Lucy is Artistic Director and Founder of 50+ Contemporary Dance Sheffield (2019) and Third Bite Dance (2021), the only over 50s dance company in Sheffield and South Yorkshire. The company currently has 15 members, aged 55-77 years. Alongside working with a voluntary committee, Lucy has:
- choreographed and co-created new works
- produced tours and performances
- curated and hosted live and online events
- designed and delivered projects with partners across the city
- facilitated and led workshops
- invited guest artists and teachers to work with the company
- successfully fundraise to bring creative engagement opportunities to communities aged 50+ in South Yorkshire
PROJECTS
The Fallen
The Fallen is the latest creation from Third Bite Dance, a bold and powerful new performance that explores both physical and emotional “falls”- from the loss of physical strength to the emotional complexities of aging, highlighting the personal and societal struggles that come with it.
Falling is typically seen as a negative event, something that causes pain and costs the NHS millions. Older bodies on the floor evoke concern. But what if we reimagine the floor as a space of possibility? What if older bodies fall not out of weakness, but out of play, curiosity, and strength? Age is not only about physical decline but about falling in and out of love, falling into despair as our bodies and minds change, and falling in love again with our creativity. It’s about the fury we feel when we confront both our personal limitations and society’s attitudes towards ageing. As fourteen older adult performers take the stage, the performance will rise from the groundedness of their bodies, capturing the full spectrum of human emotion. Through a captivating blend of movement, spoken word, and imagery, The Fallen invites audiences to witness a visceral exploration of the embodied experiences of ageing.
Choreographed by Third Bite Dance Artistic Director Lucy Haighton in collaboration with the company, the work focuses on the experiences of older adults, centering the lived experience of those often overlooked or misunderstood in mainstream performances.
Funded by Arts Council England Project Grants
Moments Of Joy
Third Bite Dance had a residency at Stonelow Court (South Yorkshire Housing Association) in Dronfield. Sessions were led by TBD, supported by Lucy as lead artist on the project, co-creating with residents leading to a creative social celebration event
March – May 2024
Funded by: Arts Council England
Rest n Roll
Choreography and direction: Lucy Haighton
Live performance
Running time: 11 minutes
March – May 2023
Rest n Roll is about pausing. It’s about the difference of choosing when to stop versus a forced stop. Informed by an unfortunate period of ill health for the majority of the company whilst touring I Was, I Am, I Will Be in spring 2023, these themes of care and stillness emerged. In contrast, themes of resilience and strength also emerged alongside our repeated themes which centre the creative direction led by Lucy: play, curiosity and joy.
Funded by: National Lottery community fund
Slugs and Tangled Bodies
Choreography and direction: Lucy Haighton
Live performance
Running time: 40 minutes
May – July 2022
Third Bite Dance’s first live performance work exploring and celebrating touch. Created during a week-long residency at University of Sheffield Drama Studio in May 2022, the company have a 40 minute version for theatre spaces and 20 minute version for outdoor performances.
Funded by: Arts Council England’s ‘Develop Your Creative Practice’ grant
Anniversary
Creation and direction: Alan Lyddiard
Choreographed and rehearsal director: Lucy Haighton
Live performance
Running time: 17 minutes
April 2022
A new work created by Third Bite Dance’s first guest director and choreographer Alan Lyddiard who came to Sheffield to work with Third Bite Dance for a day in April 2022
Funded by: Arts Council England’s ‘Develop Your Creative Practice’ grant
Our Home, The Meadows
Choreography and direction: Lucy Haighton
Live performance
Running time: 9 minutes
January – March 2022
A Moments Of Joy project in collaboration with Third Bite Dance
‘Our Home, The Meadows’ is a new piece created by residents at The Meadows, a care scheme within South Yorkshire Housing, in collaboration with Third Bite Dance. The piece brings together a poem written by the residents over several weeks of creative movement sessions led by dance artist Lucy Haighton, with movement and choreography performed by Third Bite Dance. ‘Our Home, The Meadows’ explores the 4 L’s: Love, Laughter, Listen and Look and celebrates the community of people living and working at the Meadows.
Read more about the project here
Funded by: Age-Friendly Sheffield
Peaky Blinders
Choreography and direction: Lucy Haighton
Live performance recorded for social media
Running time: 3 minutes
January 2022
Inspired by Rambert Dance’s new work ‘Peaky Blinders: the Redemption of Thomas Shelby’, Third Bite Dance created their own Sheffield version. Created in only 2 weekly sessions, this was the first time the full company were altogether in person after creating the company in lockdown in 2021
Lost At Shore
Choreography and direction: Lucy Haighton
In collaboration with Fish Pie Cabaret
September – October 2021
Collaboration with Fish Pie Cabaret, Stan Skinny (Fish Pie Artistic Director) came to work with Third Bite Dance for 4 weeks leading up to the performance of Lost At Shore at Theatre Delicatessen in October 2022
This is how gorgeous it feels
Choreography and direction: Lucy Haighton
Film
Running time: 15 minutes
February – June 2021
An exciting and powerful new dance film, This is how gorgeous it feels is a story of rediscovery and connection. The film invites the audience to celebrate new beginnings. Eleven dancers rejoice as they emerge from lockdown into full life. They reconnect to their bodies as they shift into new spaces, moving from small to big, from quiet to loud. The dancers are unapologetic, taking up space with dynamic movement accompanied with bold text in this fierce and joyful production.
Funded by: Arts Council England, JG Graves and Sheffield Town Trust
The Balkan Beat Box
Choreography and direction: Lucy Haighton
Film
Running time: 5 minutes
May – July 2020
The Balkan Beat Box project was created in summer 2020 during 50+CDS weekly online zoom classes. The dancers filmed themselves at home as well as recording a live zoom session. The choreography is inspired by the music Adir Adirim by Israeli music group Balkan Beat Box. Creating this piece gave the inspiration for creating Third Bite Dance and our first work ‘This is how gorgeous it feels’ via zoom.
Funded by: Arts Council England emergency funding for artists
Lucy Haighton 