Balbir Singh Dance Company to premiere a performance fusing Dance and… Cricket? at BD: Festival 2023

Bradford Producing Hub and the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council (CBMDC) have commissioned Balbir Singh Dance Company to bring exciting new live performance to the city for BD: Festival during 28–29 July 2023.

Prepare to be bowled over by the most gripping performance of the year! Cricket Green promises to be an awe-inspiring live show featuring music, theatre, and dance that blends classical Indian and contemporary western dance styles to narrate the story of Team Earth vs Team Climate, in a surreal game of cricket. 

You will see the players compete against each other, demonstrating how climate change has affected their breathing and energy levels. As the game progresses, you will feel the environmental challenges faced by the players, leading up to a mesmerising moment. 

Earth or Climate – who will win? Cricket Green is an extraordinary performance from Balbir Singh Dance Company bringing together the worlds of sport, arts, and climate awareness.

Back in January, artists and live arts companies were invited to submit applications to Bradford Producing Hub and CBMDC to receive £60k to premiere new work at the annual arts and culture festival. Many exceptional applications were received from the callout, and after a tough round of decision-making, Balbir Singh Dance Company were selected to premiere Cricket Green. 

Lisa Mallaghan, Project Director of Bradford Producing Hub said “We had 2 panels judging this selection and they were impressed to see Balbir Singh Dance Company’s submission highlight the issues around climate change in a creative way that will really speak to Bradford audiences. Not only will the performance be nothing like anything you’ve seen before, their commitment to community engagement through their additional workshops particularly impressed the panel.”

Balbir Singh Dance Company is committed to supporting local Bradford talent by offering a paid placement for an early career production manager and a stage manager to work alongside the team to support the development of the production and the outreach programme.

They have also planned community engagement workshops including ‘Spin Off’, which will reach over 200 young people aged 11 to 16 and their families through 4 bespoke cricket workshops, paying homage to the Bollywood film, Lagaan, as an entry point to the game for those less familiar with the sport. ‘Carry the Bat’ will reach a further 200 young people and their families through workshops on the impact of climate change on the future of cricket. Climate Ambassadors will be recruited from both workshops, through which training will be provided to young people on climate action and public speaking.

Balbir Singh, Artistic Director of Balbir Singh Dance Company said “Bradford holds a special place in my heart as the place where I grew up and was awakened to the world of the arts. This opportunity to connect with people across the city on such an exciting project feels like a homecoming after all these years. I’m very much looking forward to working with Bradford Producing Hub and Bradford Council to bring the worlds of performance, sport and the environment together in a very special game of cricket.”

Nicola Greenan, Principal Cultural Partnerships Manager for Bradford Council said: “I am delighted that this performance has been supported through the large grants initiative. It will be something completely new for the district and BD: Festival. Bringing together arts, sports and climate awareness it will entertain and inform anyone watching. The performance will be a highlight as we work towards 2025, the City of Culture year.”