This is the festival’s fourth year, and it’s been so successful that it looks set to be a permanent feature to brighten up the gloomy period between new year and spring.

Dancin’ Oxford’s principal sponsors are Arts Council England, Oxford City Council, the Pegasus Theatre and the Oxford Playhouse, and Oxford’s arts officer (dance and theatre ), Claire Thompson, listed some of the highlights for me.

“I think some of the most interesting events are the non-venue events. There are a couple of reasons; firstly they’re all free events, so they don’t exclude anybody, and also they offer a very different experience to going to see dance in a theatre.

“One event taking place in the city centre on Saturday, February 20, is Dance Bites.

“There are basically five performances; in contemporary dance, hip-hop, street dance, tap and tango, and these will be happening at five different locations, each hour on the hour between 11 and three o’clock. The locations are Cornmarket Street (both ends), the Westgate Centre, Broad Street and Bonn Square.

“The idea is that people out shopping will unexpectedly come across a series of short dance performances.

“Another free event is Arch, which is taking place on March 20 and 21 at Worcester College. This is exciting because the whole work has been made purely for that site, and the performance will be ‘promenade’, so the audience will get to travel through beautiful places within the college, and as they travel they’ll come across different performances happening.

“There’s also a choir involved, and some wonderful costumes with a few surprises. We’re hoping to attract people who wouldn’t want to pay to see dance in a theatre.”

But, of course, Oxford’s theatres are also taking part, with some very exciting companies scheduled to appear.

“For people who really like Latin dancing — Strictly fans for example — the New Theatre is featuring Pasion de Buena Vista on February 19. This is a Cuban dance company — very energetic, very lively — with dancers from the famous Tropicana Club in Havana.

“The Oxford Playhouse will have Tangomotion on April 12 — that’s the closing event of the festival, and prior to that performance there will be an open workshop, so people can come along and have a try.

“And on February 20, the Pegasus Theatre is presenting Tavaziva, which is African contemporary dance. That’s something completely different, and offers something exciting and stimulating.”

Tavaziva have visited Oxford several times over the past years, and they’re one of my favourite small companies. The Pegasus is closed for rebuilding, of course, so the performance will happen at Headington Theatre. I asked Claire how many events there are in the festival altogether.

“In total there are 18 separate events or performances over the festival, and it’s a very broad programme.

“I wouldn’t expect anybody to go to all 18 events — I’d love it if they did — but I’m particularly keen on the participatory elements. So, we have the Dance-A-Thon, which is three days of taster dance workshops covering a whole range of styles. One day is at the Headington Theatre, the other two days are at the Oxford Playhouse. This year we have workshops for adults, and also workshops for under 16s.”

I asked Claire whether the content of Dancin’ Oxford had changed since it started.

“It’s certainly developed, and is developing in response to looking at the previous festivals, looking at where the greatest demand has been. So, we’re very much led by the public in terms of what people want. For example we’re bringing back Ragroof Theatre’s Family Tea Dance Extravaganza, which sold out last year.”

lBrochures with all the details are available from theatres, tourist information centres and the Town Hall.