I like to move; I move what I can – Film by Hull Dance
A group of people living with MS have met via zoom since the covid pandemic in 2020. As the world re-opened following the end of lockdown the group decided to continue working via zoom as it is easier and safer for them to do so. After 4 years the participants decided they needed a challenge, some were more ambitious than others, therefore they devised a project which enabled people to be involved at a level comfortable for them. For some this was through weekly class and trying some of the new movements, whilst four women embraced the opportunity and became full members of the artistic team. They created their own movement, shaped it through choreography to bespoke music, composed for them by a professional musician, who took their stories and movement as her inspiration. They shared their dances with members of the Tuesday Flourish group, a group of older women who, although not all experienced dancers, like to move. They in turn created their own version of each dance before everyone was filmed and the footage edited into one film.
A co-created project where participants moved from being shy and nervous about being involved to expressing clear artistic decisions how they wanted to be portrayed in the film. As one participant said “Thank you for believing in us and taking us on a journey we would have never thought possible”.
Hull Dance has recently launched The Flourish Centre and Wellbeing Hub which is an exciting new partnership venture with the HICA Group. The Centre will enable them to develop their Flourish programme specialising in developing wellbeing through creativity, with particular reference to movement and dance with older people and those living with underlying health conditions. Opportunities will be offered to members of the community as well as staff and service users of HICA, building on, and extending, the existing Flourish programme, an example of which is the recent I like to move; I move what I can film project
Hull Dance originated as a dance development initiative in Hull City Council. It now is a CIC and continues to work closely with the Council. It is part of an innovative partnership approach between a not-for-profit independent specialist dance organisation and Hull City Council Arts Development team. Hull Dance brings an informed dance voice to the arts team working with them to lead a citywide strategic approach to dance, delivered by multiple stakeholder organisations. Hull Dance also undertakes action research and builds programmes to fill identified gaps in provision. For the last two years the main focus has been on bridging the gap between arts and health/care sectors.