How does our mind alter our behaviour? Most of us are not Cambridge University Neurological Scientists with years of experience studying the intricacies of the brain. We cannot see our thoughts nor can we see the thoughts of other people. What we can see is the effect of these thoughts and how an event, a blink of a moment can change how we act for the rest of our lives. This concept of seeing the unseen, created a base for James Wilton to develop a dance that explores how the mind affects what we see and do.

The dance explored the lives of two people who had suffered traumatic events that affected each of them in different ways; one developed anxiety, the other addiction. These manifested in powerful and repetitive movements that evoked the turmoil that they were experiencing. Throughout the piece the dancers worked in harmony, moving effortlessly over, under and around one another. At times the dancers’ movements were so different yet they fitted together like clockwork. The music was commissioned specifically for the show and provided a refreshing and exciting backdrop for the dance to evolve. Dancers’ wore neutral and earthy colours, drawing the audiences’ attention to the movements and emotions of the piece rather than becoming distracted by complicated costuming or set design.

Sarah Jane Taylor and Norikazu Aoki’s embodiment of these states of mind was truly eloquent, challenging the audience to see the unseen and address a subject that until recently has been avoided by much of the population.

Top Image: The Storm | James Wilton Dance