The 2018 Blackpool Lightpool Festival, now an essential Illuminations season feature, will feature the RUSH dance event, presented by local arts and cultural organisation, LeftCoast. Set against Britain’s favourite seaside resort’s iconic skyline, this is a one night only large-scale outdoor dance spectacular telling everyday people’s stories with impressive energy and creativity, featuring professional dancers working with local people. So, this promises to be a treat.
The former Bonny Street police station tower (possibly not long for this world) provides the set for a community cast of one hundred residents performing alongside Southpaw Dance Company’s professional dancers to an urban soundtrack. The RUSH dance event is a one-off experience of dance, light, projection, and film exploring current issues in a unique way.
RUSH is designed to leave its audience exhilarated and conscious of the power to effect change that lies within strong local communities. The production will follow six weeks of rehearsals and workshops, coordinated by a local writer who will provide the script.
Let’s all get on board with LeftCoast as it brings this production to the national stage that the Blackpool Illuminations provide and throw our support behind it as it pursues further such projects into the future. The national media often brands our home as down and out; events like the RUSH dance event demonstrate that this is far from the truth. Blackpool needs more such events to highlight its qualities, local talent and to carve out its place in 21st century arts and culture based tourism, with a diversifying economy.
Taking place on 26 October 2018, visit www.leftcoast.org.uk/beat-the-rush for more details of this innovative and unique event.
