Blind, visually impaired and sighted dancers use innovative wearable tech to create a powerful new production

Fireflies at Dawn, created by Leeds-based Unbound Dance Theatre, comes to the Courtyard Theatre at Leeds Playhouse from 24-25 June.

A powerful new dance theatre performance exploring connection, vulnerability and the freedom of movement is coming to Leeds Playhouse next month.

Created by Leeds-based Unbound Dance Theatre, Fireflies at Dawn is an immersive, sensory performance co-created by blind, visually impaired and sighted dancers following early development across Yorkshire.

Founded by choreographer Sandrine Monin, Unbound Dance Theatre creates work rooted in inclusivity, expression and shared human experience. Fireflies at Dawn continues the company’s exploration into how and why we move, asking audiences to consider what it truly means to “dance like no one is watching”.

Blending contemporary dance, sound, light, touch and embedded audio description, the production invites audiences into a richly atmospheric world shaped by the lived experiences of blind and visually impaired performers. The show also incorporates innovative wearable technology – echome – which transforms dancers’ movements into a live evolving soundtrack.

Developed collaboratively over two years, Fireflies at Dawn explores trust, vulnerability and the ways people connect beyond sight. Audiences are guided through moments of darkness, joy and intimacy in a performance designed to engage all our senses.

Audiences have described the show as “unforgettable”, “truly impactful” and “beautifully and sensitively done.”

Founder and Artistic Director of Unbound Sandrine Monin said: “The way we have been working together as a company demonstrates that movement can become a tool not just for expression, but for acceptance and growth.

“We hope Fireflies at Dawn offers audiences the chance to explore what connects us, regardless of our physical differences. It is an absolute joy to work with such an inspirational company of both visually impaired and sighted members, and we can’t wait to share the world we have created.”

The Fireflies at Dawn creative team comprises Founder & Artistic Director Sandrine Monin; Performer, Creative Collaborator & Board Director Helen Davies; Performers & Creative Collaborators Anastasia Sheldon, Catherine Shuker, Melina Sofocleous, Tammy Tsang, and Sue Whitehouse; Creative Collaborators Mayowa Ogunnaike and Maddie Irwin; Producer Joanna Jowett; Sound and Movement Interaction Dramaturgy Maria Kapsali; Composer Roberto D. Rusconi; and Support Worker Chloe Smith.

Fireflies at Dawn plays at Leeds Playhouse 24-25 June. Tickets are available here.