"Dance changed my life – I’m no longer scared of the future"
At the Arts Council we believe that arts and culture can change people’s lives and that taking part can result in huge life-changing mental and physical health benefits.
We support organisations and projects working with all parts of the community - from people with dementia to young people who struggle to engage in mainstream education. Put simply, we believe that arts and culture can make life better for all of us.
One such organisation is Fallen Angels Dance Theatre whose work we’ve been supporting since 2009. For nearly 10 years dance practitioner Paul Bayes Kitcher, who is in recovery from addiction, has been working with people facing the same challenges. He supports participants to transform their lives and share their journey during recovery through dance, performance and creativity.
Since 2011 Paul has been Artistic Director of Chester-based Fallen Angels Dance Theatre which supports people in recovery from addiction. It aims to raise awareness and break down the barriers facing recovering addicts by helping them to increase their confidence and self-esteem in an environment that is free from judgement.
One participant is Philip Ashby. By September 2012 Philip had been addicted to drugs and alcohol for 20 years and his body was seriously damaged. His parents were told that, unless he sought help, he only had two weeks to live. Philip agreed to go into rehab, later admitting he did so only to placate his parents and that he fully intended to drop out.
It was at this point that Philip first encountered Donna-Marie Morris, Dance Artist from Fallen Angels Dance Theatre. It was a moment that would alter the course of his life. Philip’s key worker sent him to take part in a mandatory movement class led by Donna-Marie. Not long afterwards he went to see a production by the company in which adults in recovery performed alongside professional dancers.
Philip says that it was this performance that led to him turning his life around. Seeing the potential for change, he continued to work with Fallen Angels and was an original member of Risen, its performance group of non-professional dancers. And he completed rehab.
Philip is an inspiration for anyone struggling with addiction to realise that anything is possible
- Claire Morris, Executive Director, Fallen Angels Dance Theatre
In May 2017, Philip graduated from Liverpool Hope University with a degree in Dance, Drama and Performing Arts. The following September he took part in a performance of Hell Can Wait with Fallen Angels at UK Recovery Walk, a national event that brings together people in recovery nationwide run by FAVOR UK.
Claire Morris, Executive Director, from Fallen Angels Dance Theatre commented: “It has been wonderful to see Phil’s progress from his early days in recovery to the confident artist he is today. He is an inspiration for anyone struggling with addiction to realise that anything is possible.”
Fallen Angels Dance Theatre helped me find a focus, a passion for something new.
- Philip Ashby
Since graduating Philip has been working as a support worker in mental health and addiction settings. And in January 2018, he started an internship at Liverpool Hope University as a dance recruitment officer where he runs workshops for young male dancers and introduces them to the university environment. He hopes to continue teaching and maybe do a masters’ degree.
He says: “Dance has opened a creative mind for me and I am no longer scared of the future. I am beginning a new and exciting chapter in my life. Fallen Angels Dance Theatre helped me find a focus, a passion for something new. My confidence grew and my desire to achieve an education came from working with FADT. The organisation became part of my community, influencing my recovery and helping me to move forward. I will continue on this dance journey just because I can.”
Fallen Angels Dance Theatre’s TEDx talk has just been published and the company is currently working on two new dance theatre works; a touring production for autumn 2018 called Intimate Acts and a new work for non-theatre environments called Hooked Angels. The company is resident at Storyhouse in Chester and works in Chester, Salford and Leigh (Greater Manchester) and Liverpool on participatory projects in the community for people in recovery from addiction and/or mental health issues.
