala

A snapshot of the filmmaker’s experience as a Deaf migrant to Birmingham from the Congo, fusing British Sign language and hip hop street dance and their love of football. Filming in three locations near their home in Perry Barr, juxtaposing the three ‘faces’ of Aston. Deaf people live under the radar – not noticed, understood or welcomed into ‘hearing’ spaces. “I want to make this work to inspire other young Deaf people.  I want to show that Deaf people can dance and should have a platform alongside hearing street and hip hop dancers.”

Brum, Babysham, Bostin by Romy Ashmore-Hills 

This short film captures snapshots of youth cultures from Birmingham’s past and present. Different styles of dance, music and fashion and the iconic venues that held them – from the Rum Runner to Snobs, from Punk to Hip Hop. Using interviews and real people’s experiences of growing up in the city, it celebrates youth culture and its collective response to the status quo.

Content warning: contains explicit language and references to misuse of drugs.

We Commuted Once A Day (Two, Three) by Tanna Chamberlain

Tanna recounts a journey taken many times along a heavily trodden section of Birmingham’s canal. The film is about a companionship, and ultimately a dance partnership, with a second-hand bike. In the face of hardship, despair or loneliness, we keep going. And in doing so, we find moments of beauty.

Passing Time by Tyrone Williams

Action-packed, funny, filled with good historical information and with a wicked soundtrack, this film is about what happens when our past selves meet our future selves. Filmed alongside Birmingham’s famous canals, it begins in the 1920s with a cast of characters uncertain about what the future holds. After travelling through a time machine tunnel, they meet their future selves and the dance battle begins.

Take 1 by Devon Nelson

This film aims to reveal behind the scenes, what it takes to capture that perfect take that is “Instagram worthy”. A comment on the toxic influences of social media on young dancers’ mental health during the lockdown and a hopeful call for more transparency in dancers’ own processes.

The Minute films were commissioned by DanceXchange and produced by The Motion Dance Collective for Birmingham International Dance Festival.

Tom & Rob presents Break Free

If you wish to see a show that you will jiggle along in your chair, laugh, cry and smile ear to ear from beginning to end – then this is the show to see.

Running time: 25 mins

Sundaresan Ramesh presents Thodayam – Ragam – Amrutavarshini and Talam – Adi

Originally choreographed by Praveen kumar, this was adapted for me by Sooraj Subramaniam.

This piece depicts the nritta aspect of Bharatanatyam, where the performer plays with intricate patterns of movement in execution with the music.

Running time: 5 mins

AVA Dance Company presents Protocol

Directed by the choreographer Avatâra Ayuso, the award-winning The Protocol is filmed with an eccentric and retro-futurist cinematic language where the performers in confidence to the viewer, express their thoughts, exposing their contradictions, fears and worries about our relationship with the other.

Running time: 13 mins

O’Driscoll Collective presents ONE%

ONE% is a 15-minute dance performance featuring the dynamic rawness of breakin’. Two b-boys with colliding mental states respond to

the energy of society around them, moving through emotions that can often be misunderstood.

Exploring the battle between two sides of the same psyche, ONE% sees the dancers coming up against each other – not in combat, but in wary uncertainty. Poignant themes of duality of the mind and the importance of mental health awareness drive the work, to convey the power of emotion, intensity and despair through movement and music.

Performed by West Midlands based artists Jamaal O’Driscoll and Marius Mates.

Running time: 15 mins

Linden Dance Company presents Reflection of You

Reflection of You is an explosive contemporary dance piece blending Contemporary and Afro-fusion styles. Inspired by Linden Dance Company’s research in psychology, the piece explores our emotional reactions within relationships and the effect our thoughts and perceptions of others can have on our own sense of self. 

 What do I think of you? What do you think of me? Are these thoughts the same, or opposing? 

Christopher Radford and Sara Macqueen push their physicality to explore these themes in this thought-provoking and moving duet, ultimately showing how increased empathy and understanding can lead to a more harmonious lifestyle. 

Running time: 20 mins

Marshon Dance presents Raw

Identity. Past, present, future. Is change inevitable? Can we “perfect” whilst remaining “raw”? Themes explored through the vehicle of street dance in this new work by Nathan Marsh, choreographer from Birmingham UK – Director of Marshon Dance Company.

Running time: 10 mins

Jason Guest & Fatt Butcher presents Anywhere is a Dancefloor (cinema)

‘Anywhere Is A Dance Floor is a new collaboration between choreographer Jason Guest and drag artist & cultural producer Fatt Butcher.

Through celebrating the creativity, resilience, and fierce spirit of Birmingham’s LGBTQ+ nightlife community this new work is an invitation to the city to create their own dance floors anywhere and everywhere!

A Dance-Film Production by The Motion Dance Collective

Commissioned by DanceXchange for Birmingham International Dance Festival

Running time: 8 mins