Meet Indigo Tarran who appears in Let Life Dance at the Torch this June ...

I’m a movement artist from west Wales and I’ve been based in Cardiff for three years, working on various projects and joining the Groundwork Collective and Joon Dance Company teams. I am passionate about digging to the core of individual movement language and expression through human emotion, personal experience and life’s rhythms. My practice is informed by an ongoing playful investigation and reflection of the materials and energetic textures of the natural to industrial worlds. Growing up in Pembrokeshire is weaved into the foundations of my work, and I love returning to perform or collaborate on projects in my homeland. Working on Life Dance with Humans Move invites a multitude of things I value as a dancer; individual expression, emotional vulnerability and tender but powerful human connection. I look forward to sharing our creation across my home of Wales. 

Dance and movement have always been a part of my life in various forms. Something landed a little more when I joined a breakdance class with the local community organisation Arts Care Gofal Celf in Narberth. The floorwork, being on my hands, the rhythms and a different way of showing up performatively than ballet (which I’d already quit) really drew me in and still shows up in my movement language today. I’d never imagined perusing dance professionally, but after a major life event when I was 14 that shook up any education trajectory I was on, the BTEC Dance course at Coleg Sir Gar in Llanelli felt like as good an option as any. The drive I found through dance training and having the artform to pour into supported me then, and ever since, to keep showing up to life whatever happens. 

I also started 5 Rhythms, a therapeutic movement practice, at age 15 in Pembrokeshire. It was, and remains, a massive asset adjacent to my professional dance training, essential to the development of my movement language and an invaluable intergenerational dance community in west Wales and the wider world.

I first connected with the Torch Theatre around age 16 through attending the Joon Dance Summer School where I got a new experience of contemporary dance and creative movement. I have come full circle with Joon Dance over the last 2 years becoming a company performer, facilitator and team member where I have been regularly connecting with the west Wales dance community through performances and workshops. I’ve also recently collaborated with artistic projects in west Wales with Holy Hiatus and Maynard Abercych. I love that my professional work has always been alive in Pembrokeshire, and keeps bringing me home, close to my family, friends, landscape and community.

I have performed most summers over the last 10 years at the Torch, with the Joon Dance Summer School. I also performed in Joon Dance’s professional show Fabulous Animals at the Torch in 2023. I was a contributing artist working on the project Stori Sir Benfro/The Pembrokeshire Story with the Torch Theatre, I made 5 movement films which were on display at the theatre in the project exhibition. This project was special to me as I could work creatively in contact with Pembrokeshire artists, people, landscapes and community, through my artistic modes and movement practice. I am excited to be returning to perform in the new work Let Life Dance with Humans Move in June and with Joon Dance at our Summer School in August this year.

Humans Move is a dance theatre company, which is a disabled led organisation. It wants to join forces with people who are fighting for change and a more inclusive and peaceful future. The company was founded by its Artistic Director, Jessie Brett who is from Brecon and works across Wales also in Ethiopia too. She has worked with NDCWales, Groundwork Pro Collective and Hijinx. 

Let Life Dance is about celebrating life's wonderful journey. The ups and downs we go through as humans, the connections and emotions we experiences, the highs and the lows and how 'our village' of friends and family can support us through these positive and challenging times. .
We are a cast of five disabled and non-disabled dancers. There are some really stunning group moments, as well as duets and solos. We bring our own style of dancing in as well as Jessie's vision for the show. The music has been especially created by composed Jered Sorkin, whose music has featured in some BAFTA award winning films. 

Audiences can expect lots of energy and human connection. There are some really beautiful moments where audiences will really connect and resonate with what's being performed on stage. The idea of leaving home, and leaving friends and family for example or the joy of celebrating life and enjoying friendships. There's lots of relatable moments that the audience will really enjoy seeing told through dance.