Hello Will,
Thanks for your postcard, it made us smile this morning!
24 Hope St, Liverpool is more than a house…
It’s home to MDI!
We are a dance organisation and today we celebrate International Dance Day (April 29th each year). MDI organise dance performances and projects across Liverpool and the North West of England. We work with people of all ages and abilities. Sometimes we produce big exciting events with professional dance companies and sometimes we work in hospitals, schools and community centres. Sometimes we work in theaters and sometimes we are dancing on the streets and in the parks! We work with dancers from all over the world and with many different dance styles including South Asian, Chinese, Irish and African and Caribbean.
Can you tell us about any traditional dances from your part of the world?
On Sunday MDI organised dance performances in Liverpool City Centre to celebrate International Dance Day. There were lots of people dancing in the sunshine and it was great fun! You can see some pictures on our Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/MerseysideDanceInitiative?ref=hl
MDI have a special focus on African and Caribbean dance as Liverpool has a long history and connection to these parts of the world. Through the transatlantic slave trade in the past and immigration in more recent times, Liverpool has well established black communities with strong ties to their different cultural heritages. Liverpool is also home to the oldest Chinatown in Europe with the largest chinese arch, communities from Eastern and Western Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, South America… the list is endless!
One of the main reasons Liverpool has such a mix of people living in it is it’s a port city built around shipping and the docks. People have been coming and going into and out of Liverpool for over 800 years now. There is a large Irish community and many many Americans can trace their history back to families who lived in or sailed from Liverpool.
You might have heard of the huge ship Titanic? The ship was registered in Liverpool with the famous White Star Line and many of the staff and passengers on board when disaster struck and the ship sank were also from Liverpool.
Hope Street, Liverpool is a special street with lots of interesting buildings on both sides including a concert hall, a theatre and a famous pub! At each end of Hope Street is a Cathedral – not many cities in the world have two!
A long time ago 24 Hope Street it was a convent where nuns who taught in Notre Dame Highschool lived. We think our offices might have been their dormitories and in the summer we can eat our lunch outside in the old convent garden. If you find Notre Dame School on this page: http://www.liverpool-schools.co.uk/html/m_-_q.html you can see a photo of the school building as it is today.
In November this year MDI will be 21 so we have lots going on this year to celebrate this big birthday, you can find out more on our website, you can even sign up to our newsletter if you’re interested in keeping in touch.
We would love to hear more about your project and your part of the world.
What made you choose Hope St Liverpool?
We’re glad that you like our home – we love it too!
Hello MDI Team,
I just wanted to write a reponse, as you haven’t as yet & say thank you for your detailed response!
What a fascinating building & history.
Thank you so much for replying and sharing. I hope the child that sent you the postcard soon realises they got a response!
x alex.
Dear Hope Street 
Hello Will,
Thanks for your postcard, it made us smile this morning!
24 Hope St, Liverpool is more than a house…
It’s home to MDI!
We are a dance organisation and today we celebrate International Dance Day (April 29th each year). MDI organise dance performances and projects across Liverpool and the North West of England. We work with people of all ages and abilities. Sometimes we produce big exciting events with professional dance companies and sometimes we work in hospitals, schools and community centres. Sometimes we work in theaters and sometimes we are dancing on the streets and in the parks! We work with dancers from all over the world and with many different dance styles including South Asian, Chinese, Irish and African and Caribbean.
Can you tell us about any traditional dances from your part of the world?
On Sunday MDI organised dance performances in Liverpool City Centre to celebrate International Dance Day. There were lots of people dancing in the sunshine and it was great fun! You can see some pictures on our Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/MerseysideDanceInitiative?ref=hl
MDI have a special focus on African and Caribbean dance as Liverpool has a long history and connection to these parts of the world. Through the transatlantic slave trade in the past and immigration in more recent times, Liverpool has well established black communities with strong ties to their different cultural heritages. Liverpool is also home to the oldest Chinatown in Europe with the largest chinese arch, communities from Eastern and Western Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, South America… the list is endless!
One of the main reasons Liverpool has such a mix of people living in it is it’s a port city built around shipping and the docks. People have been coming and going into and out of Liverpool for over 800 years now. There is a large Irish community and many many Americans can trace their history back to families who lived in or sailed from Liverpool.
You might have heard of the huge ship Titanic? The ship was registered in Liverpool with the famous White Star Line and many of the staff and passengers on board when disaster struck and the ship sank were also from Liverpool.
Hope Street, Liverpool is a special street with lots of interesting buildings on both sides including a concert hall, a theatre and a famous pub! At each end of Hope Street is a Cathedral – not many cities in the world have two!
A long time ago 24 Hope Street it was a convent where nuns who taught in Notre Dame Highschool lived. We think our offices might have been their dormitories and in the summer we can eat our lunch outside in the old convent garden. If you find Notre Dame School on this page: http://www.liverpool-schools.co.uk/html/m_-_q.html you can see a photo of the school building as it is today.
In November this year MDI will be 21 so we have lots going on this year to celebrate this big birthday, you can find out more on our website, you can even sign up to our newsletter if you’re interested in keeping in touch.
We would love to hear more about your project and your part of the world.
What made you choose Hope St Liverpool?
We’re glad that you like our home – we love it too!
From Rachel Rogers and the MDI team.
Hello MDI Team,
I just wanted to write a reponse, as you haven’t as yet & say thank you for your detailed response!
What a fascinating building & history.
Thank you so much for replying and sharing. I hope the child that sent you the postcard soon realises they got a response!
x alex.