The Bicycle Ballet Co

Blazing Saddles is a visually stunning & joyful outdoor performance celebrating women & cycling & fashion, with a wry look at pink, evolving cultural taboos & the freedom of cycling. The show celebrates a step change moment for women in the late 1890s, when bicycles first became widely available.  Women embraced the freedom, independence & economy bicycles offered &, to the horror of wider society, transformed their clothing to be able to ride.

Blazing Saddles is a unique, roving performance, telling the little known story of the moment when bicycles first became more widely available and women transformed their clothing to ride…

The show celebrates a step change moment for women in the late 1890s, when bicycles first became widely available.  Women embraced the freedom, independence & economy bicycles offered &, to the horror of wider society, transformed their clothing to be able to ride.

Evolving from a contemporary choreography, the show uses movement, character & humour, clowning, costume & cake (or possibly biscuits) to tell the story of a group of women caught up in the excitement of the possibilities of freedom, travel and independence.

The visual narrative unfolds in a series of sequences, moving around a location.  Costumes and colours transform taking on a more modern look, and touching on issues & ideas about women cycling today.

Today, around 1.5% of people cycle regularly & men are 3 times more likely to cycle than women.

Women tend to stop riding when they reach puberty, often put off by issues around appearance.  Concerns about having to wear lycra, helmet hair & getting sweaty, along with traffic and safety concerns are powerful deterrents; not to mention the weather.

With Blazing Saddles we’re hoping to link into current drives to encourage more women to ride bicycles, by helping interrupting cycling stereotypes, to transform the way people think about cycling.

Further event information, maps, draft schedule and FAQ’s are available here.

This event forms part of Heritage Open Days.

Image Credit – Copyright Raysto Images

BLAZZING SADDLES NEEDS YOU! 

We’re looking for up to 20 local women & their bikes to join The Bicycle Ballet Company in the creation & presentation of Blazing Saddles for MK’s Pedalling Culture.

 SIGN UP HERE 

All ages welcome & no experience necessary, apart from basic cycling proficiency.

We are also looking for volunteers to assist with Blazing Saddles. If you would like further information about any of the below opportunities, please get in touch here and mention Blazing Saddles.

Blazing Saddles 15th and 16th September

• Cycling ride leaders and route testers
• A strong cyclist to ride the PA System tricycle during rehearsal and performance
• Picnic helper and cake bakers