The Great Train Dance!

Rosie Kay Dance Company

The Great Train Dance on the Severn Valley Railway

Stepping into the Severn Valley world of trains and journeys into the past, Rosie Kay Dance Company is getting into gear to lead the region in a dance to another time.

On 23 July 2011, The Great Train Dance performers; dancers and students from throughout the region, will transform the Severn Valley Railway into a magical experience with a puzzle to solve. In a Hitchcock style thriller designed for families, this fascinating performance will soon draw all ages on the train into the world of the absurd and seduce everyone into hunting for clues.

Local heritage mixing with the allure of steam will create a surreal backdrop for this mystery. As the landscape comes alive with dancers, the puzzle of The Great Train Dance will unfold. Equipped with a map and a keen eye for unexpected goings on, record your findings until all is revealed in the finale at Highley Engine House.

The Great Train Dance is a Dancing for the Games project, funded by Legacy Trust UK, an independent charity set up to create a cultural and sporting legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games across the UK. The project is inspired by London 2012 and part of the Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands. The initiative will involve upwards of 500 participants in a variety of roles and over the next few months, 16 appointed dance leaders will be encouraging local people to join in both as dancers and in the fun activities surrounding and supporting the project.

Groups will be formed from February 2011 and the happening itself will be created throughout May, June and July until the performance on 23rd July during the Severn Valley Railway's 'In Bloom' season.

"Steam trains have always been a big part of my family life so it's very exciting for me to be creating a unique dance around the Severn Valley Railway. It is an ambitious but easily accessible project which everyone can get involved in in some way. The work is part of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad and it's going to be fun as well as an opportunity to do something completely different. It's got national as well as regional appeal, from train enthusiasts to people who have maybe never visited the railway or seen a steam train up close before." Rosie Kay

If you are aged between 11 - 25 years and want to take part in the event, contact the Rosie Kay Dance Company on info@rosiekay.co.uk. If you are in the Severn Valley Region and want to get involved you could even set up your own satellite event or take part as a volunteer. Don't forget to tell Rosie Kay Dance Company what you are planning.

Performance tickets go on sale in early 2011.