Bollywood dance to celebrate Shakespeare Week

Youngsters from primary schools in Birmingham took part in the annual Shakespeare Week celebrations, with a special Bollywood dance performance at a train station.

The young students from Blakesley Hall Primary School performed their dance routines at Birmingham's Moor Street Station, as part of a performance of Romeo and Juliet, against the music of contemporary Indian film.

Seven schools across the city have taken part in the Shakespeare Hub Schools project from the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, aimed at using the arts to introduce children to the works of William Shakespeare.

The students have been working with Birmingham-based South Asian arts and heritage organisation SAMPAD for the dance project.

Blakesley Hall Primary School is one of seven schools in Birmingham taking part in the new Shakespeare Hub Schools project. Others schools include Acocks Green Primary School, Robin Hood Academy, Rookery School, Parkfield Primary School, Guardian Angels Catholic Primary School, and Our Lady’s Catholic Primary School.

Six Shakespeare hubs have been set up with schools in areas across the country, including Nottingham. The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust say they'll have 12 hubs by 2021, to help provide access and information for around 20,000 children to develop their own Shakespeare-inspired creative work.

And the week of celebrations was rounded off with 800 children from 15 primary schools across Warwickshire visiting Stratford. Friday 22nd March saw the town hold a day of Shakespearian learning as part of the Warwickshire Schools Open Day.

Read more: special postbox for William Shakespeare's birthday