Creative Health Films: Momenta & Morning Rhapsody

Momenta

Momenta is an original dance film created to celebrate a decade of our flagship Dance for Parkinson’s programme. Co-created by Dance for Parkinson’s participants with lived experience of Parkinson’s in collaboration with choreographer Ruth Brill, and filmmaker Roswitha Chesher and composer Charlotte Harding.

Dance for Parkinson’s dancers at our London, Ipswich, Liverpool and Oxford hubs all worked collaboratively with the creative team, and with English National Ballet Associate Artists and Musicians, to create one cohesive work. Whilst our dancers may be separated by geography, they all contributed to one shared creative vision. The creative team were resident in each of the hubs throughout the creative development process, working closely with the dancers, and weaving together the unique artistic threads.

The film premiered at a special event held at the Mulryan Centre for dance in December 2021 to celebrate a decade of English National Ballet’s Dance for Parkinson’s programme. Dance for Parkinson’s dancers from our hub partners in Ipswich, Oxford and Liverpool, alongside our London dancers, joined staff, associate artists, research partners and industry peers to mark this occasion. Attendees, in person and online, heard from key speakers including Dance for Parkinson’s Ambassadors Alan Ferret and Sally Bromley; Dr Tony Woods of Kings College London; and English National Ballet Artistic Director Tamara Rojo.

Momenta creative team

Directed and choreographed by: Ruth Brill
In collaboration with filmmaker: Roswitha Chesher
Composer: Charlotte Harding
Violinist: Matthew Scrivener (ENB Philharmonic orchestra leader & Principal Violin 1)
Pianist: Nathan Tinker
Mixing and Mastering: Liam Quinn
Costume Design: Poppy Lees

Morning Rhapsody 

I call it moving, but I’m a dancer now.

Morning Rhapsody is an original dance film starring Dance for Parkinson’s dancers from all partner hubs, including Liverpool, Oxford, Cardiff, Ipswich, West London, East London and our national online programme. Each hub interpreted the Rhapsody in Blue theme… For us, this joyous celebration of dance, music and community exemplifies the ways in which creative expression fosters connection and wellbeing.

The film premiered as part of the celebration of Creativity and Wellbeing Week 2024.

Morning Rhapsody creative team

Music arranged and composed by: Charlotte Harding, featuring Jon Petter (clarinet/percussion), mixed and mastered by Liam Quinn
ENB Associate Dance Artists: Abbie Biscoe, Chloe Stone, Jennie Hale, Kate Finegan, Kate Hartley-Stevens, Louisa Dalton, Lynnette King, Roosa Leimu-Brown, Yvette Halfhide
ENB Associate Musicians: Chris Davies, Helen Woods, Jon Petter, Nathan Tinker, Nia Williams, Saki Kato
Filmmaker: Peter Snell, Shiny Studios