Taking over the steps, Bollywood style

So it’s one week to go until Bollywood hits Birmingham City Centre’s Town Hall steps. Marking the historic building’s 175th birthday, dancers, school groups, dance companies and anyone else who have been learning the Bollywood Steps dance moves in the last few weeks will descend on the steps to perform the moves.

Denise Lewis and Simmy Gupta at the launch of Bollywood Steps outside the Town Hall

Over 12,000 are expected to take part in what is sure to be a spectacle like Birmingham has never seen before, running in a total of three outdoor dance performance over Friday 9 and Saturday 10 October. Bollywood Steps have invited those taken part to post YouTube videos of themselves learning the routine – which was choreographed by Simmy Gupta, the West Midlands-born dancer and co-director of nutkhut behind the whole event.

Here’s what the moves should look like:

Dance Clip from Bollywood Steps on Vimeo.

Simmy originally trained in Kathak dance and has since worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Birmingham Royal Ballet. She co-founded the London-based creative organisation nuthkut in 2004 and the company has specialised in producing large outdoor performances including the premier of Bollywood Steps at London’s Trafalgar Square. Birmingham’s spectacle will be introduced by Bobby Friction from BBC Asian Network’s Friction Show.

Groups who have been learning the routine ready for one of the three performances include 18 schools in the West Midlands, Digbeth-based company ACE Dance and Music, Diverse Dance Company (Perry Barr) and Junction 9 from Wednesbury.

Leading up to the performances next weekend, those learning the routine from home have been sending in YoutTube videos of themselves trying the moves and winners for three categories (best solo/duo and group film) will be announced on Saturday night’s performance.

Here is the dance sequence if you fancy having a go – and you can always learn the routine on the day, half an hour before each performance:

Learn The Moves from Bollywood Steps on Vimeo.

The performance is part of People Dancing – a three-year programme which encourages people to get involved and dancing as part of the region’s Culture programme for London 2012. Saturday night’s performance will also be the centrepiece of Birmingham’s Light Night, which culminates in a firework display at 10.45pm.

Here is the time schedule for Bollywood Steps next weekend at Victoria Square, Birmingham (see the map here):

-Friday 9 October, 8pm (learn the steps from 7.30pm)

-Saturday 10 October, 3pm and 8pm (learn the steps at 2.30pm and 7.30pm)

WestMidlandsDance have picked out some particularly good videos (or good efforts) sent in to the Bollywood Steps YouTube Channel: