Critical Mass, launched in 2020, set out to become the most ambitious and inclusive dance and mass participation project ever seen in the West Midlands. Sparked by the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presented by the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, its mission was clear: to showcase true inclusion on the grand stage of a global event and embed disability inclusion into the very fabric of the region’s dance sector, creating a legacy that would last for generations.
Critical Mass was Birmingham 2022 Festival’s flagship participation programme. It saw 242 young people from across the West Midlands engage to form a dance collective that performed at some of 2022’s biggest events, including the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony.