Dance students bring Afro-Caribbean performance to Coventry

As part of the SPECTRUM 2012 festival, student group ‘Switch Dance Theatre’ will be offering an Afro-Caribbean inspired performance at Coventry University during May.

Switch Dance Theatre is an all female, all black dance company consisting of Darnisha O'Bryant and Caprene Bartley, both 22 and originally from Birmingham.

The Degree Show project, called Foundations, will consist of two dance pieces of different styles. The first piece is more contemporary and the second is African Caribbean inspired – reflecting the two students’ desires to express what was personal to them and their cultural backgrounds.

Dance Making and Performance student, Darnisha O'Bryant, said:

For our final project, we were keen to aim our work at an 18-25 year old audience and produce work that interests them – whether it focuses on fashion, politics, music or technology.

We also wanted to make our work appealing to those who are not familiar with dance and we hope Foundations will be enjoyed by all who come on the night.

Both students recently took part in a Coventry University-supported trip to Jamaica to take part of the Korotech Dancefest. Here Darnisha and Caprene took part in a week-long intensive dance training programme that delivered workshops in dancehall, traditional African Caribbean and contemporary dance styles.

The Performing Arts Festival, SPECTRUM 2012, forms part of the University’s annual Degree Show, which exhibits the original work of the UK’s next generation of creative talent studying at the School of Art and Design.
 
Foundations will be taking place at the Ellen Terry Building, Jordan Well, Coventry on 22nd May 2012. Tickets can be reserved by emailing switchdancetheatre@gmail.com and cost £5 (£4 concessions).

For further information and images, please contact Sarah-Jane Dean, Communications Assistant, Coventry University, on +44 (0)24 7688 8245 or email sarah-jane.dean@coventry.ac.uk.