The premiere of a co-choreographed dance piece by Moving Bodies Lab researcher Emily Davis and dancers with multiple sclerosis has received enthusiastic feedback following its debut at Healing Arts Scotland.
The live dance performance, co-choreographed by Emily with dancers with multiple sclerosis (MS) in Scottish Ballet’s Elevate® programme premiered on Friday 19 June in Glasgow as part of Healing Arts Scotland. The performance has received praise from audience members and key stakeholders:
“It was a privilege to be able to witness such a beautiful and expressive performance from all the dancers of SB Elevate. And Alex’s score was an incredible piece alongside this. I genuinely was transfixed by the expression and joy that developed in their movement and expression and had goose bumps as it played out. Thank you to everyone involved in bringing this to the stage.“
Sir Gregor Smith, Chief Medical Officer for Scotland
“I loved watching their performance. I was moved to tears. It was special to witness their soul in the piece. The music was excellent too.“
Sonia Sabri MBE, Artistic Director at Sonia Sabri Company
These responses highlight the potential of dance as an effective and affective means of knowledge dissemination, communicating the lived experiences of MS to audiences across the arts and health.
Emily would like to acknowledge the wonderful platform created through the Healing Arts global initiative and its local partners, and the generous support of Scottish Ballet, the Moving Bodies Lab, and the Discovery Research Platform for Medical Humanities in bringing the performance to life.
