Earlier this year, DanceEast and The Hold came together to create MOVE | TALK |PRIDE. Inspired by the Pride in Suffolk’s Past exhibition at The Hold, the aim was to provide a safe virtual space for participants to explore their inner creativity and share their own experiences as LGBT*QIA+ and queer people in Suffolk. Led by dance artisit Stuart Waters, each participant created a video of their movement, all of which were then brought together by videographer, Rosie Powell.
The project looked to encourage a positive shift in attitudes towards the LGBT*QIA+ and queer community – with movement offering a powerful tool for their voice to be heard, supported by discussions to inspire creativity and new methods of personal expression.
On National Coming Out Day, Monday 11th October, the MOVE | TALK | PRIDE Digital Evening involved a screening of the final film, followed by a panel discussion and Q&A with some of the participants and people involved in the project. Conversations touched on topics such as the value of connecting different generations of the queer community and sharing their history, or the impact of using movement and dance to create a piece of oral and social history.
Photography by Rosie Powell and Malcolm Tam
WATCH THE FILM HERE
It is a beautiful exchange with the people of Suffolk – I was touched by their openness and generosity with their stories. It’s an important project for Suffolk, encouraging more visibility and public voice of the LGBTQ+ community in the area.
Stuart Waters – Lead Dance Artist
WATCH THE POST SHOW DISCUSSION HERE
I found the whole experience hugely cathartic. Stuart made all of us feel so comfortable and safe to talk about our coming out stories/ our lives as queer people that it made it such a freeing experience. I found that exploring my coming out journey, particularly thinking about some difficult times in younger years growing up in Suffolk, made me feel like I had more ownership and clarity over my story. Reliving those moments as an adult that I hadn’t thought about in a long time, back in the same town they occurred, felt very therapeutic. Then, dancing in my kitchen, pretending I was back at an 80s club night at the Haunt in Brighton, made me see how far I have come.
Esther Alcock – Participant
