AN UPTON woman who admits she is an 'unlikely' dancer is looking forward to the Chester preview of a digital dance piece in which she features alongside professional performers.

Colette Jones, 46, who uses a walking frame, initially compared her style of dancing to 'like something out of the Walking Dead'.

But six years later, she has become a valued member of recovery group Fallen Angels and has performed in London in front of large audiences.

When Colette first attended a Fallen Angels Movement group at Chester's Storyhouse arts centre, she said she only went along to hand-hold a friend, who was nervous to turn up alone.

Despite her reservations, Colette soon struck up friendships amongst the group. And once she realised, she shared a sense of humour with co-founder, former Birmingham Royal Ballet soloist Paul Bayes Kitcher, she decided to leave her fears aside and give dance a go.

Colette, who struggled with substance use from the age of 13 until her early 30s and has experienced homelessness and domestic violence, was surprised by how quickly found her feet. She said she now dances at every opportunity, including at church and in the supermarket, despite living with chronic pain.

(Image: Fallen Angels)

In addition to taking part in regular workshops and performing all over the country, Colette volunteers as a Supporting Angel, advocating for the group's work at community events and welcoming new members.

Fallen Angels was founded in 2011, to help people in recovery from addiction and those living with mental health conditions to transform their lives. Currently around 12-15 people attend free sessions every Monday afternoon at Storyhouse. Some have previously danced whilst others come along with no experience at all.

Earlier this year, Colette travelled to London to perform a dance piece called Inertia at the Royal Opera House accompanied by New Note Orchestra, a Brighton-based collective of musicians in recovery.

The group's latest project, called Samadhi, uses this work as a starting point. It features a mix of professional and community dancers. The immersive dance, light and sound installation, which has seen sold out venues, is inspired by the real-life experiences of the Fallen Angels recovery communities in Chester and Liverpool.

It is a collaboration with digital technologist Noel Jones, who has added startling augmented reality twists to the performance, enhanced by an ethereal soundscape composed by Tom Ashbook. and costumes by costumes created by oH Chester Design Foundation designer Alena Kudera.

The word samadhi is derived from the Sanskrit roots “sam”, meaning together or integrated and “dhi”, which means to hold or place. According to Fallen Angels' artistic director Paul Bayes-Kitcher, it signifies a state of complete concentration, stillness, and union with the object of meditation. 

Fallen Angels' Samadhi will be previewed at Chester Visual Arts Space in Grosvenor Shopping Centre as part of the Recovery Month Exhibition. The show also features artwork from local people in addiction and mental health recovery and celebrates the therapeutic role of the arts.

Paul said: “Fallen Angels Movement is engaged in meaningful work focused on self-care, healing, and connection. By practicing grounding and meditation, we establish a strong foundation for personal growth and recovery.

“The digital dance piece we are creating serves as a beautiful expression of the journeys faced by those in recovery. Through movement, we illustrate the healing process and the resilience of the human spirit.

“We hope that our audience will leave with a profound sense of calm and peace, encouraging them to reflect on their own healing journeys. This kind of art is truly powerful and transformative.”

Colette said: “To me Samadhi is about how we come together to become one on different planes, conscious & subconscious.

“It mirrors what we try to do within our Fallen Angels sessions, getting out of the head and into the body.

“The process of making Samadhi was absolutely mesmerising. The camera changes how you look and you can see yourself on the screen in flames, pixelated, or as a double of yourself. It's been so exciting to make, playing around with movement and watching the screen to see what works. I can't wait to see the finished piece.”

Colette, who runs a weekly wellbeing session called Friday Uplift Group, also at Storyhouse, and also runs a food bank, says that at this point in her recovery, looking forward and not back is vital.

Collette said: “I've had my test, now I am living my testimony!

“I don't want sympathy for the hard times in my life. I am only interested in where I am now and where I am going.”

Samadhi previews at the Recovery Month Exhibition at Chester Visual Arts Space, Grosvenor Shopping Centre, from September 19-29. It is open Thursday-Sunday 11-4pm. A launch event with refreshments will take place on Thursday, September 19, from 1pm.

Samadhi then moves to the Turnpike Gallery in Leigh, Greater Manchester, until November, as part of an exhibition called Beyond The Surface. The exhibition celebrates 10 years of Fallen Angels' work in the borough of Wigan and takes place during Recoverist Month, which is the UK's only annual arts-based awareness event that places people in recovery from substance use centre stage.