Acrobats and dancers prepare to soar 40 metres above Whitehaven in Bank Holiday spectacular

Final preparations are under way for a spectacular aerial, night time dance and acrobatic show, which will take place above Whitehaven Harbour on Bank Holiday Monday, August 27th. The show, called Station, will be performed by Voala, an Argentinian, Spanish and Brazilian company and it is part of Lakes Alive’s season of outdoor arts events in Cumbria this summer.

The performance tells the story of a chance encounter at a railway station, which leads to a fantastic aerial adventure; suitcases are abandoned, glitter falls from parasols and dancers are entwined in midsummer flowers high in the sky. The show is accompanied by original, live music.

During part of the performance, the artists are suspended 40 metres in air by a giant crane and supported only by a trapeze or a sheet of fabric.

The show has been performed around the world to international acclaim.

Nicole Dittmar, from Voala, says   “ We are really looking forward to coming to Whitehaven.  I think it will be a fantastic location.  The show was first performed in Argentina in 2008, but it is still evolving. We have to adapt our performance to each space; every environment is different so each show is unique.

“I think the show appeals to people everywhere because watching it is like living a fairy tale; it makes people believe they can fly.”
The eight aerial performers have backgrounds in contemporary dance or gymnastics and they train every day to maintain the strength and fitness they need for the show.

Julie Tait from Lakes Alive says “We’re really glad to be bringing Station to Whitehaven.  Last year we had a fantastic reaction to Maudits Sonnants, the aerial show from Transe Express and I’m sure people will be wowed by Station too.  It is a truly breath-taking performance by an incredibly talented group of artists.”

On August 27th there will also be a variety of street entertainers brining comedy, circus and magic to Whitehaven Harbour from 2pm until 5pm and again from 7pm until 8.30pm.

The aerial show will take place on Whitehaven Harbour at 8.30pm and lasts for an hour.  All the entertainment is free, but Lakes Alive needs to raise money from donations and so will be collecting at the event.

The grand finale of the evening will be a firework display on the harbour from pa-BOOM. The events are staged by Lakes Alive in partnership with Copeland Borough Council and supported by Copeland Community Fund.

Councillor Hugh Branney, Copeland Borough Council portfolio holder for leisure, culture and youth, said: “ This is the last of  Lakes Alive’s events in Copeland this summer,  following the Banquets in Millom and Cleator Moor. It should be a really fantastic show, so I hope as many people as possible come to see it. “

“It is also great to see brilliant events like this, that have been funded as part of the legacy of the Olympic and Paralympics Games,  taking place in Copeland.”

Lakes Alive’s season of outdoor arts events in Cumbria this summer continues in Kendal on Aug 31 - Sept 2 with Mintfest International Festival of Street Arts. 

Highlights of Mintfest will include Amortale, a new show by the wonderful and surreal Circus Reynaldo, a fire village in Nobles Rest, a shopping trolley ballet and a man building a life sized igloo from Kendal Mint cake. There will also be comedians, musicians, acrobats, clowns and dancers to entertain everyone on the streets of the town.   

For more information about Lakes Alive go to www.lakesalive.org
Lakes Alive has been funded by Legacy Trust UK, creating a lasting impact from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games by funding ideas and local talent to inspire creativity across the UK.

The event has also been supported by the Copeland Community Fund. The Fund was established to recognise the unique role the Copeland community plays in hosting the national Low Level Waste Repository close to the village of Drigg. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority pay £1.5 million per year into the Fund for every year that the current operation vault receives waste: in addition to an initial endowment of £10 million. A board of directors representing Copeland Borough Council, Cumbria County Council, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and the private sector manage the fund.

For more information visit www.copelandcommunityfund.co.uk