New world dance record sought at the launch of the Body Festival in Christchurch

22 September 2008

The Body Festival ’08 launches in Christchurch this Friday with an attempt to hold the World’s Largest Synchronized Dance Routine.

Organizers are intending to beat the present record of 1,800 by at least 2,000 when the attempt takes place at Cathedral Square on Friday evening.

 “We will get at least 3,000 and more than likely 5,000 dancers,” says Body Festival Director Adam Hayward.  The recording breaking routine, set to Bon Jovi’s Shot Through The Heart, will start at 7 pm after two hours of training and rehearsals.

 “This is a Christchurch event and we want the people of Christchurch to own it,” says Mr Hayward of the annual event.

“What better way to do this than by taking part in a world record-breaking event?”

 The World’s Largest Synchronized Dance Routine will be led by Wellington’s RHB Dance Troupe which set the previous record of 1,800 in Wellington in February 2007.

 The Body Festival, in its seventh year, is a series participatory events over 16 days funded by the Christchurch City Council. The Festival will also hosts a number of international acts with Tierra Flamenca from Jerez in Spain; martial dance theatre from India, Brazil and New Zealand; and a dance film creating installation from the UK called the move-me.com booth.

Other major events include a celebration of choreographer/ dancer/ teacher Jose Limon’s contribution to the dance world, a break dance battle, and classical and a contemporary classes taught by the staff from the Royal New Zealand Ballet.

 Opening weekend highlights include:

• the move-me.com booth at the Christchurch Art Gallery running for the duration of the Festival - a video-booth where visitors can make their own dance film using choreography from a selection of artists, and then track their film on the associated award-winning website.
• Jose Limon – a celebration reflecting this Mexican born, USA raised choreographer/ dancer/ teacher’s contribution to the dance world. Featuring local dancers, the programme will include various key dancers performed and choreographed by Jose Limon, interspersed with some personal recollections and reflections.
• Only the Strong 2 – Break-dance Battle – see the best B-boy an B-girls take to Cathedral Square and battle it out for supremacy as part of the return of this huge event that took Christchurch by Storm back in 2005.
• Royal New Zealand Ballet Master classes - A wonderful opportunity for students of Classical ballet to participate in both a classical and a contemporary class taught by artistic staff from the Royal New Zealand Ballet.

 The annual have a go workshops includes: Belly dance, Salsa fitness, Wu Tao, Static Trapeze, Hip Hop, Break-dance, Modern Jive, Bharata Natyam, Charleston, Ceroc and Kapa Haka.

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