Press Release: Roberta Jean returns to the Lilian Baylis Studio with Ways of Being – Thursday 9 – Friday 10 November

[Jan McNulty]

Roberta Jean       Ways of Being Lilian Baylis Studio, EC1R 4TN Thursday 9 - Friday 10 November Tickets: £17 Ticket Office: 020 7863 8000 or www.sadlerswells.com    Award-winning choreographer Roberta Jean returns to the Lilian Baylis Studio this November with Ways of Being, a Sadler’s Wells commission.  Roberta Jean’s work and life has been shaped by her experience of a neuroendocrine disease that impacts mental health. Jean made the piece out of the need to create a space for those who have experienced depression and struggled with suicidal thoughts. Ways of Being is informed by historic therapeutic practices and explores alternative healing methods such as psychedelic therapy and somatic experiencing*. This work is a dance of hope, inviting the audience to reflect on their own thoughts and memories.     For Ways of Being Jean commissioned a script by the acclaimed director, writer and theatre maker Jude Christian. Jean and Christian worked in consultation with Dr Ben Sessa to develop the script. Sessa is one of the world’s leading researchers into the potential benefits of psychedelic drugs in a clinical or therapeutic setting.   The script is recorded by Christian herself, and forms part of the sound design by Jonathan Webb, a regular collaborator of Jean’s. Previously Resident Director at the National Theatre Studio, Christian is currently an Associate Artist at the Gate Theatre and in 2019 she was appointed Associate Director at Manchester's multi-art form centre HOME.    Ways of Being is performed by an ensemble of dance artists including long-term collaborator Stephanie McMannas well as Katye Coe, Maëva Berthelot and Nicole Nevitt and has additional creative direction from performance artist Hollie Miller.  The show premieres at Tramway in Glasgow on Saturday 9 September. Jean is a critically acclaimed choreographer who works collaboratively across disciplines to produce dances for a diverse range of contexts. Her choreography is centred around poetics and is often underpinned by anthropological research. Jean won the Bonnie Bird Choreographic Development Award in 2020 and has been artist in residence at Critical Path Laboratory in Sydney, Australia, Dance Limerick in Ireland, Dance City in Newcastle, Dance Base in Edinburgh, Dance4 in Nottingham and Dartington in Devon. Roberta Jean said, “I have a neuroendocrine disease called Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder. PMDD is a disease that affects around 1 in 20 women and menstruators, it's recognised as a disability in the UK. Suicide ideation is a common symptom.   The urge to create Ways of Being stems from my own experiences with mental health. I wanted to offer audiences a space of reflection rather than focus entirely on my own experience of pain, in part because I crave these types of spaces myself. Having tried a lot of standard treatments for depression and PMDD, I've been curious about novel therapies and approaches, in particular, psychedelic therapy research which is currently developing worldwide. During this projects development I have been engaging with Dr Ben Sessa. I have been working with Jude Christian to develop a text which accompanies the movement. I would say what the work is really about, is this hunt for ways of healing.”   A Sadler's Wells Commission   Supported by Creative Scotland, FABRIC, Tramway, Dance Base, Déda and Bonnie Bird Choreography Fund   Contains themes of depression and suicide   Relaxed performance on Friday 10 November at 8 pm   Post-show talk Thursday 9 November NOTES TO EDITORS   * Somatic experiencing is a type of therapy that focuses on physical sensations in the body to address trauma, symptoms related to trauma, and overcoming the effects of experiencing extremely stressful events. It is known for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Listings Information Roberta Jean  Ways of Being    Lilian Baylis Studio, EC1R 4TN  Thursday 9 - Friday 10 November Tickets: £17  Ticket Office: 020 7863 8000 or www.sadlerswells.com  About Sadler’s Wells Sadler's Wells is a world-leading dance organisation. We strive to make and share dance that inspires us all. Our acclaimed year-round programme spans dance of every kind, from contemporary to flamenco, Bollywood to ballet, salsa to street dance and tango to tap. We commission, produce and present more dance than any other organisation in the world. Since 2005, we have helped to bring close to 200 new dance works to the stage, embracing both the popular and the unknown. Each year, over half a million people visit our three London theatres - Sadler’s Wells Theatre, Lilian Baylis Studio and Peacock Theatre. Millions more attend our touring productions nationally and internationally or explore our digital platforms, including Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage. In 2023 we’re opening a fourth London venue in Stratford’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Sadler’s Wells East will house a 550-seat mid-scale theatre, as well as facilities for the Choreographic School and Hip Hop Theatre Academy.  Supporting artists is at the heart of our work. We have associate artists and companies, which nurture some of the most exciting talent working in dance today. We host the National Youth Dance Company, which draws together some of the brightest young dancers from across the country. Sadler’s Wells Breakin' Convention runs professional development programmes to champion and develop the world’s best hip hop artists, as well as producing, programming and touring groundbreaking hip hop performances.  Around 30,000 people take part in our learning and engagement programmes every year. We support schools local to our theatres in Islington and Stratford, designing experiences for children and young people to watch, explore and critically engage with the arts. We also run Company of Elders, a resident performance company of dancers aged over 60 who rehearse with renowned artists to make new work for public performances locally, nationally and internationally. Sadler’s Wells is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation.  www.sadlerswells.com Stay up to date with everything Sadler’s Wells on social media Facebook: @SadlersWells Twitter: @Sadlers_Wells Instagram: @sadlers_wells YouTube: Sadler’s Wells Theatre   About Roberta Jean   Roberta Jean is a critically acclaimed choreographer. She works collaboratively with artists and makers from across disciplines to produce dances for a diverse range of contexts. Her choreography is centred around poetics and is often underpinned by anthropological research.   She is a 2020 winner of the Bonnie Bird Choreographic Development Award, a 2019 finalist at Aesthetica Short Film Festival, Screen.dance and New Renaissance Film Festival. She is a 2018 finalist for the Total Theatre & The Place Dance Award. Roberta has been artist in residence at Critical Path Laboratory in Sydney, Australia, Dance Limerick in Ireland, Dance City in Newcastle, Dance Base in Edinburgh, Dance4 in Nottingham and Dartington in Devon. She has presented her work as part of the Made In Scotland Showcase, at British Dance Edition, Sadler’s Wells, Tanzmesse, Dance Umbrella, Nottdance, Greenwich Dance Agency and Tramway Glasgow amongst others. About Jude Christian, Writer  Jude Christian is a director, writer and theatre maker. Jude was previously Resident Director at the National Theatre Studio, an Associate Artist at The Yard and the Lyric Hammersmith, and Dramaturg at RWCMD. She is an Associate Artist at the Gate Theatre. In 2019 she was appointed Associate Director at Manchester's multi-art form centre HOME.  About Jonathan Webb, Sound Designer  Jonathan Webb is a sound designer and creative researcher based in Scotland working across film, art and narrative audio. Roberta and Jonathan have an ongoing working relationship and previously collaborated together on several projects. He formerly produced live events for Sonic Arts Network, Sound and Music and BBC Radio 3, and was one half of the music and sound design studio Golden Hum, where he worked with brands including Apple, Prada and Nike. About Hollie Miller, Art Director  Hollie Miller is a performance artist with an interdisciplinary practice and background in contemporary dance. She has performed internationally in the UK, Europe, Finland, Switzerland, Argentina and Japan in contemporary art galleries, museums, land art and performance art festivals. Stephanie McMann, Dance Artist, Performance & Rehearsal Director Stephanie McMann is a dancer from London. She works predominantly as a performer with dance artists and makers, including long-term collaborator Roberta Jean, Theo Clinkard, Lucy Suggate, Julie Cunningham, Janine Harrington, Dan Canham, Damien Jalet, Hussein Chalayan, Seke Chimutengewende amongst others.  Maëva Berthelot, Dance Artist After graduating in 2003 from Paris Superior Conservatoire of Music and Dance, Maëva Berthelot has collaborated with artists and companies such as Emanuel Gat, Ohad Naharin, Sharon Eyal, Clod Ensemble and spent six years as a senior member with Hofesh Shechter Company, contributing creatively as an original cast member in numerous pieces and as a teacher.  Katye Coe, Dance Artist Dance Artist Katye Coe is a dancer and activist based in the UK. Her work as a performer spans over 20 years of international performance practice and as a dancer she collaborates currently with Joe Moran, Florence Peake, Jonathan Burrows and Matteo Fargion, Keira Greene, Charlie Morrissey and Matthias Sperling. Nicole Nevitt, Dance Artist  Dance Artist Nicole Nevitt is a 2020 graduate from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance with First Class Honours, where she worked with Gary Clarke, Lea Anderson and Wayne Parsons amongst others. Nicole joined Scottish Dance Theatre in 2020/21 as an apprentice and performed works by Theo Clinkard, Janine Harrington and Joan Clevillé.