by Lorraine Gibson.

Not one but two unique shows come to Blandford this month with a joyful love story told through traditional dance and a concert of evocative songs sourced from Dorset’s musical heritage archives.
Both come via Artsreach, the local charity that brings quality cultural experiences to communities in rural and outlying places in the county.

First up is the Balbir Singh Dance Company which will be performing in the Corn Exchange, followed by Dorset’s Ridgeway Singers and Band who will be serenading folk in the Parish Church.
Balbir Singh’s Love and Spice combines food and romance – always a winning combination. It tells the touching tale of an elderly couple, still very much in love, who look back on their life together through memories of the meals they’ve shared.
As they reminisce, their younger selves appear and enact their recollections in an atmosphere designed to portray a richly-spiced life.

Not only does the show use different art forms and cultural traditions in surprising ways, blending Kathak dance and live music, but there is even a chef cooking live on stage! Sounds tasty.
7.30pm, Friday, February 24, Blandford Corn Exchange.
Tickets £10, £5 (U-18), Family £25, from artsreach.co.uk.
A week later comes Dorset Music Unboxed!, featuring The Ridgeway Singers & Band.
As previously reported in this very magazine, the Dorset music group, Led by Phil Humphries and Tim Laycock, has collaborated with the Dorset History Centre to breathe life into to traditional music, folksongs and carols from collections recently rediscovered in its archives.

This special concert channels gems such as the musical manuscripts of William Knapp, an important 18th-century Dorset musician who composed the famous hymn, Wareham.
One of the pieces being performed is Knapp’s composition dedicated to Blandford after the devastating fire of 1731, which destroyed much of the town.
The collaboration has unearthed interesting new discoveries, and the group are excited about sharing them.

Dorset Music Unboxed! The Ridgeway Singers and Band, 4.00pm Saturday, March 4, Blandford Parish Church.
Tickets £8, £4 (u18), Family £20 from artsreach.co.uk.