A powerful new dance theatre performance exploring connection, vulnerability and the freedom of movement is coming to the North East and Yorkshire this summer.
Created by Leeds-based Unbound Dance Theatre, Fireflies at Dawn is an immersive and sensory performance co-created by blind, visually impaired and sighted dancers. Following early development across Yorkshire, the production now tours to Dance City on 10 June and Leeds Playhouse on 24 and 25 June.
Founded by choreographer Sandrine Monin, Unbound Dance Theatre creates work rooted in inclusivity, expression and shared human experience. Fireflies at Dawn continues the company’s exploration into how and why we move, asking audiences to consider what it truly means to “dance like no one is watching”.
Blending contemporary dance, sound, light, touch and embedded audio description, the production invites audiences into a richly atmospheric world shaped by the lived experiences of blind and visually impaired performers. The show also incorporates innovative wearable technology, “echome”, which transforms dancers’ movements into a live evolving soundtrack.
Developed collaboratively over two years, Fireflies at Dawn explores trust, vulnerability and the ways people connect beyond sight. Audiences are guided through moments of darkness, joy and intimacy in a performance designed to engage all of our senses.
Audiences have described the show as “unforgettable” and “truly impactful”. Watching the company perform together and ‘listen’ to one another dance, an audience member commented, “It was beautifully and sensitively done.”
“The way we have been working together as a company demonstrates that movement can become a tool not just for expression, but for acceptance and growth.
We hope Fireflies at Dawn offers audiences the chance to explore what connects us, regardless of our physical differences. It is an absolute joy to work with such an inspirational company of both visually impaired and sighted members, and we can’t wait to share the world we have created.”
Sandrine Monin, choreographer and Founder of Unbound Dance Theatre
Alongside the tour, Unbound Dance Theatre continues to deliver regular movement workshops for blind and visually impaired participants across Yorkshire.
