Black British Ballet: Into the Light Exhibition

Into the Light is an exhibition that tells the stories of Britain’s Black ballet dancers accompanied by activities and workshops encouraging people of all ages to engage with dance.

EXHIBITION:

• Sunday 31 August – Saturday 27 September
• Central Library opening times
• No need to book
• All welcome

Black dancers have been present in British ballet from at least the 1940s onwards but the presence and contribution of these pioneers has been largely forgotten.

Into the Light: The Pioneers of Black British Ballet exhibition at Hull Central Library aims to change this by celebrating the lives of these trailblazers. The exhibition brings together archive photography, film and news items alongside new interviews with the dancers themselves.

This groundbreaking exhibition, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, is brought to you by Libraries Connected and Oxygen Arts’ Black British Ballet project.

Visit us today to hear their stories.

EVENTS:

Hull Libraries are celebrating the history of Britain’s Black ballet dancers with a day of workshops and storytimes. Children can join in with dance sessions mixing ballet with contemporary, African and Caribbean dance, listen to the story of Onisere and her quest to be a ballet dancer and try out ballet for the first time. Please book tickets for these events using the links below:

10:00 – 11:30 / 1:30 – 3:00 – Dance Workshop (90 mins) – 7+

10:30 – 11.30 / 2:00 – 3:00 – Onisere and the Ballet Queen Storytime (60 mins) – 4-8yrs

12:00 – 12:45 / 3:30 – 4:15 – Ballet Family Workshop (45 mins) – 3-5yrs

Everyone can visit the Into the Light exhibition exploring the history of black dancers in British ballet and grab some refreshments in the Central Library Café.