CROWDS of curious onlookers clapped along to a diverse dancing display that decorated the streets of Oxford.
Dancin’ Oxford celebrated its 10th anniversary at the weekend, hosting dance troupes in Bonn Square on Saturday.
Director Claire Thompson, who set up the event a decade ago, said: “It is largely to provide a focal point for dancing in the city, and to engage people who wouldn’t normally go to dance shows. That’s why we have a range of styles.”
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The 44-year-old former dancer, who lives in Bicester, is arts officer for Oxford City Council, which co-ordinates the year-round Dancin’ Oxford events.
A trio of dancers from Sole Rebel Tap, which was set up in Oxford and runs weekly sessions at the Old Fire Station, began the Dancin’ Spaces event.
Artistic director Hannah Ballard, 33, said: “We just love sharing tap with a combination of music and dance. This festival is always great, we always get old and new faces. It’s a combination of theatre and tap, it’s about story telling.”
Social enterprise dance company Ajos, based in Littlemore, sent out its Beat Street dancers to body-pop and head spin in front of the crowd.
The Oxfordshire group is completely youth-led, set up two years ago by 19-year-old Didcot resident Sergei Kundik.
Granny Turismo duo Ric Taylor and Martin Long
He said: “It’s dynamic, energetic and inclusive. It’s something we are passionate about, a lot of us are self-trained. I set it up because I thought dance was getting too much about business – with some dance schools in Oxford you have to pay certain fees or membership. This was to challenge that.”
Often seen busking in the city centre, Carl Monzon joined the group a year ago.
The 18-year-old, who lives in Oxford, said: “Our performances are nothing too serious, it’s about showing passion and energy through dance.”
In the group’s under-12s class are Abingdon dance lovers Jasper Duffield-Hedges, 11, and eight-year-old Jordan Gillee, who both go to local Long Furlong school.
Jordan, whose favourite move is a front flip, said: “I went to school discos and started loving it. Then they started teaching me.”
Double act Zoe Bradley and Josh Hawkins from Hawk Dance Theatre
He was told about the group by Jasper, who said: “When I saw them dancing in Abingdon Market Square I said ‘wow I really want to do that’. It lets you express your feelings, you learn what your body can do.”
His mum Jenny Hedges added: “It’s totally free of ego. It’s very nurturing. For a boy you need to focus all that energy, this does that. They all inspire each other and it boosts their confidence.”
Other dancers travelled across the country to perform, including Hawk Dance Theatre, which entertained with a mime-inspired double act last.
Granny Turismo saw ‘old ladies’ Ric Taylor and Martin Long crease up the crowd with a wacky routine involving segways and shopping trolleys.
Varsity's Natasha McCabe and Emily Everest-Phillips
Company Chameleon shared a poignant interpretive dance about male relationships, balanced by an amusing bodyguard-inspired performance by Infuse Dance.
Dance fever extended to the Old Fire Station in an unrelated event, where Oxbridge dance troupes went head-to-head in their first Varsity match.
Broad Street Dancers from Oxford University and CUTAZZ from Cambridge University battled on-stage.
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