Work experience student Chloe-Louise reflects on our annual community project LANGUAGE / POWER / FEAR / EMOTION from the inside as a participant in POWER in 2023, and from the outside as an audience at FEAR in 2024.
Hi, my name is Chloe-Louise I’m 16 years old. I have been a dancing since the age of 4 years old, I have explored many different styles of dance from Irish dancing to contemporary dance and done some workshops on musical theatre with people from the The West End. I have recently performed at The Scoop at Tower Bridge doing some samba choreography from workshops I took part in at school.
Experiencing dance from both sides of the stage provides unique insight and a deeper appreciation for the art. Performing in POWER demanded intense focused energy and a strong connection with the audience. Transitioning to being an audience member for FEAR offers a chance to relax and enjoy the creative efforts of fellow performers. This shift enhances one’s understanding of stage dynamic timing and audience reactions. As a performer you observe nuances and choices that might otherwise go unnoticed for example trust with other people to lift you off the ground into the air.
Another example is when an older person and a younger person were together it would show a sense of togetherness and how some people might have the same fears as you. This dual perspective enriches the overall dance experience fostering growth and inspiration for my future performances.
From performing in POWER to watching FEAR, I have seen two different sides of the LANGUAGE POWER FEAR EMOTION project. With the FEAR process participants were asked questions on what they were afraid of. Whereas with POWER we were showing what this means to us and how we can use power and dance together. Though these are two different themes, they are connected. POWER helps to be able to share your FEAR.
Images: Cheniece Warner.