UWL lecturer chairs discussion at the Royal Opera House about the power of the arts to aid recovery
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Dr Cathy Sloan, Senior Lecturer in Applied and Socially Conscious Theatre at the London College of Music (LCM), part of the University of West London, recently presented at the Royal Ballet’s Insights programme at the Royal Opera House.
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The event followed a sell-out performance of ‘Traces through Time’, which explores complex journeys of people in recovery, fusing dance, live music and the spoken word. It was performed by Fallen Angels Dance Company and New Note Orchestra, who both harness the transformative power of the arts to aid recovery through community, connection and creativity.
Also taking part in the discussion were Director of the Royal Ballet Kevin O’Hare, Artistic Director of Fallen Angels Paul Bayes Kitcher and Music Director of New Note Conall Gleeson. They discussed the importance of their work supporting artists in mental health and addiction recovery and what their practices can offer to the wider arts community regarding wellbeing.
Traces through Time, in its early stages, first premiered at the launch of the Addiction-Recovery Arts Network, of which Cathy is a founder, hosted at UWL in September 2022.
It was so rewarding to see Fallen Angels and New Note performing at the Royal Opera House. It was an honour to host the discussion and share in reflections about this exciting area of arts practice,”
reflects Cathy.
BA Contemporary Theatre and Performance students at LCM learn about the work of Fallen Angels and New Note to help them create their own socially conscious projects, as part of their creative practice assignments as well as beyond their studies when they graduate.
Our students learn how to create stories about social issues. They use their skills in acting and interdisciplinary performance-making to explore how creative expression can make a positive impact on people’s lives,”
explains Cathy.
- Watch Insights: Traces through Time via the Royal Ballet YouTube channel
- Find out more about studying Contemporary Theatre and Performance at LCM
Top image: Point of View Photography
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