Make me smile – culture city call to join the dance
PEOPLE IN Hull are being invited to get dancing on New Year’s Eve to mark the end of its City of Culture year.
Organisers of the Make Me Smile Dance Celebration, organised by Hull College in association with Hull UK City of Culture, hope people will head into the city at 2pm on New Year’s Eve to dance outside the old BHS store in the city centre.
The event has been choreographed by dance students at the college to a special charity version of the Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel hit, Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me).
The singer and songwriter, best known as the frontman of the rock group Cockney Rebel, personally endorsed a version recorded by students past and present earlier this year.
The college says the dance is “simple and easy to learn”.
Students and tutors will be visiting community centres, schools, village halls and offices, to get people learning the moves and teaching families, friends and colleagues.
The dance will be shared on social media for anyone to access and to learn.
Recruitment and progression manager Lucy Francis said: “Hull College has enjoyed such a wonderful year during Hull’s run as City of Culture.
“Our performing arts, music and dance students have all benefited by being involved in many incredible projects throughout the year and we really wanted the chance to celebrate this.”
Dance tutor Mark Pearce said: “We wanted to make this a dance that everyone can get involved with and the students have choreographed a great piece that is simple and easy to learn.
“The main point is to have fun and join together.”
Organisers from Hull 2017 have been criticised for not staging a major event to end the year. They have defended the decision, saying it is better to invest the money in legacy plans.