A dance project devised by a Huddersfield star is to tour the UK – thanks to a major funding boost.
The Huddersfield-based Balbir Singh Dance Company has received £150,000 Arts Council England funding to tour Synchronised.
The water-based spectacular will be taken to three regions across the UK.
The company will revive its large-scale, pool-based performance, which originally included a cast of over 150, to perform again, this time in Leicester, Blackburn and Burnley, and the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham in autumn 2014.
The tour will be accompanied by the company’s innovative creative water workout, Aqua Kathak, first conceived during the development of Synchronised.
Synchronised was originally commissioned in 2009 as part of the Cultural Olympiad celebrations, and performed to a full house at Sheffield Ponds Forge in June 2012.
During the development of the project Mr Singh brought on board the synchronised swimmer Heba Abdel Gawad, who competed in the Olympic Games in Sydney and Athens.
The company’s creative team also worked with Team GB, competing in synchronised swimming at the London 2012 Olympics.
Artistic Director Mr Singh, 45, said: “Synchronised has at its heart arts and culture.
“We are excited to take this project out on tour, where we can use its water-based platform to bring new people to enjoy an artistic, multi-cultural experience.”
Pete Massey, of Arts Council England said: “Synchronised is a terrifically engaging performance and I’m delighted that new audiences outside Yorkshire will have the opportunity to experience it.
“The company was established in 1997 as Diversity Dance, changing its name in 2008 to reflect the fact that its sole purpose is to create and present the work of Balbir Singh.”
Mr Singh was born in the Punjab but came to Yorkshire as a youngster with his family.
He now lives in Shepley.
He trained at Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds and went on to learn the principles of Kathak dance under Guru Pratap Pawar.
