LEAP Contemporary Dance Festival is expanding its usual month-long festival into a series of events lasting all year.

Merseyside Dance is also launching a network of promoters made up of leading venues within the Liverpool city region.

A mix of local, national and international companies have been signed up, including Mathew Bourne, Candoco Dance, Tmesis, National Dance Company of Wales and Wayne McGregor’s Random Dance.

As well as the year-long line-up, March will see a concentrated programme of dance.

MDI is also working with Culture Liverpool on three city centre events – on the International Day of Dance in April and two dates in June.

MDI Director Karen Gallagher says: “There will be lots of chances to see and take part in dance with an eclectic mix of events both indoors and out.”

Hannah Ashdown, general manager of Liverpool Empire theatre, which is hosting Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, adds: “We're delighted to be part of the Merseyside Dance Promoters Network and we are working hard to bring a wider and exciting range of traditional and contemporary dance to the region.

“It's an honour to have secured Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake for its first-ever Liverpool dates here.”