Brent Respect Festival 2008
24/04/2009
A truly global choice of music and dance offers something for everyone at Brent's Respect Festival on Sunday 6 July 2008 in Roundwood Park, London NW10. The festival celebrates Brent's unique cultural diversity and is fun and free for all Brent's residents to enjoy.
'One Voice' - a unique collaboration between Shlomo, one of the world's leading beatboxers, and four vastly different Brent choirs, is set to become a highlight of this year's Respect Festival. Rehearsals have already started with Shlomo and Brent Gospel Choir, a Brent children's choir, Nossa Voz a Brazilian choir and contemporary choir, The Heard.
Shlomo (artist in residence at the Royal Festival Hall) performed the backing for Bjork on her all-vocal album, including her single Oceania which she performed at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004. Billions of people watching did not realise they were listening to a human beat box instead of real drums.
Another major attraction for this year's Respect Festival is a specially commissioned dance fusion performance which cleverly combines traditional British Maypole dancing and Indian folk dancing performed during 'Navratri'. Both cultures have festivals involving circular dances with colourfully dressed dancers hitting sticks with another dancer.
Brent's ENCEE Academy's Garba dancers have worked with Westminster's Donna Maria's Maypole dancers to create this visually stunning cultural fusion spectacular.
Festival goers will have the chance to perform this ground breaking new dance themselves at Respect Festival by taking a ribbon from the Maypole and joining in the fun.
Respect is a free, fun, friendly, family festival that celebrates Brent's talent and cultural diversity in the setting of one of Brent's award-winning parks - Roundwood Park, Willesden.
It is recommended that those attending Brent's Respect Festival use public transport. The nearest tube/train station is Willesden Junction (Bakerloo and Northern Lines). There will be a shuttle service from Willesden Junction to Roundwood Park or it is a 10 minute walk. Buses 206 and 226 go directly to Roundwood Park.