London is also celebrated for its Dance Umbrella held every October. This even features a variety of dance companies putting on displays across London . It is an annual festival of modern and contemporary dance which started in 1978 by companies such as London Contemporary Dance Theatre, Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Siobhan Davies Dance Company, and Shen Wei Dance Arts. Performances are held at venues across London including the Queen Elizabeth Hall, The Place, Battersea Arts Centre and the Barbican Theatre .
