The Leap Dance Festival is back across the Liverpool City Region, delivering a packed programme of performances, workshops and free family events. Running for sixteen days, it brings together international and local artists, community groups and young performers across theatres, cultural venues and public spaces.
The LEAP Dance Festival is back in Liverpool, bringing a two-week celebration of performance, color, and movement to the region. Running until May 9, the festival aims to transform theaters, public spaces, and cultural venues throughout the city. Organized by Chaos Arts CIC and supported by partners such as Culture Liverpool and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the event highlights a diverse range of dance. The festival features contemporary dance companies, alongside performances by community groups and local artists. Artistic director Paul Doyle stated that the 2024 festival focuses on "recentering the city," with the goal of showcasing local architectural gems and fostering an environment where artists can create new work and test ideas.
"We've worked really closely with Culture Liverpool over the last three years to commission local artists," said Doyle. "That's been one of the key things that we've done... trying to create an atmosphere where local artists can work locally." The program includes a strong emphasis on family-friendly events and workshops for all ages. Key components include performances at the Palm House and workshops held in the streets of Liverpool ONE. The festival also highlights "Queer Moves," a series of new commissions celebrating the work of LGBTQIA+ artists.
In addition, the Unity Theatre is hosting emerging artists for the Liverpool Dance Prize, while schools and colleges are participating in the schools' dance platform at the Liverpool Lighthouse. This year's expansion also features collaborations with artists from across the North, including significant national companies like Katherina Vowles Dance, Phoenix Dance, and Keem Toosoon, who is based in Leeds.
Looking ahead, the festival will culminate in a range of performances at the Shakespeare North Playhouse, concluding with a cabaret celebration. Through these initiatives, the festival seeks to establish the Liverpool city region as a leading hub for dance.
Reflecting on the festival’s broader mission, Doyle noted that he hopes attendees leave feeling that dance is inclusive. "A lot of people always feel like dance isn't for them, and I hope that people leave feeling that dance is completely for them," he said. "It's about ordinary people doing amazing things with their bodies to communicate ideas."
