BAKEWELL: Town set for International Day of Dance

How would you like to learn to dance the Charleston as they did in The Great Gatsby era or be able to spin your partner around like a real rock ‘n’ roller?

Well , now’s your chance. For the princely sum of £2 you can become the king of swing or queen of the dance scene.

Taster workshops will be held as part of the 11th annual Bakewell International Day of Dance on June 29.

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You can try Greek dancing, Argentinian tango and traditional French dancing, as well as the above styles, in hour-long sessions at the Town Hall.

If you prefer to watch rather than practice, there will be 31 dance groups and soloists kicking up their heels around town.

Jude Brown, dance co-ordinator for the event, said: “We estimate we get an audience of about 2,000 people moving around the town during the day, At every corner that they turn, they get more dance happening.”

Dancers will be showing their fancy footwork on The Crescent near the Co-op, Riverside Gardens, Bath Gardens, in front of the Tourist Information Centre, Portland Square and Water Lane.

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Newcomers this year include The Belrobics, from Sheffield, who fuse belly dancing and fitness; Chinese dancer Huang Long who specialises in contemporary and hip-hop and clog-wearing Morris dancers Poynton Jammers.

A late addition to the programme is Egyptian dancing which will be performed by a group of students from Cairo on a field trip to Sheffield University.

Jude is a member of Well Heeled Appalachian dance group which have supported the event since it started, as have Black Pig Border Morris. She said: “I am a bit obsessed with dance. “

She had the brainwave to launch the event in Bakewell after seeing the Chance to Dance one-day festival in Sheffield. “I thought it would work very well in Bakewell because it is compact and we have such attractive venues around town. The first one was very popular and the community dance groups loved being part of it and performing in front of people and it was a good opportunity to attract new members.”

For more information on this year’s event, which ties in with the launch of Bakewell Carnival, see www.bakewelldayofdance.co.uk