Leading Oxfordshire dance festival Dancin’ Oxford will bring dance taster sessions, including Zumba, African, Bollywood and hip hop dance, to Oxford Covered Market.
The sessions, which will encourage shoppers to take part in dance routines, will take place in the historic market’s central square every weekend until Sunday 12 August.
The programme includes:
- Saturday 28 July: Zumba with tutor George Martini from 1.30pm to 1.45pm, and from 2.30pm and 2.45pm
- Sunday 29 July: African dance with tutor Grace Rwot-Lakica from 2.30pm to 2.45pm, and from 3.30pm to 3.45pm
- Saturday 4 August: Hip hop dance with tutor EmJ Morbey from 1.30pm to 1.45pm, and from 2.30pm to 2.45pm
- Sunday 5 August: Bollywood dance with tutor Anjana Rajukumar from 1.30pm to 1.45pm, and from 2.30pm to 2.45pm
- Saturday 11 August: Hip hop dance with tutor EmJ Morbey from 1.30pm to 1.45pm, and from 2.30pm to 2.45pm
- Sunday 12 August: Bollywood dance with tutor Anjana Rajukumar from 1.30pm to 1.45pm, and from 2.30pm to 2.45pm
The first sessions took place over the weekend, with Zumba tutor Jayne Whittern on Saturday (21/7) and African dance tutor Grace Rwot-Lakica on Sunday (22/7).
The taster sessions are being organised by Dancin' Oxford as part of its year-round programme of community activities.
Dancin’ Oxford, which is organised by Oxford City Council with support from Arts Council England, brings dance workshops, events and performances to Oxford every year. The aim is to increase engagement and participation in dance, and to enhance the profile, quality and variety of dance activities in the city.
The dance taster sessions follow the installation of Banksy-style artwork around the Covered Market to raise awareness for endangered animals, and a series of animal, fish and vegetable sculptures being hung from the market’s vaulted roof.
The Covered Market, which first opened in the 1774, features more than 50 traders selling food, gifts, shoes, fashion, flowers and jewellery, and provides a unique showcase for the very best in local crafts, food and drink.
Oxford City Council is investing £1.6m into the Covered Market over four years, including to repair and redecorate the roof, and to make improvements to the service yard. The work started last year.
Councillor Mary Clarkson, Executive Board Member for Culture and City Centre, said: “We are bringing art and culture into the Covered Market to encourage more people into the jewel in the crown of Oxford’s retail offer, and to buy some of the many high-quality goods.
“Following the installation of artwork across the market over recent weeks, we wanted to create cultural events in the central market space – and there is no better organisation in Oxfordshire to create pop-up dance events than Dancin’ Oxford.
“Dancin’ Oxford has called on a fantastic array of local dancers for this pop-up dance festival, which should bring something new and exciting to Oxford Covered Market."
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