Review of Light Steps 'Well, what a warm hug of a show this was'

"what a warm hug of a show this was.."

A lovely review of 'Light Steps' our show for early years. Performance on February 2nd 2019 at CIRCOMEDIA. Part of a project that is also about making a resource for Reception and Early years children to support them engaging with live dance. See below for why I make dance for young audiences...

See full review  Here

"When I dance, I am aware of the transaction of my emplacement: in community with that around me. Dance narrates the somatic experience of emplacement, the sense of 

being a part of everywhere. Inherent in watching the professional dancers’ and musicians’ performance of ‘Light Steps’ (and other works I have made for young audiences) is the notion that dance would offer the young audience languages where responses to the experienced are bodily – moving away from the verbal of words to the expression of the somatic. The professional dancers and musicians model moving in, through, and being a part of Place. The children watching are drawn into the situation of the dancing through the visual of watching dance, the auditory of the music, and the felt choreography that orientates them with performers moving in and out of where they are sitting. This is designed to give the audience permission to move, by means of making them aware of being in relationship with the world around, being emplaced; 

‘a process through which he/she comes to know in relation to the other elements of the environment’ (Pink, 2011 p.348). 

Thus, the somatic conversation of the performance event is designed to give permission to the young audiences to express their narratives of emplacement that is their dance.To own their world by being present in it" - Adesola Akinleye (forthcoming publication)!