The brainchild of Christina Covington, together with a dedicated team of dance lovers, the We Dance Festival is committed to creating a space where people can connect through movement, discover the joy of dance, and unleash their inner rhythm.
Seven spoke to Christina who has explored a multitude of dance styles – from free-flowing movements to Latin rhythms. Her infectious passion for dance is the driving force behind the festival.
Tell me what you love most about the festival?
We’re bringing people together in dance for the celebration of moving the body, for the healthy body, mind and spirit.
Everyone’s body speaks a different dance language and different languages of dance fit into different people’s bodies.
The festival offers many different genres of dance and gives a person an opportunity to feel what language, what form of dance, fits into their body to help them move, and it’s also good for our spirit. When we learn new pathways, like learning new languages, we are helping our whole system, not only just for the movement of the body, but it’s also for mental health.
I’m bringing all the forms together to see what expression comes from that.
What was the seed that made you think of creating this festival?
My love for dance and bringing all the different forms of dance together – I have seen so many amazing different forms and no forms, as in free dance, which also has a form, from around the community, but we’re not really doing it together. Byron used to be a hub for dance, like we used to dance in the streets. The big music festivals were made by people dancing. I want to honour the dancing that’s there, because that’s what created joy in people’s hearts. And you know when you don’t have a dance – whether it’s dancing in the rain or dancing on the streets or just dancing along the beach, your heart feels good when you dance. It brings joy to your heart.
Do you think dancing is something people are more willing to do in a group?
Yes, definitely, definitely! And a whole lot of the festival is about you feeling like you want to go to a dance class or learn a different dance, or really want to learn partner dancing. ‘Which partner dance will I learn?’ or ‘I really want to learn a style of dance, I don’t know whether it’s street dance, but I don’t know the difference between cranking and twerking’, and then you end up not doing it at all.
The festival is giving us a smorgasbord of all these different styles. A friend said she was confused and wouldn’t know which partner dance to do. I say come and see which one fits in your body.
The first partner dance class we’ve got is all about just the connection and just learning to actually partner dance, not about steps, not about anything like that, just actually learning what it is to meet in partner dance. And then you can go and try tango and swing and salsa and bachata and zouk, or try them all and see which one you really like. It’s like having a tasting plate.
What are going to be the highlights of performance?
Well, one of the highlights is our Friday night showcase where we’re installing the dancers in Otherworld as art installations. I think it will be quite a unique experience for people. And then on Saturday night, it’s about interacting with them, and everybody coming together. I really, really am looking forward to seeing it come alive.
It’ s a vision of all the different forms interacting together in one place of joy – of dance.
We Dance Festival will be held at the Byron Community Centre and Otherworld from Friday, September 6 to Sunday, September 7. For more information and to purchase tickets visit wedancefestival.com.au.
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