What better way to celebrate 150 years of Middlesbrough Football Club than with a mass dance on the pitch?
On Saturday, October 17, more than 300 local people will perform at the Riverside Stadium as part of the club’s 150th anniversary celebrations.
The dance production, led by TeesDance and funded by Arts Council England, will see participants aged six to 79 fill the pitch to mark one of the most significant milestones in Middlesbrough Football Club’s history. It’s an opportunity for local supporters and communities to be actively involved in the celebrations instead of simply watching from the stands.
Recruited from local schools, colleges and community groups across Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton-on-Tees, Darlington and Hartlepool, many of the participants have no performing experience at all, making this an even bigger commitment as they prepare to dance in front of a crowd of up to 30,000 people ahead of Middlesbrough’s home fixture against Cardiff City.
With original music and choreography, the project aims to celebrate the people, history and changing identity of Teesside over the 150 years since the football club was founded in 1876. It also reflects the wider ambition of TeesDance to make dance part of everyday life across the Tees Valley.
Tom Powell, a lifelong Middlesbrough supporter and professional musician, has composed an original score, recorded with the help of staff, students, alumni and community choirs from Tees Valley Music Service.
The soundtrack includes crowd recordings from a Middlesbrough match against Millwall and commentary from the late Alastair Brownlee during the club’s UEFA Cup run, including his famous “Everybody round my house for a parmo” line.
It also celebrates the wider identity of Teesside through contributions from local musicians and singers.
Amy Swalwell, CEO and founder of TeesDance, said: “Middlesbrough Football Club’s 150th anniversary is a huge moment in the history of our area, and we wanted local people to have the opportunity to be part of it rather than simply watch it happen.
“Our area has changed enormously since 1876, but its people, creativity and sense of identity have always been at its heart. The choreography has been created here, the music has been created here and the people performing it live here.
“For many of those taking part, performing in front of tens of thousands of people at the Riverside is something they never imagined they would do. We want people across the Tees Valley to know that dance and culture belong to them too – and that our stories are worth putting on the biggest stages.”
Anyone attending Middlesbrough FC’s home fixture on Saturday, October 17 will be able to watch the performance at 12.15pm. Tickets are available through the football club.