Balbir Singh Dance Company

Balbir Singh Dance Company has been commissioned by imove to develop a project over a three year period, involving synchronised swimmers and dancers. The work will explore what is involved in choreography and training for synchronised swimmers, and what happens to classical Indian and contemporary-trained dancers working in water.

Synchronised has been awarded the London 2012 Inspire mark, which recognises outstanding projects and events helping to deliver the games’ lasting legacy. The work will blend sport and culture.

The project will combine Balbir’s interests of synthesising contemporary and Kathak dance with synchronised swimming, while exploring the relationship between synchronised swimming and Kathak and working with dancers, swimmers and the general public.

Synchronised is part of imove, a new and imaginative celebration of human movement, bringing together the best creative talent from the region to produce a programme of events designed to inspire the public in the run up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. imove is funded by Legacy Trust UK, Yorkshire Forward and Arts Council England.

www.imoveand.com

“Balbir’s natural affinity with water and passion for movement has led him to embarking on this exciting creative journey”. Click here to read more about Balbir’s thoughts.

Synchronised is currently in its third and final phase of the project.

Phase 3:

Premiere and Touring of Synchronised will start at Ponds Forge in Sheffield on 14th June 2012, with a large scale water-based performance to coincide with London 2012.

Read on for background information about Phase 1 and 2 of the project…

Phase 1:

Phase 1 of Synchronised laid the foundations for an innovative marriage of art and sport which challenges dancers, swimmers and the wider community to experience new perceptions of the body in water. This stage saw Balbir move into an intensive period of creative and conceptual development, although the origins of this project can be traced back many years to his strong sense of the natural affinity between water and Kathak. Work began in earnest when Balbir, former Olympic level synchronised swimmer Heba Abdel Gawad and six dancers of both Kathak and contemporary backgrounds joined together for an intensive research and development period which took place at John Charles Centre for Sport, Leeds, over a two week period in November 2010. Working between studio and pool, they explored the synthesis between the two seemingly distinct forms, testing the boundaries of each and re-examining the forms in a new light. Through this journey, the team discovered the significant mutual benefits of the work for both dancers and swimmers, and experienced for themselves a changed perspective of dance and the body in water.

Phase 2:

Phase 2 builds on the 2010 R&D period, and focuses on the development and adaptation of the work for the benefit of dancers, swimmers, general public and specific groups and ages within the wider community. BSDC has devised AquaKathak sessions, and throughout widespread delivery of water-based sessions around the region, we hope to share these benefits with a wider audience, and this is the focus of year two of the project. We also hope to reach an audience that would not necessarily participate in either straight dance or swimming classes – the sessions are balanced to provide both creative and physical workouts, with an emphasis on fun and accessibility. We also create bespoke sessions that are tailored to the individual needs and aims of specific groups. So far hundreds of people have participated in AquaKathak sessions, and we’ve worked with dancers from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, synchronised swimming groups such as the Leeds Kingfishers, and general public groups at pools such as Ponds Forge, Sheffield. This community engagement will also feed in to year three of Synchronised, as both research and development and recruitment of performers for the final production are ongoing.

Phase 3:

Read on for background information about Phase 1 and 2 of the project…

Phase 1:

Phase 2:

Press Coverage