Planting my feet, wiggling my toes and stretching wide

Jo Cone Artist In Residence shares the importance of growing and developing dance and movement at Growing Places

Jo exploring movement with scarves at Growing Places.

Hi, I’m Jo, my family were mountain climbers, surfers, walkers and cyclists, all obsessed with movement in some form. I also loved the outdoors as a place for moving but my true love was the moment music would play. Whether a CD in the living room or a band on the stage I could not stop dancing. It was obvious I was a ‘hip hop/street dancer’ but as I entered A levels, I found a whole other language called contemporary dance. It allowed me to feel a sense of belonging and make sense of the world.

Community wellbeing

After graduating with a Dance and Related Arts Degree from Chichester University I went onto forge a 23-year career across the Uk working with all groups of people from teens to teachers, children with learning disabilities and older adults living with dementia. I released early on that as much as I loved dance and movement, other arts were needed to support those with additional needs, and that the artistry was secondary (although important) to the emotional, physical and wellbeing needs of the individuals and their community. Becoming a mum led me to specialise in early years and primary dance. However, after the pandemic I decided it was time to find a place where I could plant my roots and build more legacy into my practice, sharing my work through delivery, training and inspiring practitioners on their own creative journey.

Growing Places children learning about Kawaii art, printing and pipe cleaner flowers among other crafts.

Enhanced creativity

Growing places welcomed me with open arms and I have been given the joyous title of ‘Artist In Residence’. I went straight to work delivering weekly dance and movement sessions at Mill Hill alongside training Apprentice Olivia. Olivia and I have shared weekly reflections, supporting her to identify strengths, weaknesses and curiosities in delivering early year dance. Olivia is now delivering dance 3-5 times a week with the preschoolers, expanding her confidence and ideas alongside the creativity of the children.

Tailored training

Growing places welcomed me with open arms and I have been given the joyous title of ‘Artist In Residence’. I went straight to work delivering weekly dance and movement sessions at Mill Hill alongside training Apprentice Olivia. Olivia and I have shared weekly reflections, supporting her to identify strengths, weaknesses and curiosities in delivering early year dance. Olivia is now delivering dance 3-5 times a week with the preschoolers, expanding her confidence and ideas alongside the creativity of the children. I continued my adventure to the new Havant site, developing weekly sessions with Hayley. Hayley as an experienced early years educator has embraced the arts forms, confidently using the ideas from my sessions, in her own when I was away. We are now continuing to develop this through collective planning sessions, as well as tailored training on dance and movement allowing Hayley to have further ideas for weekly delivery.

A new kind of expression

As I meet more children across the nurseries I am reminded of the importance of dance and movement for early years. The nonverbal languages in young children really support the body and mind, allowing expression, active understanding and connection to others. Joy, laughter and professional love create an environment for new discovery and curiosity.

I've now moved onto the woodlands at Morelands, exploring what the woods can be and become through theatre, making, movement and the senses. Travelling in and through the landscape exploring narrative, simple puppetry and prop creation allows the real and imagined worlds to come alive.

I really look forward to supporting more staff to experience the benefits of creative dance and movement, adding skills to their own practice and in turn supporting more children to find their voice through dance! As I dance and move around ‘Growing Places’ I also know I will grow further in my practice, planting my feet firmly in the soil and becoming part of the place I now call my 'artists garden.'