Thick & Tight and Vidya Patel lead a workshop about the making of ‘Empire’, a solo in which Vidya plays Winston Churchill.

Blending Vidya’s Kathak training with dance theatre, this piece looks at racism and xenophobia in past and present immigration and foreign policy. Participants will learn some of the material and creative methods used in the making of the work.

Vidya Patel is a Birmingham based dance artist, choreographer and performer. With Kathak being her main form of classical dance training from a young age, Vidya takes influences from various languages and dance styles, music and visual arts. Her work focuses on collaboration and autobiographical narratives drawing on themes of identity, belonging and empowerment. She was previous BBC Young Dancer of the Year finalist and has as since performed nationally and internationally with several companies and works including Richard Alston Dance Company, Thick &Tight, Gary Clarke & Hetain Patel and premiered work nationally and internationally at Royal Opera House, Sadler’s Wells amongst others. She is a Sadler’s Wells Young Associate 2020-22 alumni choreographer. Vidya extends her advocacy work through facilitation, leadership and consultancy work and serves on several boards and panels, with hope of dance becoming accessible to the masses.

This event is part of our COMMONS dance festival. To see the full programme, visit this event page.

Doors open: 2:30pm
Photo by Rosie Powell