We Move (2024) - Work in Progress
In a busy city like London, it can be suffocating yet isolating, exciting yet overwhelming. And when one reaches their lowest point, they move, and things simply get better again. This photography series depicts the personal stories of dancers who have overcome challenges in their lives through the medium of dance. The project focuses on subjects related to mental health, identity, and culture.
STORIES
#1
"For me, dance and my mental health will always be intertwined.
When I was 13, I randomly stopped being able to walk and, therefore (at least in my mind at the time), I stopped being able to dance. I spent years not dancing, and it did no end of damage to my mental health. In 2019, I went off to university to pursue a Theatre Production degree, but I couldn’t shake the thought that I didn’t want to be backstage; I wanted to be on stage. This led to a really low period for my mental health, and I eventually dropped out to pursue dance and musical theatre as a career, which made me much happier.
That being said, there are many ways in which dance doesn’t always magically improve my mental health. I can’t always do all the moves I want to on crutches, and this can cause me to feel quite down on myself. However, the feeling of performing for people and being on stage will always, ALWAYS outweigh that." - Sophia, Jun 2024
#2
“For me personally, I've reflected that dance serves as my means to reconnect with my body and detach from the incessant chatter of an overactive mind, intensified by technology and constant comparisons. Through dance, I find a sanctuary where genuine expression and authenticity can be discovered and embraced. This series, to me, embodies a journey of liberation from mental health struggles, a pathway to embracing full authenticity.” - James, Mar 2024
#4
"If I’m going to speak candidly: dance has both helped and hindered my mental health at times. I do believe that as healing as dance can be, both statements can be true.
Dance was a form of escapism for me when I first started and definitely still is now. I was taken to dance classes as I was quite a shy child when outside of my home environment, so dance really helped me open up. Secondly, I love music! And dance, in its purest form, is responding to music with your body, which was and still is so freeing! Dancing has improved my mindset: it can calm me, excite me, inspire me, push me, bring me closer to my true uninhibited self, and allow me to connect to others.
I think it’s the unseen additions that attach themselves to dance that, over time, can take a toll on your mental health: aesthetics, politics, constraints, self-sabotage, expectations, and criticism from yourself as well as others. And over time, you become more aware of when these things are trying to impact you and how you can guard yourself against them. Which, ironically, is the very thing that, in part, started it: dance.
In an industry that can give you so very much, it can equally take—so you have to make sure the foundation of your mental health stays strong. I guess tapping into why and where you started is a good way to ground yourself and recharge your mental health. And just put on some music and dance with the freedom you did back when you were a kid—I think that’s the best place to start." - Evonnee, May 2024
#5
"Relocating from New Zealand to London and being a small fish in a very big pond was a pretty daunting prospect, and imposter syndrome definitely kicked in. Getting back to class after a long pause was the hardest thing but also the best thing. Dance allows me to disconnect from anything beyond the space I am in and gives all my focus to one singular thing. It’s a break from a constant inner monologue in an overstimulating world and recharges me. It feels like a moment of peace, especially while living in such a fast-paced city. Sharing space and energy while dancing with people is such a special and powerful experience—it fills my cup like nothing else." - Sophie, Jun 2024