300 local people take over the Riverside pitch in mass dance celebrating 150 years of Middlesbrough

TeesDance is bringing together more than 300 people aged six to 79 from across the Tees Valley for a major mass dance performance celebrating Middlesbrough Football Club’s 150th anniversary – connecting local people with the heritage, identity and creativity of the place they call home.

For 150 years, the Riverside pitch has belonged to eleven players at a time. On Saturday 17 October, it will belong to more than 300 local people.

At 12.15pm, ahead of Middlesbrough’s home fixture against Cardiff City, people from across the Tees Valley will step onto the Riverside Stadium pitch for an original mass dance produced by TeesDance and funded by Arts Council England.

The project has been created to make one of the most significant moments in Middlesbrough Football Club’s history something local people can actively be part of - not simply watch.

Participants range from six to 79 years old and come from schools, colleges, community groups, youth groups and dance schools, alongside individuals from across Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton-on-Tees, Darlington and Hartlepool.

Many would not describe themselves as dancers and, for some, this will be their first experience of performing. Together, they will perform in front of a Riverside crowd of up to 30,000 people.

The project uses dance and original music to celebrate the people and stories of Teesside and the extraordinary changes the area has experienced over the 150 years since Middlesbrough Football Club was founded in 1876 – from its industrial heritage to the place it is today.

Amy Swalwell, CEO and Founder of TeesDance, said:

“Middlesbrough Football Club’s 150th anniversary is a huge moment in the history of our area, and we wanted local people to have the opportunity to be part of it rather than simply watch it happen.

“That is what this project is really about. More than 300 people, spanning generations and communities from across the Tees Valley, are coming together to celebrate a place that belongs to all of us.

“For 150 years, this pitch has belonged to eleven players at a time. On 17 October, it belongs to 300 local people.

“Our area has changed enormously since 1876, but its people, creativity and sense of identity have always been at its heart. The choreography has been created here, the music has been created here and the people performing it live here.

“For many of those taking part, performing in front of tens of thousands of people at the Riverside is something they never imagined they would do. We want people across the Tees Valley to know that dance and culture belong to them too – and that our stories are worth putting on the biggest stages.”

Taking part are pupils and students from Abingdon Primary School, Whinstone Primary School, St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School and Sacred Heart Catholic Secondary School, alongside Middlesbrough College and Stockton Riverside College.

Community and youth groups include We Are TS18, TeesDance Youth, Sri Lankan Tees Angels, Dance City Youth and York Dance Space, with dancers from Ruff Diamond Academy, Razzamataz, Divadance and Emily Wratten Dance, as well as individual participants.

Helena Bowman, Chief Operating Officer at Middlesbrough Football Club, said:

“We are pleased to continue our 150th year celebrations with TeesDance, making the Riverside pitch their stage for a one-off performance.

“Seeing local people over 300 local people, from six-year-olds to people in their seventies, step out onto the Riverside pitch will be a landmark occasion. We're proud to be working with TeesDance to make it happen.'"

A soundtrack created on Teesside

At the heart of the performance is an original score composed by Tom Powell, a professional musician, lifelong Middlesbrough supporter and former season ticket holder who first developed his musical skills as a student with Tees Valley Music Service and now works for the service.

The soundtrack connects the football club with the wider story and identity of the area.

It opens with crowd recordings captured at Middlesbrough’s match against Millwall in April. At its centre is a “half-time” section incorporating commentary from the late Alastair Brownlee during the club’s UEFA Cup run, including the much-loved line: “Everybody round my house for a parmo.”

The final section becomes a wider celebration of Teesside identity, bringing together intergenerational choir recordings and a guitar line inspired by Chris Rea. The music was recorded with staff, students, alumni and community choirs from Tees Valley Music Service.

Tom Powell said:

“Like a lot of people from Teesside, I’ve sometimes found myself frustrated by how the area is portrayed nationally. We all know there are challenges, but that’s only a small part of the story.

“This is a region producing exceptional singers, musicians, dancers and creatives performing at the very highest level across the UK and Europe. The funny thing is, we’re not always very good at telling people about it.”

Seventy-three years between them

Seventy-three years separate the youngest and oldest performers – a powerful reflection of the generations being brought together through the project.

Since September, TeesDance has coordinated rehearsals at Middlesbrough College and in schools, community spaces and dance studios across the region, enabling hundreds of people to learn the same original piece before coming together as one cast.

For many participants, Saturday 17 October will be the largest audience they have ever performed for.

The project reflects TeesDance’s wider ambition to make dance part of everyday life across the Tees Valley – creating opportunities for local people not only to see culture, but to participate in it, create it and see their own communities and stories represented through it.

How to see it

The performance takes place on the pitch at 12.15pm on Saturday 17 October 2026, ahead of Middlesbrough FC’s home fixture against Cardiff City.

Anyone attending the match will be able to see the performance.

Tickets are available through Middlesbrough Football Club.

About TeesDance

TeesDance is the dance development charity for the Tees Valley. We exist to make dance part of everyday life - creating opportunities for people to experience, take part in, create and progress through dance.

We believe dance belongs here. Everyone should have access to high-quality dance opportunities, regardless of their background, circumstances or where they live.

To date, TeesDance has reached more than 20,000 people and created paid opportunities for over 120 freelance artists, growing participation, developing talent and strengthening dance across the Tees Valley.