Following an incredible first year our FUSE Diverse Dance team bring their first full length dance theatre production to The Plymouth Athenaeum on 15 & 16 February.

‘Put On Your Red Shoes’ is an invitation to attend the biggest, most eclectic, slightly topsy turvy, celebration of dance in Plymouth.
FUSE Diverse Dance Lead Practitioner Suzie West says

“Our performance interweaves four worlds, many stories and a whole host of dancers from across the city. All styles, all cultures, all together. It’s been amazing working with the FUSE team and other incredible dancers and artists from the city to put this production together.

 “The ‘red shoes’ in the show represent a number of things: the original Grimm fairytales, the Wizard of Oz parallel universe you can escape to, and the magic that a pair of dancing shoes or dancing feet can have to transform you on the dance floor. This is a show for anyone and celebrates that dance is for everyone. There are characters, scenes and narrators all linked to recognisable fairy tales to sweep you up into their words and tell you a story or two.”

The performance is split into two acts: Act 1 is a promenade performance where audiences will be guided around by characters, opening doors to their worlds and memories. Then in Act 2 they’ll take their seats in the auditorium to see these stories unfold and characters meet.

When booking their tickets audiences are asked to choose which audience group they’d like to be part of: Red Carnations, Red Stilettos or Red Threads. Each group will take a diverse adventure around the building and be immersed different worlds, from swinging 30’s, Latino lounges and modern day world fusions. But don’t worry – no adhoc audience participation required!

Suzie continues

“The cast is a celebration of our diverse dancing city with professional dancers, community dancers, and dancers in training such as Barbican Theatre’s COMPANY b and Dance Junction groups. The styles and groups are so varied and it is an invigorating way of meeting new people and celebrating dance in all its forms. Lindy Hop to Hip Hop, Contemporary to Tango, Flamenco to Bharatnatyam…it’s going to be epic!”

 The FUSE Diverse Dance team working with with Avant Garde Dance on Fagin’s Twist Oct 2018

Put On Your Red Shoes performances take place at The Plymouth Athenaeum on Friday 15 February and Saturday 16 February at 7:30pm. Tickets cost just £8 full or £6 concessions (inclusive of all booking fees and charges). Performances have an age guidance of 6+ and have a running time of 2 hours including interval.

Details of the three groups and how to book tickets to be a part of them:

Red Carnation Group

Wear a red flower in your hair or button hole and return to the 1930’s. This world involves walking up two flights of stairs but will also include a sit down for tea and jazz in the lounge (medium challenge, not suitable for wheel chairs)

Book to be in Red Carnation Group

Red Stilettos Group

Put on your red shoes or a flash of vibrant red or orange, and submerge yourself into a retro world of 1950’s Flamenco and 1980’s Party culture. This route winds itself around smaller spaces unearthing dressing room sagas and concluding in the bar for nibbles and Latino fiesta (most challenging – not suitable for buggies, wheel chairs or those unsteady on their feet)

Book to be in Red Stilettos Group

Red Threads Group

Weave around the back stage areas and access the auditorium before anyone else. Remaining in the here and now as you open doors to Ballet, Hop Hop and South Asian Dance worlds. Wrap in red ribbon, silk, or your favourite items and be proud be you (most accessible route for wheel chair access)

Book to be in Red Threads Group

(or call 01752 267131 and state which group you’d like to be in when booking)