Birmingham Hippodrome are partnering with local legends of the dance scene, Queer-Side and Vogue extraordinaire, Eric Scutaro, to bring a brand new performance opportunity to young people ages 16-23 from the Midlands.

This curtain raiser performance will be created by Queer-Side Founder and Vogue dancer, Eric Scutaro, and will be performed at our B-SIDE Hip Hop Festival this summer. This will be an outdoor performance as part of a Vogue/Waacking competition produced by Queer-Side.

This is a free opportunity and young people will be provided with costume and/or tshirts.

The commitment is as follows:

·        Saturday 27 April: Auditions (you will be given a slot between 11am – 5pm)

·        Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 May: Rehearsals 1 & 2 10:30am-4pm

·        Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 May: Rehearsals 3 & 4 10:30am-4pm

·        Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 June: Rehearsals 5 & 6 10:30am – 4pm

·        Saturday 8 June: Performance. Final time to be confirmed but you will be needed for the full day.

In order to participate, you must be able to attend the audition day and at least five of the intensive rehearsals. All of the above will take place at Birmingham Hippodrome.

You can sign up to audition here.

The deadline for audition sign up is Sunday 21 April. We will then confirm the time of your audition slot by Tuesday 23 April. Everyone who signs up will receive an audition slot.

If you have any questions, please email participation@birminghamhippodrome.com.

We’re looking forward to meeting you!

More about Queer-side and Eric Scutaro:

Queer-Side is a Community Interest Company created in Birmingham in 2022, providing free events, workshops, opportunities, performances and activism to the LGBTIAQ+ community and the city of Birmingham, with the purpose of creating safe spaces, visibility, entertainment and growth for all.

Additionally, Queer-Side aims to transform non-conventional spaces for the free entertainment of the community and citizens through Queer art. Queer-Side wants people to believe more in the city, in their spaces, their buildings, their venues, their communities and in their dreams.

Eric Scutaro is a Venezuelan choreographer, dance performer and activist, refugee in the United Kingdom. For 15 years, he has been a pioneer in his country, and now in Birmingham, in Waacking and Voguing, dance styles belonging to the LGBTIQ+ community since the 70s. His choreographies, workshops and performances explore hip-hop, Waacking and Voguing as a way to advocate for the LGBTIQ+ community. His work has also stood out for doing Queer activism within the hip-hop culture in his country.

Eric has been part of the first Hip-Hop Theater work in the history of Venezuela. He was part of the founders of the first and only street dance company in Venezuela and all of Latin America. Eric Scutaro is one of the bridges between Venezuela and the United Kingdom for cultural and artistic exchanges in the field of street dance to continue developing opportunities for youth and continue developing LGBTIQ+ activism.