The Junction

A festival of live dance and music taking place on 27-28 July in celebration of Spaghetti Junction. Presented by ME Dance, this free two day event will also include exhibitions, workshops, food and stalls.

Taking place underneath Spaghetti Junction itself, The Junction is a great way to take a new look at the familiar interchange, whilst enjoying an afternoon of free, locally-grown entertainment.

Visitors can enjoy performance of a brand new dance work, called The Junction, that has been created by ME Dance especially for this event. The company have researched stories into the people who lived in Erdington, Gravelly Hill and Aston before Spaghetti Junction was built in the 1960s. The area became a centre for migration as people from across the Commonwealth made Birmingham their home, including members of the Windrush Generation.

National Highways are the beating heart of the motorways, their aim is to look after the community by maintaining the roads across the country, whether in built up or rural areas. Canal and River Trust maintain many of the canals and rivers across the country, linking the country together. Both organisations are very happy to celebrate Spaghetti Junction and the history of travel and infrastructure across Birmingham. ME Dance has been working with both of these organisations to bring dance and arts to unusual and unused spaces since 2020.

Skilled dancers from ME Dance and ME Youth Graduate Company, plus contemporary breakin' fusion dancers Company Apidae will all perform.

Praise for previous works by ME Dance Company -

"A very emotive piece. A clear story-line which we found in turn shocking, harrowing, and emotional!"

"They were all amazing, and physical, strong performers!"

"Great! The performance by ME Dance Company was first class!"

"The athleticism of the dancers was amazing, and the movement was great. Some of our children stated that it was the best thing that had ever seen, and one child has said it was 10/10."

"The performance was great, and I really enjoyed the movement and music!"

"It was good to see a dance show- something I wouldn’t usually do! It was quite dark and mysterious."

"Really enjoyed every bit of it...incredible, beautiful and mesmerising!"

"It was really good! Everyone performed so well...it was dramatic and energetic!"

Marcia Edwards, Artistic Director of ME Dance, explains, “Spaghetti Junction is a national icon, and we want to remember the people who made it and celebrate the communities that live amongst it now. In the last seventy years of so, this area of Birmingham has become home to people from across the Commonwealth, including of course the Windrush Generation. It’s also a centre for travel, with the motorway, canals, cycle paths and railway lines all crossing through the area - but people rarely venture into the space around and under the junction itself. This event and our new dance work will let us look at this special part of the city in a new way. It should be a really special event for local people.”

ME Dance is a contemporary dance company based in West Bromwich. It is the sole professional contemporary dance companyled by a Black British Caribbean woman in the Black Country. The company has grown significantly in the past 6 years, and now consists of a team of 7 professional dancers. As well as professional performances, the company is committed to raising the next generation of dancers; the ME Youth Graduate company is a training programme for women aged 13-25.

The Junction is supported by Arts Council England and created by ME Dance in partnership with Canal and River Trust, National Highways, Aston University and The Midlands Greek Cypriot School.

The Junction

Saturday 27 July, 1130 - 4pm

Live music and workshops throughout the day

12pm - first performance of The Junction

3pm - second performance of The Junction

Sunday 28 July, 1230 - 4.30pm

Live music and workshops throughout the day

1pm - first performance of The Junction

330pm - second performance of The Junction

By the Midlands Greek Cypriot School underneath Spaghetti Junction.

Find us via the canal towpath (Salford Circus, Deykin Avenue or City Centre canals), or for cars use Park Approach (B23 7SJ) or Salford Stadium (B6 7TG).

Host or Publisher ME Dance Company