Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Freefall Dance Company is to hold a week-long festival at Birmingham Hippodrome to celebrate its 21st anniversary.
The festival will feature the first new choreographic works from Freefall for 21 years: Still Life at the Freefall Café, inspired by Sir David Bintley’s ballet Still Life at the Penguin Café.
The performances will feature pupils from special schools Fox Hollies School in Birmingham, Hazel Oak Sixth Form from Solihull, Uffculme School from Birmingham and adults from All Saints Youth Group in Birmingham and Reddi Support of Redditch. These are outreach groups, all of which have a personal connection to the Freefall story.
Further highlights include an exhibition telling the company’s history through film, testimonials and photographs.
Freefall Dance Company comprises Birmingham Royal Ballet staff, freelance artists and teaching assistants who enable a group of 10 dancers to express themselves and their individualities without being restrained by their learning disabilities.
Former BRB soloist Lee Fisher, Freefall’s artistic director and co-founder, said, “I feel very proud that Freefall is celebrating such a huge milestone. The company is very much a part of the Birmingham Royal Ballet family, learning ballet techniques and forming their own dance styles.
“Freefall shows what's possible and creates an entertaining evening that people just want to come to and enjoy, be moved by and be inspired by.”
Freefall’s anniversary will take place at Birmingham Hippodrome from Friday 10 until Friday 17 November. The exhibition will continue until 4 March 2024.