A four-day dance festival featuring a jaw-dropping variety of genres, ages, nationalities – all by or for women – is being brought to Oxford by dance critic Donald Hutera.

With 40 years’ experience under his belt he pretty much knows everyone in the business, and has pulled the great and the good, the known and unknown, the old and young, local and international, all under one umbrella, to come to the OFS and ply their wares.

An enormous undertaking, he started off in London, touring the results with acts he feels most relevant to us, while expanding our repertoire with pieces from all over the globe.

The Women GOlive festival, therefore features Oxford’s Cecilia Macfarlane, Ana Barbour, Anja Meinhardt and Susie Crow as well as international names such as Ffin Dance, Maria Vivas and Arunima Kumar. It also features works by female choreographers, some featuring male dancers such as Julian Lewis.

Testing the waters last year at the BT, Don’s Women GOlive festival is back with an even more ambitious programme. But why here? “Oxford has an amazing dance scene – it even has its own dance councillor – but I wanted to mix it up a bit, make dance more intimate,” he says.

“I like the idea of sharing such a juxtaposition of edgy, different, funny, unpredictable and non-formulaic work. I want people to taste all the flavours and see what they like. And with none longer than 20 minutes, you can watch everyone from Venezuelan choreographers to Swedish dancers. And with 17 dance acts over four days, surprise yourself!”

Women GOlive 
OFS 
Wednesday, July 13 – Saturday, July 16
ticketsoxford.com 01865 305305