A Richmond-based performance group who are using dance to raise awareness on new cancer research, wowed audiences at last weekend's Great Exhibition Road Festival.

N-Rich Dance, in collaboration with the borough's current Arts and Ideas Festival, launched Smart Cells earlier this month, a powerful dramatic dance inspired by ground breaking research in immunotherapy.

Commissioned by Imperial College, Smart Cells focuses on the research currently being undertaken at the university in South Kensington which focuses on how to treat patients with Myeloma (a type of blood cancer).

The leading research involves genetically engineering a subcategory of T cells called an iNKT cell to have an increased capacity to recognise and destroy cancer cells. 

The bespoke performance, designed by the award winning choreographer Matt Walker and Chloe Mead, has been inspired by the research, their tour of the lab and also a series of Myeloma patient stories, in particular, the words of an artist called Douglas who made a poem about his experience.

Audience members shed tears and laughter as they watched the unique performance (Credit: Luke Toddfrey)

The dance premiered at Teddington's National Physical Laboratory in a roaring success on Friday, June 9th, and followed up the performance by taking centre stage at Imperial College's flagship event, The Great Exhibition Road Festival last weekend from the 17 - 18 June.

The Smart Cells performance in action at Teddington's National Physical Laboratory (Credit: Jules R Photography)

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Audience members shed tears and laughter as they watched the unique performance, highlights can be viewed below.

The 2023 edition of the Great Exhibition Road Festival culminated in a huge togetherness and kindness, rainbow Flashmob for everyone to enjoy, with an 80s theme, including dancers from across London, established professionals, families and dancers from local Mencap charity.

Commissioned by Imperial College, Smart Cells is a powerful dramatic dance inspired by ground breaking research in immunotherapy (Credit: Luke Toddfrey)

Smart Cells will also be visiting the Richmond Arts and Ideas Festival at Murray Park on July 2nd as part of the Dance and Picnic in the Park event.

This event is free and inclusive and will feature other community dancers including a ballet duo from Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance and Jamaal Burkmar, an award winning choreographer, will be showcasing an improvisational dance.

For more information on Smart Cells, visit the link here.