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We are delighted to be able to welcome Metamorphosis back to Gloucestershire.

Anthony Baker

Over fifteen dancers fromTrinidad and Tobago's leading dance company Metamorphosis will soon be teaching and performing in the county.

It's part of Gloucestershire Dance’s ‘Dance Dynamite’ - a series of workshops and theatre performances.

Huge success

Following the huge success of the one-day workshop and evening performance held at The Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury two years ago, Gloucestershire Dance will this year be hosting a greater number of half and full-day workshops across the county.

Workshops will take place from Monday 5th July – Friday 9th July.

During the workshops Metamorphosis will work in schools and with groups of local dancers to teach excerpts from their performance pieces ‘Black is the Colour’ – an interpretation of the Nina Simone rendition of the song of the same name, and ‘Continuum’ – an exploration of ancestry and the continuation of generations.

Cultural history

Dancers will also talk about their cultural history, their lives in Trinidad & Tobago and how dance has affected them and demonstrations of their dance style will be included as part of the workshop.

They are looking forward to working with Metamorphosis to gain new ideas.

Anthony Baker

Gloucestershire audiences will have a unique opportunity to see ‘Dance Dynamite,’ a double-bill of Metamorphosis and Gloucestershire Dance groups staged at The Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury, on Thursday 8th and Friday 9th July.

Gloucestershire Youth Dance Company

In the first half Gloucestershire Dance will showcase work from their dance groups including the Gloucestershire Youth Dance Company performing a piece by internationally acclaimed choreographer Henri Oguike, and Velcro (an integrated dance company of able-bodied and disabled dancers) who will perform their newest piece.

This exciting and varied first half will be followed by a full programme performed by the Metamorphosis Dance Company.

“We are delighted to be able to welcome Metamorphosis back to Gloucestershire,” said Anthony Baker, Gloucestershire Dance Development Officer.

“The feedback that we had from schools, clubs, organisations and the general public when we last held the Metamorphosis workshops and performances was superb, and so this time we’ve had to add more workshops and performances.

Various styles

“Our dance leaders work hard with schools, clubs, organisations and members of the public throughout the year in various styles of dance including break, contemporary and multicultural to name but a few,” he said.

ItÂ’ll be an entertaining, informative and culturally stimulating week.

Anthony Baker

"They are looking forward to working with Metamorphosis to gain new ideas and benefit from the companyÂ’s expertise.

"The ‘Dance Dynamite’ performance will be visually stunning and all of the pieces performed are prime opportunities for anyone that is interested in taking part in our classes, or who enjoy dance, to come and see what we do while being thoroughly entertained by the leading dance company of Trinidad & Tobago”, he said.

Six schools in Gloucestershire took part in the Dance Dynamite workshops in 2002 and the charity Gloucestershire Dance is hoping that interest this year will exceed this number.

Anthony Baker said, “Local schools and organisations are being contacted regarding the workshops and performances and bookings are looking very good.

"ItÂ’ll be an entertaining, informative and culturally stimulating week for people who are interested in all areas of dance.

"We’re looking forward to seeing some new faces,” he said.

If you would like to comment on this story get in touch at gloucestershire@bbc.co.uk or have your say on our messageboard