On 29 April 2025, Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage hosted the official launch of Let’s Dance International Frontiers (LDIF25) at its newly established premises in Leicester.  Marking a significant milestone as the festival enters its fifteenth edition, the event offered an evocative evening that foregrounded the artistry, voices, and perspectives shaping Black dance today.

Significance of LDIF25

LDIF25 continues Serendipity’s commitment to platforming Black dance within both national and international contexts.  More than a celebratory gathering, the launch affirmed the festival’s vital role in curating space for culturally rooted and intellectually rich performance practices.  The event exemplified Serendipity’s mission to create opportunities for dialogue, discovery, and critical engagement through dance and heritage.

Artist of the Season

Guests were welcomed into a thoughtfully curated space that blended architectural modernity with cultural intention to engage with Serendipity current Artist of the Season, Samantha M Thompson, currently on view in Serendipity’s Corner Gallery until 30 June. Thompson’s multidisciplinary practice — particularly her use of traditional stone lithography to interrogate contemporary themes of race, identity, and Diasporic memory — provided a resonant entry point into the evening’s focus. Her works, informed by personal narratives and imagined portraiture, encourage a nuanced examination of cultural hybridity and belonging.

Following the reception, guests ascended to the Studio Box, Serendipity’s intimate performance space, where the evening’s programme formally commenced. The event was introduced by Pauline Black OBE DL, acclaimed artist and pioneer and Patron of Serendipity, followed by remarks from Pawlet Brookes MBE, Serendipity’s Founder, Artistic Director, and CEO.  Their words contextualised the significance of LDIF25 within Serendipity’s broader curatorial vision and strategic goals.

Before the live performances, attendees viewed a newly commissioned short film reflecting on LDIF24. This film offered both retrospective insight and anticipatory excitement for the upcoming programme.

Performance Highlights

The evening featured two commissioned solo performances that embodied the emotional and technical breadth of Black dance practice.

Tuffani la Hubba performed by Shirley Langhelle

Meaning “the hurricane of love,” Tuffani la Hubba marked Langhelle’s solo debut at LDIF and was developed in collaboration with Serendipity.  Drawing on over a decade of experience with Tabanka Dance Ensemble, Langhelle’s performance was choreographed using the Talawa Technique™ a codified African and Caribbean dance technique that foregrounds groundedness, rhythmicality, and cultural expression through polyrhythmic movement.  Certified in the Talawa Technique™, Langhelle skilfully channelled its principles to navigate the emotional turbulence of love.

Set to Nina Simone’s Wild is the Wind, the solo was at once intimate and expansive, layering movement, voice, and music to evoke joy, longing, resistance, and transformation.  Langhelle’s choreography exemplified the core values of the Talawa Technique™ resilience, rootedness, and connectivity as she moved with a powerful sense of embodied history and emotional truth.

Reflections performed by Oraine Frater, choreographed by David Blake

In contrast, Reflections offered a meditative yet physically dynamic exploration of solitude and relational identity. Frater, a Jamaican-born artist whose career includes work with L’Acadco Dance Force and the UK tour of Disney’s The Lion King, delivered a performance that demonstrated both technical mastery and artistic sensitivity.  The choreography, devised by David Blake, drew upon a composite movement language incorporating Horton technique, Contemporary dance, and L’Antech a technique founded by Dr L’Antoinette Stines of Jamaica, rooted in Haitian dance traditions and African diasporic spirituality.

L’Antech, recognised as the first Anglo Caribbean contemporary dance training system, integrates African, Caribbean, and European forms into a structured codified vocabulary.  Frater’s performance transitioned seamlessly between the linear strength of Horton, the fluid responsiveness of Contemporary dance, and the grounded, spiralling energy characteristic of L’Antech.  This synthesis enabled a nuanced and embodied reflection on the inner tensions of selfhood, identity, and connection. His interpretation balanced vulnerability and control, offering a compelling counterpart to Langhelle’s more visceral performance, while echoing the shared theme of emotional resilience.

Audience Reflections and Looking Ahead

Feedback from attendees affirmed the success of the launch:

“The quality was exactly as I would have expected in terms of reception, numbers, space, and programme. The programme was an excellent showcase of the forthcoming performances.”

“The dance performances left a lasting impression on us — powerful and beautifully executed. It wasn’t just a show; it felt like a journey through heritage, identity, and expression. We’re grateful to have witnessed such artistry.”

LDIF25 continues throughout May, with forthcoming highlights including a performance by Brazilian dance company Cia Pé No Mundo at The Guildhall on Monday 12 May.  The full festival includes live performances, conferences, Dance Dialogues sessions, and masterclasses — designed to engage diverse audiences and deepen understanding of global Black dance practices.

For more information and to access the full LDIF25 programme.

We look forward to welcoming you.