Carnival of music and dance this weekend

St Peter’s Quarter is the core retail area of the city centre between the Cathedral Quarter and Intu Derby shopping centre.

St Peter’s Quarter Improvement District (BID) has teamed up with Derby arts organisation Furthest from the Sea to organise a diverse line up of acts to celebrate the mid-point of the area’s summer entertainment, culminating in Derby Feste and the Folk Festival at the end of September/ beginning of October.

The stage will be set up at St Peter’s Cross - the busy crossroads at the junction of St Peter’s Churchyard, East Street and St Peter’s Street which underwent a £1 million facelift last summer.

It has since grown in stature as a popular performance space with ambient lighting and seating for visitors to St Peter’s Quarter to relax.

Acts during the day will include the Derby Branch of Cordao de Ouro.

The group of adults and young people will demonstrate their skills in Brazilian percussion and Capoeirai which is a martial art originating from Brazil which incorporates live music, fight and dance.

The line-up will also feature Derby-based Calidoscopio Carnival Drummers. The community-based group is led by musician Emma Reading and play Brazilian and Fusion drumming and percussion - creating a vibrant and energetic beat on the streets.

Also entertaining the crowds will be Arjana Dance. Choreographed by one of the UK’s top instructors Diana Mehira, Arjana Dance are a professional troupe of Belly Dancers, instantly recognisable for their fantastic outfits and mastery of movement.

In 2013, Arjana Dance won third place at Miss Bellydance UK and are currently working on ‘Casio Tahia’ - a new classical Egyptian dance show featuring live music which will premiere in Derby at the Robert Ludlam Theatre on Saturday, October 17.

Derby-based duo Scribble Victory will then take to the stage. The acoustic duo Jamie Thompson and Tomas Ward have been hotly tipped as the band to watch this year.

Stephen Jeffery, chairm an of St Peter’s Quarter Board, which drives through activities under the area’s Business Improvement District status, said: “One of the key objectives for the BID is to improve the visitor experience in the area and encourage more people back into the Quarter.

“Street entertainment is an important part of this work – animating the street and creating a fun festival atmosphere.”

Dan Webber from Furthest From the Sea added: “St Peter’s Cross is a wonderful performance space and is a very busy junction in this bustling part of the city centre so we are looking forward to entertaining and interacting with the crowds on what I am sure will be a great day.”

More information is available at www.stpetersquarter.co.uk