Urban Flow, 2025
Commission for Wandsworth London Borough of Culture 2025

In September 2025, Roehampton came alive with Urban Flow – a large-scale outdoor performance that transformed the town into a living, breathing stage. Co-produced by Kinetika as part of Wandsworth’s London Borough of Culture 2025 programme, the event united professional artists and local residents in a vibrant celebration of movement, creativity and community spirit.

Developed in collaboration with Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts (India) and Tavaziva Dance, Urban Flow brought together over 100 participants from Roehampton-based groups, including Pointe Black, Ibstock School, Roehampton University, Hummingbird Blue, Roots & More, and the UK Latin Group. Through a series of workshops, participants co-created choreography, music and silk designs that reflected their unique stories, skills and cultural backgrounds.

Blending contemporary dance, martial arts and live soundscapes, Urban Flow captured the pulse of Roehampton’s community and its place within a global creative dialogue. The project showcased how design, movement and collective making can build new connections.

100 Participants, 100 Silks

At the heart of the performance were 100 hand-painted silk flags, designed with communities in the UK and India. Created using traditional wax-resist and batik techniques, each flag became a visual expression of identity and connection – moving fluidly with the dancers as the procession made its way through the streets.

On 13 September 2025, the performance travelled through Holybourne Avenue, Danebury Avenue, Tangley Grove and Minstead Gardens, pausing for dynamic dance and martial arts interludes before culminating in a powerful finale on Bull Green. Accompanied by a newly commissioned six-part score by composer Rob Blake, first composed for Beach of Dreams, the performance mirrored the arc of a shared human journey: introduction, childhood, adolescence, chaos, transformation and triumph.

“Urban Flow was a powerful expression of creativity, community, and cultural connection. Each of the 100 silks told a story, shaped by the contributions of people across two continents. It was an incredible journey working with our partners in India and Wandsworth to co-create a vibrant spectacle that reflected Roehampton’s unique spirit.”

– Ali Pretty, Artistic Director, Kinetika