Letting the Light In: Building Resilience Through Embodied Expression

Letting the Light In: Building Resilience Through Embodied Expression is a two-part event that provides an opportunity to observe and then experiment with embodied expression. Upon registration, participants can choose to book onto one or both parts of the event, as follows:

Part I. Letting the Light In (start time: 2pm; run time: approximately 50 minutes)

Exeter-based troupe DanceLab Collective (Pam Woods, Kerry Chappell, Lizzie Swinford) will perform their 25-minute piece Letting the Light In, described below:

Tense, intense, tender, gentle, hopeful - the piece explores the notion of 'resilience'. How do we cope with difficult, emotional and traumatic life experiences, including bereavement? What lifts us back into the light? Where are the cracks that let in glimmers of hope? What enables us to find our way through sorrow and extreme stress enough to keep on going? The performers draw on echoes and fragments of personal narratives in their search for transformation, from being literally 'floored' to somehow finding those glimmers of hope, humour, release, and even joy again: letting the light in.

Following the performance, there will be a Q&A and discussion with the performers, allowing the audience an opportunity to learn more about the motivation for the piece, better understand different elements of the performance, and share their own responses to the experience.

This will be followed by a short break for refreshments.

Part II. Embodied expression (start time: 3pm; run time: approximately 90 minutes)

DanceLab Collective will facilitate an interactive workshop that introduces participants to embodied expression, inviting them to experiment with different exercises and techniques that support somatic awareness, mindful movement, physical communication, and, ultimately, a greater connection to and understanding of their embodied experience. Throughout, the Collective will explain how these practices can support resilience and wellbeing – and the workshop will culminate with some reflections on how participants can embed embodied expression in both personal and professional contexts in their daily lives.

This event is most suitable for young people and adults (>16 years old). During the embodied expression workshop, facilitators will provide optional modifications that may make the activities more accessible to those who have reduced mobility; participants will have an opportunity to share special needs during the registration process. The event will be of interest to participants regardless of whether they are currently dealing with trauma or transformation – however, it may be particularly helpful to those who are. (Please note that this event is not a substitution for professional therapeutic support.)

While the event is free, we will welcome donations on the door; all funds raised will go to palliative care charities.

Letting the Light in is part of the nationwide Festival of Social Sciences. The event has been made possible by funding from ESRC.