Holding Light: Fallen Angels shine a light on stories of addiction, recovery, resilience and hope in Liverpool and Chester

Fallen Angels Dance Theatre’s unforgettable production Holding Light celebrates the power of human resilience over adversity - and it is coming to Liverpool and Chester this autumn following a sold out premiere at the Royal Opera House.

Eight local community dancers from Liverpool, Chester and Wirral, all in recovery from addiction or mental health issues, spent six months working with three acclaimed choreographers, including Russell Maliphant.

The resulting trio of short dance pieces blends powerful movement and resonant soundscapes to connect audiences to courageous and honest stories of lived experience that are rarely seen on stage.

The three works each offer a different perspective on recovery journeys, from navigating everyday struggles to the healing power of community and the human instinct for rebirth.

Choreographers Maliphant (Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet, DV8, Michael Clark Company, Russell Maliphant Dance Company), Alice Godfrey (Netherlands Dance Theatre, Sharon Eyal Dance), and Paul Bayes Kitcher, co-founder of Fallen Angels, worked with the community dancers to weave their stories through the three pieces. 

Most of the cross-generational performers (aged from 20s-70s) have no formal background in dance, whilst some are reconnecting with the artform in their recovery. All started their Fallen Angels Dance Theatre journeys at free weekly sessions run by arts and recovery organisation at Liverpool Everyman and Storyhouse arts centre in Chester.

Each participant has received instruction on somatic dance, a free-form movement practice that prioritises internal physical sensation over external performance.

Two professional dancers – Arianna Sansone and Jo Freeman- join the group on stage. 

Music is by sound artist and composer Feri Gyemant and costumes by Alena Kudera. The performance lasts one hour and also includes a behind the scenes film and insights. 

Holding Light follows 2023’s sold out Traces Through Time, a collaboration with New Note recovery orchestra. Fusing dance, live music and spoken word, the work also premiered at the Royal Opera House. 

Fallen Angels was founded in Chester in 2011 by professional dancers Claire Morris and Paul Bayes Kitcher, a former Birmingham Royal Ballet soloist, who has lived experience of addiction and recovery. 

Morris said: “At the heart of Holding Light are the voices and experiences of people in addiction and mental health recovery. 

“Through Fallen Angels’ unique co-creation process, performers draw on their own journeys to create work that is honest, courageous and deeply human.” 

Holding Light is supported by Arts Council England, The Linbury Trust, Ernest Hecht Charitable Trust and Big Give Art of Impact. Partnership support comes from Storyhouse, Royal Ballet and Opera, and the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse.

Holding Light by Fallen Angels Dance Theatre plays at Storyhouse Chester 24 September 2026. Tickets are available here.