British Festival's Parkour Shows Open at Souq Waqif April 10

Doha, April 07 (QNA) - The United Kingdom's (UK) parkour company, The Urban Playground Team, will present six free public performances at Souq Waqif here starting April 10, British Festival 2014 organisers announced Monday. Parkour is activity or sport of moving rapidly through an area, typically in an urban environment, negotiating obstacles by running, jumping, and climbing. The Team's performances here offer an opportunity for people in Qatar to experience British Festival 2014's unique cultural presentations as it nears its finish, organisers said. The Urban Playground Team blends antic Parkour an urban art form also known as free running - with urban and contemporary dance for a unique act group calls performance - parkour. The group will perform their show, The Inner City, at Souq Waqif over three days. The show mixes parkour, hip-hop and contemporary dance to tell the story of inner city workers. Audiences can also try some of the moves after the performances, organisers said. The Urban Playground Team will also work with a number of different youth and community partners here to offer workshops on Parkour from basic Parkour movement skills for young participants to an advanced breakdancing master class. British Council Director Martin Hope said, "The Urban Playground Team has performed at many festivals in the UK and overseas and we are delighted to be able to bring them to Qatar for the first time, as part of the British Festival. "Their performances and workshops will introduce this fun and engaging style to a new audience in Qatar. Through performances such as these, the British Festival 2014 has cemented British Council Qatar's reputation as a source for high-quality cultural and educational initiatives that appeal to a wide audience." UPG Team co-director Alister O'Loughlin said, "Our work brings together the best elements of contemporary and urban dance with authentic parkour in a slapstick show for all the family. It is really exciting for us to work once again with the British Council and to bring the team for the first time to beautiful Doha." Internationally renowned artist Rachel Gadsden will join the UPG Team during the performances on Friday. She will create a 'live' performance artwork based on the UPG Team's show, organisers said. The shows schedule is: April 10: Shows at 19:00 and 20:30. April 11 and 12: Shows at 17:00 and 19:00. (QNA)