‘A cultural explosion’: the West Yorkshire chapel that is a wellspring of dance

Our series on regional dance scenes continues with a visit to Hebden Bridge, where a range of left-field choreographers have put on work

Donna Summer’s I Feel Love kicks in and everybody’s up and dancing. Arms are in the air, one woman’s standing on a chair with half-closed eyes, big grins everywhere. It’s Friday night in a former Sunday school hall above Wainsgate Chapel, in Hebden Bridge’s Old Town. Not usually a disco hotspot, but unexpected things happen at this little wellspring of dance that’s popped up on the hill, looking out over the green Calder Valley.

Tonight it’s performers Jo Fong and George Orange and their poignant and silly show The Rest of Our Lives, a packed house of 80 punters fully invested in the audience participation. Over the last six years, a range of left-field choreographers have come to create and share work here, some of which has gone on to be performed at the Barbican, V&A and Sadler’s Wells. Spice Girl Mel C was even here not long ago, rehearsing for her contemporary dance debut. “We’ll have Beyoncé next,” jokes Charlie Morrissey, founder of Wainsgate Dances.

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from The Guardian https://ift.tt/8yNHbSj

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