“Bicycle ballet” set to wow Blackpool crowds

Bicycle Ballet is coming to Blackpool as part of a new series of events designed to wow visitors to the resort’s world famous Illuminations.
 
The events, on Friday 2 and Saturday 3 October, are the first in a series of exciting cultural events created by LeftCoast as part of Blackpool Illuminations’ new LightPool project, which is revolutionising the display with new creative content and shows.
 
Bicycle Ballet is a performance company which creates exhilarating outdoor dance performances on bikes, exploring the joyful highs and gritty lows of cycling.
 
Their show, Strictly Night Cycling, will be performed for the first time in Blackpool as part of the Brilliance events. Lasting around twenty minutes it features five performers dressed in bright yellow illuminated costumes who will take over the streets as they create epic human-bike sculptures.
 
Part improvised and part choreographed, be prepared for this bicycling bonanza to get up close to audience members as the performers park their bikes in your hands, take part in slow motion races and celebrate cycling in an explosion of yellow.
 
Their performers will be wheeling into action this Friday and Saturday with free shows at both 6pm and 8pm at the “Brilliance” sound and light arches on Birley Street in the heart of the town centre.
 
LightPool is funded through a £2m grant from the Coastal Communities Fund along with contributions from Blackpool Council and LeftCoast.
 
Cllr Gillian Campbell, Deputy Leader of Blackpool Council, said: “We’ve got a number of exciting events taking place throughout October as part of LightPool.
 
“Bicycle Ballet is the first of these events and promises to be truly spectacular.”
 
Artistic Director of LeftCoast, Michael Trainor, said: “We’re looking to experiment with different kinds of performances for this year’s Brilliance events. Our hope is that it will peak people’s interest and get them staying in the town centre into early evening and, in turn, spending money in businesses in the town.”
 
“Art is a powerful catalyst to drive the economy as well as being a lot of fun and should be considered central to the town’s plans for regeneration. The new performance elements of the annual Illuminations are a real demonstration of how we can do just that.”
 
And Coastal Communities Minister Mark Francois said: “I am delighted we have been able to support Blackpool Illuminations’ through a £2m grant from the Coastal Communities Fund.
 
“This investment will help boost the local economy and the Northern Powerhouse. We are committed to help drive investment in the north and helping our seaside communities thrive.”
 
The next event will see a series of performance poets perform at Brilliance on Thursday 8 October to mark National Poetry Day.
That will be followed by performances and installations by a huge range of artists and performers throughout October.
 
The festival of acts will finish with two special live music sessions on Friday 30 and Saturday 31 October.
 
All the events will be free to attend, although some of the Brilliance sessions will require booking.
 
For more details and performance times, visit www.visitblackpool.com/lightpool.
 
For more information on Blackpool Illuminations, visit www.visitblackpool.com/illuminations