Brent’s year as London Borough of Culture, following on from Waltham
Forest which was the first to hold the title, began earlier this month with RISE: a mass participation dance spectacular held on an outdoor stage in front of Wembley Stadium. The film below shows one of the final rehearsals for the show, and features interviews with dancers who took part talking about their involvement in the production and their lives in the borough. Their warmth and enthusiasm are infectious.
Led by Southpaw Dance Company and Middlesex University dance students, around 300 dancers from local communities told the story of Brent’s physical growth, diverse heritage and unchallenged spot as the mecca of English football through dances choreographed by Southpaw artistic director Robby Graham and backed by audio-visual displays and stirring soundtracks. For the finale, the dancers threw clouds of coloured dust into the air, evoking the Indian festival of Holi, and Brent ragga DJ General Levy took the stage.
Interviews by Joshua Neicho, film footage by Oliver Nelken of Mornington Media Ltd.
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