it comes in waves
by Majella Biernat & Karen Devlin
directed by Kelly Quigley
video by Anna Simmons
it comes in waves
it washes over me
it carries me away in a glistening cradle of sunlight
energising every particle of my being
my senses tingle with the beauty I see,
I become suspended in light
baptised in holy waters
I see clearly
I am light.
it comes in waves is a collaboration of spoken word, poetic movement, videography, inspired by personal experience, the often unspoken of challenges that have shaped us. With the sea being a cathartic focus we reflect on both the pain and joy found in living. A journey of grief, despair, isolation, hope, resilience and togetherness.
I have been coming to EchoEcho, Body Wisdom classes ( poetic movement) for 11 years. This class has been my salvation, as it opened the door to creativity. In June 2023, I began an 8 week programme, at ARC, Addiction Recovery Coaching. For this I am forever grateful. In sobriety, I gained clarity about myself, my life, the common struggles many humans face over their lifetime, I learnt how to become more resilient, find joy, get through the hard days, and most vital, I learnt the value of community, “we don’t heal in isolation” (ARC). From my experiences at Body Wisdom and ARC, the desire to create something telling, something unspoken, something to shine a light of hope in the dark corners of hearts, “it comes in waves” emerged. My love of nature and particularly the sea, is a big influence in this piece. As Steve Batts (Artistic Director EchoEcho) says, this is an invitation to an audience, to “come with me”. Majella
I am a most recent member of Echo Echo. I joined in Body Wisdom class in November after introducing myself by participating in an open workshop event with "All In Good Time". Majella had reached out to me in regards to this project and invited me to collaborate. She had never seen me dance, she had never seen me write. These are things that were in me since I was a child, I would dance in private, unplanned movement when I felt the need. I found it to be a great release of emotion and provide a sense of freedom and comfort. I have faced many different challenges which led me to become isolated, detached from myself and from others but I have since found a home within myself. With Improv dance I feel safe to be myself, it's not strict, there is no pretence, only freedom. “It Comes In Waves” is an exploration of two souls intertwined by turbulence and calmness. Fuelled by the poetic movement experienced in Body Wisdom, combined with our poetry, I hope this raw and vulnerable performance, will resonate with our audience and inspire hope. Karen
Performance
Friday 16th May 2025 at 7pm
Tickets £10 / £8 concession
Duration ~50 minutes
Age 16+
Part of the NI Mental Health Arts Festival 2025
Venue
Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company,
Waterloo House,
Magazine Street,
Derry-Londonderry BT48 6HH
Accessibility information
Echo Echo Studios are accessed via rear entrance to Waterloo House at Hangman's Bastion, Magazine Street.
Echo Echo Studios are wheelchair accessible. A platform lift services both floors in the centre.
Further access information including Social Narrative guide films (also available in ISL and BSL) can be found here: https://echoechodance.com/studios/access
If you have a specific accessibility query please contact us in advance by email: info [at] echoechodance.com or phone: 02871308883 and we will be happy to help.
Gallery
