The Big Bollywood Dance Class at the British Library
03 July 2008
Tuesday 8 July 13:00-14:00
British Library
On Tuesday 8 July, the British Library will invite members of the public to join a mass outdoor Bollywood dance class as part of the celebrations for its free summer exhibition, The Ramayana: Love and Valour in India's Great Epic (16 May – 14 September 2008).
The Big Bollywood Dance Class is also part of BIG DANCE 2008, a week-long celebration of dance in all its styles and forms, which is open for everyone to join in. www.london.gov.uk/bigdance
The event will be led by London's Jay Kumar and his dancers. A top Bollywood dance choreographer and entertainer renowned for his energetic and passionate performances with his troupe, DanceAsia, Kumar has brought crowds to their feet at events ranging from the London Mela to Rome International Film Festival via The Paul O'Grady show and his regular Bollywood Vibes club night. The class will be suitable for all ages and abilities.
The Big Bollywood Dance Class is part of a series of events tying in with the British Library exhibition, The Ramayana: Love and Valour in India's Great Epic (16 May – 14 September 2008). Other forthcoming events include the UK premiere of animated film Sita Sings the Blues by Nina Paley (8 July), acrobatic Chhau dance (10-14 July), talk by bestselling Indian author Ashok Banker (1 September) and Kathakali performances (7 September). For more information please visit www.bl.uk/ramayana
Please contact Ruth Howlett at the British Library Press Office: +44 (0)20 7412 7112 or ruth.howlett@bl.uk
NOTES FOR EDITORS
The Big Bollywood Dance Class takes place on Tuesday 8 July, 13.00-14.00 at the British Library, 96 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DB. Admission is FREE.
The Big Bollywood Dance Class is part of a series of public events tying in with the British Library exhibition, The Ramayana: Love and Valour in India's Great Epic (16 May – 14 September 2008). The exhibition is free and open every day. www.bl.uk/ramayana
Free guided tours of the exhibition are available for visiting groups (10 or more). Booking in advance is essential. For further information and to book, call +44 (0)20 7412 7797 or email learning@bl.uk
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and one of the world's greatest research libraries. It provides world class information services to the academic, business, research and scientific communities and offers unparalleled access to the world's largest and most comprehensive research collection. The Library's collection has developed over 250 years and exceeds 150 million separate items representing every age of written civilisation. It includes: books, journals, manuscripts, maps, stamps, music, patents, newspapers and sound recordings in all written and spoken languages. www.bl.uk
Big Dance 2008 is a week-long celebration of dance in all its styles and forms and is open to everyone to join in. Big Dance, which runs from 5 to 13 July 2008, aims to get as many people dancing as possible in the lead up to the event, throughout the week itself and also to encourage people to keep dancing year round. www.london.gov.uk/bigdance