Greenwich+Docklands International Festival : Dancing City in Canary Wharf – 1st and 2nd July 2016
Greenwich+Docklands International Festival (GDIF) is London’s leading festival of free outdoor performing arts (theatre, dance, and street arts). In 2015, the Festival featured over a hundred performances by dozens of national and international companies with more than 100,000 people attending the outdoor shows in East and South London.
Although there are plenty of performances based in Greenwich and other locations, the focus in Canary Wharf is Dancing City which takes place on the 1st and 2nd July. Dancing City is the UK’s largest annual outdoor programme of free outdoor dance with performances from UK and international dance companies. The locations for the performances are the parks, piazzas and waterfronts of Canary Wharf. To give some idea of what performances are planned, here us a quick checklist.
In Mijn Hoofd 1 – 2 July 2016
Time: Friday 13:00 & 17:30; Saturday 13:50 & 15:35
Presented by Beeldend Danstheater Telder
Neuroscience combines with art as dancers perform in, within and around a giant sculptural head created by artist Pieter van de Pol at Dancing City.
Westferry Circus Canary Wharf, London E14 4BE
Nomadis 1 – 2 July 2016
Time: Friday 14:00 & 18:30; Saturday 13:25 & 16:15
Presented by HumanHood
Two nomads meet and form an immediate bond. Their bodies sync as they react and respond to their new found situation in this Dancing City sensation.
Friday: Jubilee Plaza, Canary Wharf, London E14 5NY; Saturday: Canary Riverside, E Ferry Rd, London E14 8RR
Phone Box 1 – 2 July 2016
Time: Friday 13:00 & 17:30; Saturday 14:25 & 16:40
Presented by Corey Baker Dance
The red telephone box is a British icon but with this performance from Corey Baker Dance you’ll see it in a whole new light at Dancing City.
Friday: Jubilee Plaza, Canary Wharf, London E14 5NY; Saturday: Wren Landing, Canary Wharf, London
You and I Know 1 – 2 July 2016
Time: Friday 13.30 & 18:00; Saturday 14.35 & 16:40
Presented by Candoco Dance Company
Choreographed by the trailblazing Arlene Phillips, this London premiere at Dancing City plays with and disrupts the traditional love duet.
Jubilee Plaza, Canary Wharf, London E14 5NY
Act of Strangers 2 July 2016
Time: 15:00 & 16:15
Presented by Chloe Loftus Dance
In a world where communication is so often via a screen this show reminds us of the simplicity and warmth of human contact.
Cubitt Steps, Poplar, London E14 4QA
ASUELTO 2 July 2016
Time: 13:00 & 15:45
Presented by HURyCAN
HURyCAN returns to GDIF at Dancing City with a new production explores life as an organism.
Jubilee Plaza, Canary Wharf, London E14 5NY
H.O.H 2 July 2016
Time: 14:05 & 16:10
Presented by Far From The Norm
Hip Hop theatre meets the beautiful game in this high energy dance piece, including fast-paced footwork and physical floor work.
Jubilee Plaza, Canary Wharf, London E14 5NY
SLICE 2 July 2016
Time: 13:00, 14:10, 15:25 & 16:45
Presented by Wired Aerial Theatre
An atmospheric, adrenaline-fueled performance exploring ideas of identity and territorial impulses as dancers soar and swoop through the air.
Montgomery Square, Canary Wharf, London E14
STÜCK 2 July 2016
Time: 13:30 & 15:05
Presented by Up & Over It
Stuck with each other and stuck in a rut, folk dance misfits, Up & Over It take a whimsical look at the ups and downs of sticking together at Dancing City.
Jubilee Plaza, Canary Wharf, London E14 5NY
Without End 2 July 2016
Time: 13:00, 15:10 & 16:45
Presented by the Middleton Corpus
Against the background of the River Thames, three Dancing City dancers explore the concept of time, asking the question, ‘can anything last forever?’
Canary Riverside, E Ferry Rd, London E14 8RR
For more information, visit the festival website here
The Isle of Dogs Living Archive Training at Tower Hamlets Local History Library and St John Community Centre – 24th and 25th June 2016
At the end of April, I reported on the launch of the The Isle of Dogs Living Archive which is a community group set up to explore and celebrate the visual and oral history of The Isle of Dogs.
Part of the work of the group is to train local people in oral history interviewing , sound recording and archival research methods. The first training sessions have been organised and provides plenty of opportunities for people interested in local history to learn some research skills.
Archival Research Training: Friday 24th June. 10.30am- 12.30pm
Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archives
277 Bancroft Road, E1 4DQ London, United Kingdom
For the group’s first project 80s Island Protests, The Isle of Dogs Living Archive will be providing free training in archival research for local people.
The oral history interviews the group will conduct are vital, but so is unearthing all sorts of other material about the protests in the 80s. So a training session is going to be held 10.30-12.30 on Friday June 24th. It will be run by Heritage Officer Perdita Jones and will consist of an introduction to Tower Hamlets Local History and Archives (who they are, what they do, what are their collections etc.), a demonstration of their online catalogue and an explanation of how to use the hard-copy subject guides, followed by a chance to look at a selection of library and archive material of our choice.
Find out more at https://www.facebook.com/events/1139136682775174/
Oral History Training : Saturday 25th, 10m-4pm. St John’s Community Centre
For the groups first project Island Protests of the 80s, The Isle of Dogs Living Archive will be providing free oral history training for local people to find out more about this fascinating period of Island history.
The training will cover what oral history is and why we do it; how to conduct the interview as effectively as possible; an introduction to using the appropriate digital recording equipment; an opportunity to interview each other, with feedback and analysis; transcription, summarising, archiving and legal and ethical issues.
Teas/ coffees/ light refreshments will be provided, but please bring your own lunch
Find out more at https://www.facebook.com/events/1233810483303623/
All Welcome, but please RSVP to theisleofdogslivingarchive@gmail.com
Regular readers will know that the Island’s history is fascinating and the 1980s on the Island is an important period in the Island’s recent history, it was a time of considerable uncertainty, the closing down of the docks threatened the livelihood of thousands of people. It was also the period before widespread development of Canary Wharf and the Island.
Lord Mayor’s Hot Air Balloon Regatta 2016 over the Isle of Dogs by L. Katiyo
Photo by L Katiyo
For those who enjoyed their Sunday morning lie in ( which includes myself ) , they missed a spectacular sight over the Isle of Dogs this morning. Fortunately regular contributor L Katiyo was on hand to take a few photographs as the Lord Mayor’s Hot Air Balloon Regatta made its way over the Island and East London.
Photo by L Katiyo
The Lord Mayor’s Hot Air Balloon Regatta is an annual event which sees fifty hot air balloons flying over London raising money and awareness for the Lord Mayor’s charity. The inaugural event in 2015 raised almost £80,000 for the charity and the event.
Photo by L Katiyo
Because it is so weather dependant, the Balloon Regatta is on standby on each Sunday throughout June and this morning was the first clear morning to allow the launch to take place.
Photo by L Katiyo
The launch site was Burgess Park in Southwark and the Balloons took off around 4:45-5am with a flight track to the east side of Tower Bridge north of Canary Wharf heading out towards Romford.
Photo by L Katiyo
Many thanks for L Katiyo for her early morning photography of a spectacular event which I suspect most of us missed.
Photo by L Katiyo
Stavros S Niarchos Tall Ship and French Navy ship Aramis in West India Dock
After recent Tall Ship visitors from the United States and Mexico, it is a pleasant surprise to see the arrival of the British Tall Ship Stavros S Niarchos into the West India Dock today. The Stavros S Niarchos was last in the dock in September last year and is a regular visitor to the Thames and a familiar sight in numerous tall ship events.
The Stavros S Niarchos is a British brig-rigged tall ship owned and operated by the Tall Ships Youth Trust. Built in 2000, she has been used to give young people the opportunity to develop skills and talents whilst undertaking voyages to various locations. She is also available for voyages and holidays which provides revenue to maintain the operation of the ship.
The ship has a length of 197ft , masts of 148ft and beam of 32ft, she usually operates a crew of 69 which include regular crew and volunteers.
When she visited last year, the Stavros S Niarchos was put up for sale, it does appear that is still the case, so if you have dreamed of owning your own tall ship here is your opportunity.
Another unexpected visitor is French Navy weapons-range safety patrol boat FS Aramis who like last week’s French visitor, the FS Scarpe is part of the Maritime Gendarmerie.
The Maritime Gendarmerie are part of the French Navy and the ships carry out a series of duties including chasing criminal activity, protection of the naval shore establishments and Search and rescue.
The FS Aramis was launched in 1980 and often carries a crew of around 12 including divers.
Once again, regular contributor Eric Pemberton managed to take a couple of photos of the tall ship entering the dock.
Sailing Yacht Anakena in West India Dock
After last week when we had a combination of tall ships and super yachts in West India Dock, today we welcome the arrival of the Anakena which is sailing luxury yacht.
The Anakena is a 40 metre 132 (foot) aluminium sailing yacht which was made by Royal Huisman in the Netherlands and was designed by Ted Hood and Ted Fontaine. Launched in 1996 the modern interior design was undertaken by John Munford.
The yacht won ‘Best Sailing Yacht Over 36 Metres’ award when she was launched and is considered one of the finest of its type. The yacht was built for extended periods of worldwide cruising at sea and it has sailed to Hong Kong, Hawaii, the Marshall Islands ,Guam, China, Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, Bali, Australia and many other destinations.
The luxury sailing yacht is used extensively by its owner and is able to accommodate a total of 6 guests and 5 professional crew. It is not known how long the yacht will be berthed in West India Dock or its future plans.
Regular contributor Eric Pemberton managed to get a picture of the Anakena entering the dock.
Bloom and Grow Garden Festival at Canary Wharf – 16th to 19th June 2016
After all the excitement in West India Dock last week, we can look forward to more sedate land based enjoyment with the arrival of the Bloom and Grow Garden Festival at Canary Wharf from 16th to 19th June 2016.
The four-day horticultural festival will feature over fifty events based around the twenty acres of outdoor space in Canary Wharf. If you are interested in horticulture there are plenty of talk, walks, workshops and number of children activities that will make the event attractive for families.
The event will be part of the London wide annual Open Garden Squares Weekend and many of the activities will be centred around the spectacular Crossrail Place Roof Garden. Although many of the events in Crossrail Place Roof Garden and Canary Wharf are free, if you want to visit other gardens and events featured in the Open Garden Squares Weekend you will need to buy a ticket.
Some of the highlights of the festival include :
TALKS
ARTS & GARDENS WITH THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY
THU 16 & FRI 17 JUNE / 1-2PM
ROOF GARDEN
FREE
CAPABILITY BROWN: PLACE-MAKER
FRI 17 & SAT 18 JUNE / 2-3PM
ROOF GARDEN
FREE
ROALD DAHL THE GARDENER
SAT 18 JUNE / 12-1PM
ROOF GARDEN
FREE
THE GARDEN WORLD OF BEATRIX POTTER
SUN 19 JUNE / 12-1PM
ROOF GARDEN
FREE –
WORKSHOPS
MICROGREEN PLANTING
THU 16 & FRI 17 JUNE
11AM, 1 & 3PM (30 MINS)
CROSSRAIL PLACE BY ADAMS PLAZA
FREE
FLOWER DISSECTION ART
THU 16 – SUN 19 JUNE
11.30AM, 12.30, 1.30, 2.30 & 3.30PM (30 MINS)
ROOF GARDEN (WEST END)
FREE
THAI FRUIT & VEGETABLE CARVING
THU 16 – SUN 19 JUNE
12, 1, 2, 3 & 4PM (30 MINS)
ROOF GARDEN (WEST END)
FREE
CHILDREN ACTIVITIES
GIGGLY & GREEN-FINGERED
SAT 18 JUNE / 10AM-6PM
SUN 19 JUNE / 12-6PM
JUBILEE PARK
FREE
STORY TELLING TREE
SAT 18 JUNE / 10AM-6PM
SUN 19 JUNE / 12-6PM
JUBILEE PLACE
FREE
FLORAL FACE PAINTING
SAT 18 JUNE / 10AM-6PM
SUN 19 JUNE / 12-6PM
JUBILEE PLACE
FREE
THE SUN & THE WIND
SAT 18 JUNE / 12, 2 & 4PM (45 MINS)
JUBILEE PARK
FREE
FLOWER POWER
SAT 18 JUNE / 12-5PM / JUBILEE PARK
FREE
EVENTS
MIND & BODY CLASS
THU 16 – FRI 17 JUNE / 7-8AM
SAT 18 – SUN 19 JUNE / 9-10AM
ROOF GARDEN (WEST END)
FREE – ADVANCE BOOKING REQUIRED
LIFE BOAT
FRI 17 & SAT 18 JUNE / 11.30AM-6.30PM
WESTFERRY CIRCUS
FREE
POETRY
SAT 18 & SUN 19 JUNE
THROUGHOUT THE DAY
ROOF GARDEN
FREE
ISBILIA QUARTET
SUN 19 JUNE / 1.30-2PM & 2.30-3PM
ROOF GARDEN
FREE
Events are FREE to attend unless otherwise stated. The Festival recommend you arrive early to some events with limited places to avoid disappointment.
If you would like further information about the Festival, visit the Canary Wharf website here
French Navy ship Scarpe in West India Dock
With two tall ships and two super yachts in West India Dock, the arrival of FS Scarpe of the French Maritime Gendarmerie has been somewhat overlooked. Part of the French Navy, the ships carry out a series of duties including chasing criminal activity, protection of the naval shore establishments and Search and rescue.
The FS Scarpe ( P604 ) is from the Vedette class which are based in various harbours of France, and are mainly used for coast guard duties including monitoring of pollution, sea police, and interception of illegal immigrants and drug traffickers.
The ship is 20 metres long and carries a crew of eight.
The arrival of the FS Scarpe adds to the interesting mix of ships in the dock at the moment and both the tall ships will be open to the public over the weekend.
American Tall Ship USCGC Eagle in West India Dock
In a crowded West India Dock we welcome another interesting arrival in the shape of an American tall ship with a intriguing past. The USCGC Eagle is a 295-foot (90 m) barque that is used as a training ship for future officers of the United States Coast Guard. Like many other training ships for other navies, the Eagle is used for training cadets and performs a public relations role visiting ports around the world as a goodwill ambassador.
The Eagle has a standing permanent crew of seven officers and 50 enlisted members; on training missions, she takes on a variety of temporary crew and sails with an average complement of 12 officers, 68 crew, and up to 150 trainees.
The Eagle was built for the German Navy under its previous name of the Horst Wessel, it was launched in 1936 at the famous Blohm and Voss yard in Hamburg.
The Horst Wessel was considered a ship of the Gorch Fock class and has many similarities with the famous German Sailing ship. The Horst Wessel was named after a murdered Nazi activist and the launch was attended by Adolf Hitler and other Nazi dignitaries. From its launch it was used to train future officers of the German Navy until 1939 when the ship was decommissioned. In 1942, the ship was recommissioned and had a number of weapons installed throughout the decks. At the end of the war, four German sailing vessels were distributed to various nations as war reparations. The ship only ended up in the United States by the Americans winning a drawing of lots for the ship with the Russian and British navies.
In 1946, the ship was commissioned into the United States Coast Guard as the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Eagle. Since that date she has been used in training generations of potential officers and is known “America’s Tall Ship.” and is a familiar sight at various Tall Ship races and events. The ship is based at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut and in the ships time in the United States Navy has been visited by a number of Presidents including Kennedy, Nixon and Truman.
It is reported that the Eagle will be open for free public tours from Thursday, June 9 to Monday, June 13.
Regular contributor Eric Pemberton managed to photograph the Eagle leaving the dock on the 14th June.
Mexican Tall Ship Cuauhtémoc in West India Dock
The West India Dock has two super yachts moored and today they were joined by the ARM Cuauhtémoc which is a sail training tall ship that is part of the Mexican Navy. The 295 ft ( 90 m) long ship is very similar to the Gloria of the Colombian Navy which made such an impression when it visited London.
She is one of four sister ships that were built by the Naval Shipyards of Bilbao in 1982 to a 1930s design similar to the famous German Tall ship Gorch Fock. The Cuauhtémoc is a sailing ambassador for her home country and is a frequent visitor to many of world ports, having sailed over 400,000 nautical miles (700,000 km) in her 23 years of service. She has also appeared in a number of Tall Ships races all over the world.
The ship has around 186 officer and crew and 90 trainees.
According to the Mexican Embassy, the tall ship will be open to the public from 8th to 12th of June, 2016, at the following
Times:
Wednesday 8, 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Thursday 9, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Friday 10 – Sunday 12, 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
On the 13th June, ARM “Cuauhtemoc” will cruise on the River Thames passing alongside the HMS Belfast and crossing Tower Bridge at 8:00 AM – presenting military honours with a 21 gun salute, before continuing its journey to Germany
Super Yacht Jamaica Bay in West India Dock
With the impressive super yacht Grace E still in West India Dock, we welcome another super yacht with the arrival of Jamaica Bay. Jamaica Bay is a 59.85m yacht which was custom-built for its owner in 2010 by Nobiskrug in Germany.
The interior and exterior design of the yacht is by acclaimed Dutch designer Felix Buytendijk and is the third yacht under the same name for its owner.
The yacht can accommodate 12 guests and 15 crew and features a VIP Suite and a Master Suite.
It has all the accessories that usually come with these yachts such as deck Jacuzzi and the latest technological equipment.
In the often ultra secretive world of super yachts, the information about the ship and owner can be very limited. This is certainly the case with the Jamaica Bay which is not used for charter and therefore little detail is known.
On a more public visit is the large Royal Navy Amphibious Flagship HMS Bulwark which made its way overnight up the Thames to be moored off Greenwich and will begin a 4 day visit to London.
The HMS Bulwark recently joined other Royal Navy ships in the Orkney Islands to take part in the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Jutland.
On Tuesday evening, HMS Bulwark will host the annual Peregrine Trophy awards ceremony, the showcase of the work of Royal Navy photographers who deploy with warships and Commando units worldwide.
Following the visit to London, HMS Bulwark will return to Plymouth for a short period of maintenance before leading the Royal Navy’s Joint Expeditionary Force (Maritime) deployment to the Mediterranean and beyond later in the year.
Isle of Dogs Life 