This is a sponsored article on behalf of City of London Corporation.
The City of London Corporation's spotlight is firmly on women this year. City of London Corporation's Women: Work and Power is a packed programme of 70 events over six months celebrating the contributions of women within politics, the arts, sport, and science — and we can't wait for two exhilarating evenings of dance and acrobatics this August.
Award-winning acrobat troupe Upswing will soar through the skies in an explosion of aerial gymnastics. Scaling towering Chinese poles and combining acrobatics with dance, the performers will illustrate an adaptation of The Red Shoes by Hans Christian Andersen, which sees two girls being led astray by a pair of red shoes in an enchanted forest. The performers themselves will be wearing red shoes, so you'll know who to look out for.
The infectious energy of Motionhouse will also be on show — their exciting brand of dance-circus inhabits a giant moving cage, exploring themes of captivity and being held back from achieving your potential. The powerful performance is inspired by Rainer Maria Rilke’s poem The Panther, so expect an emotionally-charged environment as the performers use skill and instinct to survive.
It all takes place in the historic surroundings of Guildhall Yard, with plenty of extra entertainment alongside — we're talking sideshows and pop-up performances.
Food and cocktails named after prominent women, including Margarita Atwood (for Canadian poet Margaret Atwood) and Pankhurst Pina Colada (for political activist Emmeline Pankhurst) will be on sale throughout the event.
Cocktail connoisseurs The Peacocktails will be serving these cocktails up from a 1965 converted Morris Ambulance, with the bar open from 5pm on both days. If ever there's a bar you don't want to miss, this is it. Just look at it:
The installation is made up of six revolving tiers of beautiful copper tail feathers, and is illuminated by an LED lights show at night. The bartenders will be adorned in shimmering sequins, dressed like a flock of wild birds, certain to add a giddy twist to this evening of dizzy and daring deeds.
Even better, all ingredients, cups and straws used by The Peacocktails are made from plants — no plastic or animal derivatives are used.
Elsewhere, acclaimed comedy, cabaret and circus performer Miss Abigail Collins will serve drinks on her head while doing the splits and jump through hula hoops, all to a soundtrack of powerful female pop. Puts our attempts at homemade margaritas to shame.
Feeling brave? You can have a go yourself too (perhaps hold off the cocktails until you're back on solid ground), with speedy circus workshops taking place at lunchtimes on both performance days, from 12.30pm-1.30pm. Best of all, both these and the evening performances are completely free.
Spectacular shows celebrating women's achievements in a beautiful historic setting, all for free — why would you miss it?
Upswing/Motionhouse takes place from 6pm-10pm in Guildhall Yard, on 2 and 3 August 2018. The event is completely free to attend, and there's no need to book — just turn up and enjoy. The performances are repeated throughout the evening.
