World Professional Champion to Skate into Tees Valley for Railway-inspired Dance-theatre Premiere
A world professional champion Canadian figure skater will be swapping his ice skates for roller skates as he wheels into Tees Valley for the premiere of a brand-new dance-theatre production inspired by the bicentennial of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.
Gary Beacom will be flying into the North-East direct from his home in Tokyo to be one of the stars of “Departing at 18:25” being presented by the Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance.
Gary has performed with some of the biggest names in sport and entertainment including Torvill and Dean, and he will be gracing the stages of The Georgian Theatre, Stockton (29th November) and Theatre Hullabaloo in Darlington (30th November).
The former Olympian has been skating for 57-years, which translates into 20,000 hours of experience, all of which will be on view throughout the 80-minute show.
Gary has performed on ice rinks and in arenas around the globe accumulating over 1,000,000 air miles where he has visited Australia, Brazil, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, and USA…so Darlington and Stockton can now be proudly added to that list.
Departing at 18:25 explores the simple idea of how our lives can be compared to a train journey, where we board the train and get off at various stations along the way to explore new experiences.
The show combines different dance and music styles from Tango, Afrobeat, Traditional Irish…and even roller-skating. All on-stage and under the one roof. There is even a visual artist creating a live artwork during the performance.
Gary was asked about what audiences can expect from Departing at 18:25 and why performing on stage is different to the ice rink.
He said: “People can expect musicality and spirit throughout the show.
“As a performer being onstage means that you have a closer proximity to the audience and it is more intimate.”
Gary has a daily connection with train travel as millions of commuters use it to get around his home city of Tokyo, known as one of the busiest cities on the planet. He also believes that it’s ‘extremely important’ that people are given the freedom to discover different countries around the world.
Gary has a tip for any young aspiring Tees Valley skaters. He said: “Always be patient in building technique in the correct sequence without getting into bad habits.”
Following on from the two Stockton and Darlington shows, Departing at 18:25 will later return to the region next year as part of Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance’s 60th anniversary celebrations. It will expand in size as dancers from around the world will interpret the show and bring to the stage their own experiences of the railway.
Olga Maloney, Artistic Director of the Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance, said:
“We are proud to be hosting the premiere of Departing at 18:25 in the pioneering heartland of the railways.
“The show uses dance, theatre, live music and visual art to help celebrate the region’s heritage, and we are so lucky to have local, national and international performers taking to the stage in Stockton and Darlington.
“These two shows are essential as they will become the starting point for next year’s Folklore Festival in Billingham and across Tees Valley.”
Further information about Departing at 18:25 can be found on the Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance website, and tickets can be purchased directly from the venues.
Departing at 18:25 is supported by an Arts Council National Lottery Project Grant.