Greenwich+Docklands International Festival (GDIF) showcases world-class theatre, art installations, spectacle and dance in locations across London.
Sitting within GDIF’s 2024 programme is DANCING CITY, taking place on 7 September. This year, London’s much-loved, annual, celebration of free outdoor dance is moving east.
This year’s 11 alfresco dance take-over, showcases a host of amazing outdoor spaces across Stratford – popping up in the Town Centre, Stratford Cross, East Bank and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. With stunning staging and a huge variety of dance styles, you can catch exceptional homegrown and international talent. Every performance is free and unticketed – just show up.
EVENTS IN DETAIL – ALL FREE AND UNTICKETED
- FROCK by Stopgap Dance Company
A tour de force punkish celebration of individuality and difference
Six virtuosic dancers joyously celebrate difference and identity in this tour de force show. Expect frocks, suits, tea and a celebration of love, relationships and fluidity. All performed to an original punk soundtrack.
Saturday 7 September, 1pm and 4pm | 25 minutes
- SYNERGY by Mark Smith Productions
An urgent call for disability rights in the face of climate change
Three unique dancers meet to imagine what the future might hold for disabled people in a world on the brink of immense challenges and change.
Saturday 7 September, 3.15pm and 4.45pm |15 minutes
- LAND EMPATHY by Richard Chappell Dance
A contemporary fusion of dance and sculpture, urging us to forge a deeper connection with nature
This urgent performance challenges us to deepen our connection with nature against the backdrop of the climate crisis, combining powerful contemporary dance with sculpture by Anna Gillespie and electronic music by Larch.
Saturday 7 September, 1.35pm and 5pm | 25 minutes
- IMOLE by Olu Alatise X Afro Queens
A contemporary African dance embodiment of the intensity and wildness of fire.
IMOLE is the Yoruba word for ‘light’ and this bold new performance, Olu Alatise innovatively weaves African and contemporary dance to embody the intensity and wildness of fire itself.
Saturday 7 September, 1.15pm and 4pm | 10 minutes
- DISPARITY by Brandon Anderson
A hip hop rallying call for us to realise our dreams in challenging times
Make manjis with artist Roo Dhissou.
A manji is much more than a simple woven bed. It’s also a special space for reflection, dining, rest and for lying under the stars. Local families are invited to learn the intricate and joyous techniques of manji-making as they sit in the sunny green spaces of Stratford Park in this event celebrating togetherness and South Asian cultures.
Saturday 7 September, 1pm, 2.15pm and 4.45pm | 7 minutes
- OUT OF THE BOX by The 100 Hands
Acrobatic dance in, and around a larger-than-life box, explores themes of creativity without limits
A pop-up, larger-than-life box appears and becomes the setting for an immersive acrobatic exploration through contemporary dance of how we navigate creativity without limits.
Saturday 7 September, 1.15pm and 3.45pm | 45 minutes
- WHEELS & CELLO by Le Patin Libre
Groundbreaking street roller skate choreography combines with live music
Direct from Montreal and featuring former world class figure skating virtuosos, who usually perform on ice, this production fuses groundbreaking street roller skate choreography with live cello music as dancers exuberantly abandon their medal winning careers for a new freedom of artistic expression – on skates.
Performances across three days – Thursday 5, Friday 6 + Saturday 7 September, 2.15pm and 5.25pm | 35 minutes
- PATOIS by Festival.org and Jeanefer Jean-Charles MBE
A celebratory story of lost languages, longing and belonging
Blending captivating traditional Caribbean choreography with contemporary dance and an original score, this uplifting new performance celebrates language as a key to our identity with the power to reawaken stories and connect with generations from the past.
Saturday 7 September, 2.45pm and 5pm | 30 minutes
- ARE YOU HERE FOR THE MEETING? by Stacked Wonky
A big, bold, beautiful meeting without ceiling or walls – a physical broadcast by the young
A big, bold and beautiful meeting in the outdoors bringing the experiences and wishes of young people to the foreground through impassioned dance and contemporary choreography.
Saturday 7 September, 1.30pm, 3.30pm and 5.30pm | 30 minutes
- TOUCH by YOANN BOURGEOIS ART COMPANY
Gravity-defying contemporary dance by internationally renowned choreographer Yoann Bourgeois
The internationally renowned artist Yoann Bourgeois, widely known for his breathtaking choreography, viral and live performances and high-profile collaborations brings his signature blend of gravity-defying performance, hypnotic movement and awe-inspiring trampolining to Dancing City.
Saturday 7 September, 1pm, 3.30pm and 5.45pm | 8 minutes
- AS, WAS, IS by CHANDENIE GOBHARDAN AND SHAWN AIMEY
This electrifying fusion of South Asian and street dance styles, explores universal themes of struggle and perseverance, delivering an intimate and emotional reflection on the need for connection and empathy.
Saturday 7 September, 2.05pm and 4.40pm | 10 minutes
For more information, visit festival.org/gdif/whats-on/dancing-city-2024.
