Dads take to the dance floor at Brighton show

Fathers, daughters and sons are set to take to the stage as part of the 'Dad Dancing' tour, exploring 'the touching, funny and sometimes awkward father-child relationship'.
Fathers take to the stage with their children as part of the 'Dad Dancing' showFathers take to the stage with their children as part of the 'Dad Dancing' show
Fathers take to the stage with their children as part of the 'Dad Dancing' show

And the first performance will be at The Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts on Friday, October 27, featuring Brighton dads and their families.

Created by dance artists Rosie Heafford, Alexandrina Hemsley and Helena Webb in 2012, the project invites local communities to take part in a public performance. The piece was co-commissioned by South East Dance and Battersea Arts Centre.

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Dad Dancing co-creator Rosie Heafford explained the project was born from trying to get their own fathers more involved with this art work.

The show is set to explore 'the touching, funny and sometimes awkward father-child relationship'The show is set to explore 'the touching, funny and sometimes awkward father-child relationship'
The show is set to explore 'the touching, funny and sometimes awkward father-child relationship'

She said: “As freelance dancers, our dads would dutifully come to support us in the audience of various shows. But they were sometimes befuddled by the work we were doing, and the contemporary dance world.

“We started dancing with them as a way of helping them to understand our chosen career paths, but quickly found the process fascinating. Men, and in particular dads, are often mocked for their dancing, so we decided to turn this idea on its head by exploring and celebrating the way they move.”

The Brighton show will see 22 father-figures, sons and daughters of all ages take to the stage to an eclectic soundtrack that includes Beethoven, Pendulum and Whitney Houston.

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But it’s not just men taking to the stage to fill the role of fathers. Vangee Seymour-Williams, is performing in the show with her 12 year-old daughter Edith, after Edith’s father was unable to take part due to an injury.

“I have zero dance experience, so had no idea what to expect before I signed up,” said Mrs Seymour-Williams.

“I take Edith to dance class four days a week, so I spend a lot of time on the side-lines. It’s fantastic that we can do this together. We’ve spent a lot of time in rehearsals just having fun, dancing and talking, which has brought us closer together. The idea of performing on stage is a little nerve-wracking but I wanted to do something out of my comfort zone.”

Dad Dancing will be at The Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts at 8pm on Friday, October 27.

Tickets cost £12 (£10 concessions), and are available to buy here or by calling the box office on 01273 678822.

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