A Weekend of DANCE / CULTURE at Victoria Quarter

In collaboration with Victoria Quarter, Leeds, Balbir Singh Dance Company took over Victoria Gate for three full days with DANCE / CULTURE, bringing performance, fashion, beauty, food and tradition into the heart of Leeds.

2026 to 2027

In our first collaboration with Victoria Quarter, Balbir Singh Dance Company hosted DANCE / CULTURE, a 3 day festival of activity in the heart of Leeds. Taking place from 12pm to 4pm each day, we engaged the public in a wide array of activity, livening up the space and bringing celebration to the shopping experience.

Dance Culture

Across the 3 days, we had numerous dancers bring South Asian dance to the fore. From solos through to duets and ensembles, these performances invited people to take a pause and enjoy themselves amidst the hustle and bustle.

Ensuring we were putting ‘Culture’ into ‘DANCE / CULTURE’, we were also graced with performances from classical Chinese dancers Hui and Ying, contemporary dancer Eleanor, and salsa dancers xx and xx.

A collaboration with Uyare

The festival also saw the spark of our relationship with Uyare, a South-Indian restaurant within Victoria Quarter. Serving food and refreshments on the day, and providing a venue for the after-party, Uyare’s involvement has opened the door to future collaborations, leading us to break new ground and bring dance to new audiences.

Saris for the public

We also took the opportunity to engage the public with fabric material, teaching audience members how to tie saris and taking them on an impromptu catwalk around the performance area. This cultural exchange not only bridges the gap between cultures, but also bridges the gap between artist and audience, inviting them to be part of the creative process that would otherwise be intangible.

Retail Therapy fit for a Prince

Towards the end of the day, dancer Kali donned the role of a prince, with Kesha and Mansi as his entourage. Taking us on a tour of Victoria Quarter, the dancers brought smiles and joy to shoppers as they deigned judgement upon items for sale.

Dancers

Devika Rao
Eleanor Stephenson
Hui Jing
Kali Chandrasegaram
Kesha Raithatha
Mansi Debral
Ying Pu

Musician

John Ball

Photographers

Balbir Singh
Meg Erridge
Morgan Girvin

Videographers

Fraser Kinnon
Shivani Kaushik

Dancers

Jinrou Niu
Kade Ferraiolo