The Answers X You Heard Us

The Answers is a playful participatory outdoor dance work created for Festival of Thrift, exploring the power of collective joy and imagination in the face of the climate crisis.

Created with and performed by 10 volunteer performers aged 11–71, the work brought together dance, participation and public gathering as a form of gentle protest, inviting audiences into a space of hope and collective action.

The sound score was built from the voices and conversations of the performers, weaving together reflections, questions and personal responses to the climate crisis.

Alongside the performance, a temporary public artwork was installed across the course of the festival, building on approaches developed through Luca Rutherford’s public art project You Heard Us - a large-scale public art project exploring visibility, collective voice and people taking up public space.

Facilitator, Choreographer + Performer: Lizzie Klotz

Facilitator + Artist: Luca Rutherford

BSL Interpreter + Performer: Caroline Ryan

Performers: Aida, Annie, Carolyn, David, Oona, Rosie, Ryan, Sona, Sophia and Tina

Composer: Char Bickley

Graphic Designer: Sally Poore

Photographer: Jemima Yong

Videographer: Alex Ayre

Carpenter: Tim Parker

11 minutes, 2022

With thanks to everyone who took part in The Answers, including those who contributed to the development of the work but did not perform, including Pauline, Poppy, Sadaf and Sara.

The Answers was co-commissioned by Dance City and Festival of Thrift for Festival of Thrift 2022.