It was hard for the choreographers to let go at first when they decided to do something quite different from their usual rehearsals. "Just trust them," they reassured one another when one butted in to give a prompt to a performer. This new dance company was unique- all the performers had learning disabilities and they were due to perform at an international dance show without any support workers on stage to help them.
Choreographer and dance tutor Carol Brown was inspired to form Dragon's Heart and Dragon's Soul in 2014 by another group many miles away from their rehearsal space in Swansea. It was while watching a performance by a Spanish dance company with learning-disabled dancers, Asi Somos, that she realised it was possible to create performances with a difference. "They were the only company I'd ever seen who did half hour pieces with no volunteers, just on their own on stage"
As the person who is often on stage helping performers during shows, Carol's assistant choreographer Cathy Coombes, who also runs her own open-access dance group Agility, said it was difficult to let go at first. "It was hard letting them go on their own," said Cathy.
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"I used to perform with the company and I love performing and dancing with them but I wanted to go along with stepping back and trusting them and now every time I watch them perform it gives me goose pimples. It's heart-warming to see what they've created and what they're capable of," she explained.
Katy Davies, 34, danced in Cathy's open-access group before she was invited to join Dragon's Heart and Dragon's Soul. On performing unaided on stage for the first time, she said: "At first I was a bit nervous but I got used to it," said Katy, "I love acting and I'm a very fast runner, so they give me all the running pieces!"
After Carol was mentored by Onil Vizcano, the man behind Asi Somos, the new invite-only dance company debuted at the Millennium Centre with the show Sorrowful Sun- a modern take on Romeo and Juliet set in Gaza. "We always create meaningful pieces. You see a lot of dance for people with any kind of disability where they're more or less standing on stage waving their arms around," explained Carol.
The show was a hit and nine years later, the dance company is still going strong, made up of eight performers who have since performed at venues including West-End theatres and European festivals. "We can show off what we've learnt and show off what we can do," said Katy. "We can show our talent," said Adam Dawkins, 31, who also performs with the company and said his confidence has grown since he first started.
"Everyone's really friendly, it's been great. I've met people from all over the world. I love everything about dancing and performing. I feel happy when I'm performing," said Adam, who went on a plane for the first time when Dragon's Heart and Dragon's Soul played at the Valetta European Capital of Culture festival in Malta in 2018.
Nicknamed DJ Dawkins as he is in charge of the music at all their fundraising events, Adam puts everything into his performances and said he has always wanted to be an actor. "He gives every ounce of himself when he performs," said Carol, "we have to remind him to breathe!"
The dance company will take their latest pieces to Holland this year to perform at De Rijper Eilander hotel. Their two shows, Cusanau Du (Black Kisses) and T4, both have hard-hitting themes but still aim to entertain. While Cusanau focuses on the history of mining in Wales, T4 tells the story of the Nazi euthanasia programme that killed 300,000 people through the mass murder of people with physical or mental disabilities and illnesses. While the show is set amidst this tragic event, Carol said it "celebrates the humanity and worth of the people deemed imperfect by this regime."
When Carol first had the idea to base a show around such a sensitive topic, she talked to the parents of her performers first to get their approval. She then spoke to the dance company and still remembers the response. "I explained the Third Reich wanted to create a master race so they didn't want anybody in this master race that wasn't perfect and one of our performers chirped up 'That's us out then' and they all laughed. I thought- they're fine with it."
The dance company are now fundraising for their trip to Holland with auctions at The Three Golden Cups in Southerndown on Friday, April 21 at 7pm and The Towers Hotel and Spa Jersey Marine on Sunday, April 23 at 4pm.
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