Members of the public are invited to be part of the finale of South Tyneside’s Summer Parade by taking part in Icarus: The Fall, a dance theatre version of the classic Greek myth about the boy who flew too close to the sun.
The myth tells how the great craftsman Daedalus built the great maze, the Labyrinth, for King Minos of Crete. The King imprisoned Daedalus and his son Icarus in the Labyrinth, so Daedalus built great wings of feathers and wax which they strapped to their arms to fly away. The father warned his son to follow his flight closely and not get too near the sea or the sun but, exhilarated by the flight and his own pride, Icarus flew too close to the sun, the wax melted and he fell into the sea and was drowned.
Southpaw Dance Company, which is based at Newcastle’s Dance City, has worked closely with South Tyneside Council to develop this special version of the performance, giving the community the chance to get involved.
“We are looking for 60 members of the public to create a community cast who will play a vital part in our South Tyneside performance, telling the story of flight and reaching for the skies,” said Robby Graham, the company’s Artistic Director and choreographer.
“We aren’t seeking professional dancers, they don’t even have to have any dance experience. Instead, we are more interested in people who have a willingness to join in and have fun.”
This performance will form a part of the annual Summer Parade, one of the key events in the South Tyneside Festival, which is organised by South Tyneside Council, and will be staged in Bents Park at the end of the parade.
Icarus premières at the Great Exhibition of the North on 22 June and then visits Greenwich and Docklands International Festival on 24 June. It can also be seen at the Mouth of the Tyne Festival (8 July), Stockton International Riverside Festival (4 and 5 August) and, on 29 September, in Weston super Mare.
To sign up for the event, participants should fill in the form on the Southpaw web site.
Supported by the Port of Tyne, Colmans Seafood Temple, the Arts Council and BBC Newcastle, the Summer Parade is the biggest carnival in the North East and will this year follow the theme of Monsters, Myths and Magic.