BANGOR University is used to hosting academic high flyers – but Thursday will see ‘vertical dancers’ perform high up on its tower.

Vertical dance typically uses rock climbing equipment to suspend dancers off the ground on a range of vertical surfaces.

It takes place in a variety of locations, from theatres and their foyers to the outside of buildings and rock faces.

The dancers will perform as part of Pontio’s 10-day Circus Feast programme, which ends today.

The performance will be the culmination of the ‘Vertical Dance Forum’, being held at Pontio as part of the celebration of circus and aerial-related activities.

The ‘Vertical Conversations’ event will run from 7pm-8pm, and feature performances on the tower of the university’s main building tower and on the inside and outside of Pontio.

Audiences will be guided through areas, meeting at the venue’s Bar Ffynnon, with a questions-and-answers session, whilst a vertical dance taking place at 8.15pm.

Following a short break, at 10pm, Lisa Spaull, Despina Goula and Cat Ryan from Vertical Dance Kate Lawrence (VDKL) will perform a new version of PORTH – a vertical dance routine commissioned by Pontio for its opening in 2015 – on its exterior front wall.

Kate, who is also a lecturer in performance at Bangor University, said: “I’m very pleased that we’re able to host the ‘Vertical Dance Forum’.

“It includes seven vertical dance artists and companies from Italy, France, the UK, Croatia and Canada here at the wonderful Pontio venue.

“Some of the pioneers of vertical dance are here, working together for the first time to engage with the spaces in Pontio.

“One of the spaces we’ll be using is the main arts tower, which is pretty exciting and challenging.”

The public will also get the chance to have a go at vertical dance during the two events.

Kate added: “PORTH was a pretty special experience, and from what I’ve seen of the new 3D mapped projection by local digital artist Rob Spaull, we’re hoping to offer some great new digital effects in PORTH 2.0, co-commissioned by Pontio.”

The ‘Vertical Conversations’ event and PORTH 2.0 are free but tickets for the questions-and-answers session should be booked due to limited capacity.

Tickets are available from www.pontio.co.uk or 01248 382828.