FOOTBALL hooligans, environmentally-conscious astronauts and a fantastical flying exploratory laboratory - none of the above you would normally associate with dance.

But these interesting starting points will provide hooks for artists to tell a host of engaging stories through people’s body movements.

Now in it’s third year, the two-day extravaganza known as A Weekend Without Walls has become one of the standout events in the Brighton Festival programme.

Once again it will see top notch dance performed against the backdrop of the great outdoors - providing the great British weather holds - with no charge for any of the audience.

The venues this year will be Easthill Park in Portslade and East Brighton Park on the edge of the Whitehawk housing estate.

Both are not normally the place that you’d expect to see top class dance; but that is the whole concept of A Weekend Without Walls, a dance project that aims to break down boundaries whether it’s ideas, class or perception.

Being free and informal helps the popularity, but so does a heavy dose of fun.

The first of the five shows on the bill for the weekend will be Les Enfants Terribles’ The Fantastical Flying Exploratory Laboratory.

This will see Dr Latitude and his team of misguided misfits discover new lands, tribes, flora and fauna previously unknown to humankind - with the soundtrack provided through wireless headphones.

For the younger crowd, Cheval Solitaire is an outdoor walkabout show performed by three dancers dressed in custom made horse costumes in what’s described a rhythmical dancing rumpus.

If that’s not enough then Miss High Leg Kick's Audition Project aims to get the audience to dust off their leg warmers and leotards to take part in a mass dance based on 1985 film A Chorus Line.

The third piece is Urban Astronaut, which sees the explorer travel through towns and cities searching for answers to the environmental issue of air pollution.

Combining stunning design, with simple storytelling and moving dance performance, be prepared to be amazed by a travelling flying machine that suspends the performer 20ft in the air.

The final piece though is one that sums up Without Walls perhaps the best.

Brought up in east London, Botis Seva only became interested in dance as a teenager thanks to a couple of hip hop tutors coming into his school.

Fast forward nearly a decade and the 24-year-old has founded his own dance company, Far From The Norm.

It’s through this that he was one of 13 artists commissioned to create a piece for the national Without Walls programme in 2016.

Called H.O.H., Botis’ starting point is football hooligans and, using heavy influences of hip hop and just general larking about, from there the show will simply roll.

Botis said: “The show is very physical. We're still creating it but it’s based around stereotypes.

“We want to start with football hooligans who are on a pitch. They are rebellious characters, many of them from council houses, they disagree with the government, they hate it and fight against it.”

It’s an eye-catching concept, particularly when you consider that East Brighton Park is also home to Conference South Side Whitehawk FC.

The fact was laughed off by Botis, who has only ever been to Brighton once - and that was for a 20 minute meeting.

He went on, “I want to use football and what it’s about to look at how it’s used to mask the politicalness of the government.”

The nation’s most popular sport also gives the ideas of athleticism, skill and flamboyant characters for the artists to play with and use to connect with a wider audience.

But above all Botis wants it to be fun.

Botis said: “This is the first time I’ve done outdoor work so really excited about engaging with new audiences.

“There are a lot of things happening here [in east London] so I hope that what we produce is really relatable to young people in Brighton.”

Botis said: “I didn't come from a classical background training. I’m not classically trained, I just a kid who started dancing in school and that reflects in my work.

“My advice would be that there's no limitations as to what dance or hip hop can do.

“I hope people can enjoy the rebellious work that we do. It’s not about rebelliousness in a negative sense, I just hope it gives people more freedom.”

A Weekend Without Walls

Easthill Park, Portslade 

Saturday, May 14 12pm to 5pm, free.