How can a story be told without words? This autumn, students with hearing impairments at Valmiera Secondary School – Development Centre on the Gauja River (VGV-AC) are exploring this question in the creative workshop “Me and My Story”. The workshop is led by choreographer and circus artist Lelde Feldmane. This is the first wellbeing residency within the project “Improving the Availability and Accessibility of Riga Circus Cultural Services in Riga and the Regions”.
From Story to Movement
At the heart of the workshop is the individual and their story. Participants are invited to share two significant events in their lives that have changed them in some way, influenced them or marked an important turning point. These stories do not have to be told in words alone – together with the choreographer, participants explore and express them through movement, gestures, sound, music, memories and their relationship with space. For one participant, an important life event may be associated with a particular song. For another, it may be a gesture, an object, a movement or a sound. For someone else, it may be a specific place or space.
During the sessions, students dance, experiment with circus techniques, learn to sense their partners and find a shared rhythm. Circus arts are particularly well suited to this work: balance and movement in pairs or groups are impossible without paying attention to one another.
The workshops take place in two stages: from 5 to 15 October and from 26 October to 5 November. At the end of the residency, the individual stories will come together in a short collective stage performance featuring all participants.
Above All – Joy
The residency is not intended to be a story about difficulties. Its aim is to create an experience of joy, belonging and togetherness. Participants take part as individuals, each with their own personality and life experiences. One of the workshop’s most important messages is very simple: “You are not alone.”
What Is a Wellbeing Residency?
During a wellbeing residency, an artist works in a particular setting for a specified period of time, for example, at a school, social care facility or rehabilitation centre. Together with the people there, the artist creates a creative process in which everyone can participate in a safe and welcoming environment. Residencies provide an opportunity to experience art in person for those who may find it more difficult to access in their everyday lives. Riga Circus has experience in this type of work, including at Graši Children's Village. As part of this project, we will continue and further develop the programme in other locations across Latvia.
Project No. 4.3.2.0/1/25/A/037, “Improving the Availability and Accessibility of Riga Circus Cultural Services in Riga and the Regions”, is co-financed by the European Union under Specific Support Objective 4.3.2, “Increasing the Role of Culture and Tourism in Economic Development, Social Inclusion and Social Innovation”, of the European Union Cohesion Policy Programme for 2021–2027. The project is being implemented from 1 June 2026 to 31 December 2029. The total eligible project costs amount to EUR 999,999.41, of which EUR 849,999.50 is funded by the European Regional Development Fund, while EUR 149,999.91 is provided as national budget co-financing.
Information prepared by: Riga Circus.
(Translated with the help of DeepL Translate)
