GDIF Announces 30th Anniversary Dance Programme ‘Dancing City’
Greenwich+Docklands International Festival (GDIF) London’s leading and longest established FREE festival of outdoor performance returns to Royal Borough of Greenwich, Newham and the Thamesmead from Friday 22 August to Saturday 6 September. To celebrate 30 years of the award-winning annual festival, 30 companies from across the world will present new work inspired by the theme Above and Beyond.
The hugely popular “festival within the festival” Dancing City returns this year on 6 September from 1-6pm featuring an exciting new partnership with New York’s iconic Fire Island Dance Festival which will see a stellar line-up of international LGBTQIA+ dance artists perform at GDIF. Fire Island Dance Festival was established in 1995 as a fundraising event for Dancers Responding to AIDS (DRA) and has become a celebrated annual outdoor festival showcasing world-class emerging and established dance.
This year’s alfresco dance take-over will showcase a host of amazing outdoor spaces across Stratford – popping up in the Town Centre, and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Dancing City will feature three London premieres from groundbreaking disabled artists and companies, along with a huge variety of work from exceptional homegrown and international artists.
Denise Roberts Hurlin, Founding Director of Dancers Responding to AIDS and Fire Island Dance Festival said: “As we celebrate 30 years of both GDIF and Fire Island Dance Festival, our shared commitment to bold artistry and meaningful change resonates across the atlantic. This partnership reflects the power of dance to unite and uplift. Together, we embrace LGBTQIA+ voices and stories that must be seen and heard. This milestone reminds us why we began – and why we keep going.”
Rokhsana Fiaz, Mayor of the London Borough of Newham added: “This incredible festival reflects Newham’s growing reputation as the beating heart of culture in London, transforming our public spaces into vibrant stages where world-class dance meets the energy of our community. In Newham, we believe that culture and the arts should be accessible to all, and this year, Dancing City, a celebration of free outdoor Dance in Newham will go even further—offering meaningful opportunities for volunteering, training, and employment to local residents. I can’t wait to see our borough come alive with extraordinary performances that bring joy, inspiration, and opportunity to audiences of all ages.”
Shazia Hussain, CEO of LLDC, the organisation behind Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, said: “We are thrilled to host Dancing City as part of GDIF’s 30th anniversary celebrations, activating our public spaces with a vibrant, free programme of dance from around the world. This year’s line-up champions inclusivity – celebrating disabled artists, LGBTQIA+ voices and emerging local talent. It reflects the Park’s ongoing mission to be a welcoming, inspiring place where everyone can connect through culture. Together with our East Bank partners, this bold and joyful celebration of creativity highlights the power of collaboration. We can’t wait to welcome audiences and see the Park come alive with dance.”
Main Image: Courtney's Diner, Masterz at work Dance Family © Elyse-Mertz
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