Have an idea for a short themed on dance?

Big Dance Trafalgar Square 2016. Pic courtesy/Kois Miah

As an extended family sits sprawled on a sofa, nodding off every few minutes as light from the television plays on their faces, it is awoken suddenly by the ear-splitting sound track of the film they are watching. Each member reacts to what he sees through interesting dance steps, while staying in his place. This is a scene from The Big Sofa, a winning collaboration between a choreographer and a director of photography, which was created last year to celebrate a decade of Big Dance - a dance initiative in the UK that takes the art form to unconventional spaces.

Alan Gemmell

This year, as part of activities celebrating a major year of cultural exchange between the UK and India, Big Dance, Channel 4 and the British Council have announced Big Dance Shorts India (BDSI). A creative platform for artistes from both the countries, BDSI is calling for three-minute film proposals. Each film will be inspired by dance and have, at its heart, an element of collaboration between the UK and India.

"The new programme has been designed with the expectation that it will be delivered by participants from both countries, where the cultural commonality between them can be conveyed in a bite-sized format through costumes and other elements. And what better way to capture it than through the universal language of dance?" shares Alan Gemmell OBE, director, British Council India.

The proposals that make the cut (a jury will decide on the winners once all the entries come in; the final date of submission is May 3), will receive funding for the shoot and production. "September 2017 onwards, the selected films will be shown online and on social media platforms. There will be other events planned around them as well," says Gemmell.