Dont miss your chance to take this two-day R&D workshop withJonzi D our hip hop dance theatre choreographer-in-residence who returns to the Pomegranates Festival due to popular demand. Based at London's Sadler's Well, Jonzi D is an MC, dancer, spoken word artist and director, widely recognised for his influence on the development of the UK British hip-hop dance and theatre scene.
The R&D workshop will culminate on Day 2 with a premiere sharing on the stage of the Scottish Storytelling Centre of the new hip-hop theatre show Hidden Faces, inspired by this year's Pomegranates Festival's theme of masked dances from around the world.
As the creative outcome of the two-day masterclass, Hidden Faces will be co-devised and performed by you, alongside Jonzi D - all wearing newly commissioned masks by our visual artist-in-residenceLorraine Pritchard.The show will be accompanied by live music and spoken word. That's what we can Pomegranates Festival finale fit for celebrating the UNESCO International Day of Dance (29 April 2025).
Following my Pomegranates Festival debut last year, I am really honoured to be invited back as this years choreographer-in-residence, plus I am particularly partial to the new festival theme of masks. Traditional dance is important, including masked dance, because it represents living heritage while celebrating difference. I think weve reached a period in society where our differences are being used against us; our differences are being used to keep us separated; our differences are being used as judgmental tools. Manufactured polarisation. But our infinite differences define our identities, and still we have more in common than we have apart. Pomegranates Festival celebrates our differences.
Pomegranates Festival - voted one of the 100 most influential cultural events across Scotland byTHE LIST \#ListHot100 2024
Cut open a pomegranate and youll find a multitude of seeds; much the same can be said for this annual trad dance and arts festival...expect a fascinating cocktail of movement. THE LIST
Established in 2022, Pomegranates is Scotlands springtime festival sowing the seeds of Scottish and world traditional dance across the country. Every year the festival traces the intrinsic links of traditional dance with live music, film, fashion, poetry, art and heritage crafts. Initiated and curated by the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland, it is presented in partnership with TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland), Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh City Libraries, Dance Base and the Scottish Storytelling Centre. In 2025 the Pomegranates Festival is funded by Creative Scotland Multi-Year Funding through TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland); the City of Edinburgh Council and the University of Edinburgh through the Edinburgh Local Community Fund.
\#pomegranatesfest
Browse through the full programme of the Pomegranates 2025 Festival here: https://www.tdfs.org/pomegranates/