Dancing in Durham
Reflections on another recovery adventure
I hate sleeping bags, but I bought one especially for this excursion of ours and so Saturday 12th September sees me kitted out with a brand new airbed, foot pump and said sleeping bag, not to mention a pile of butties, plums and crisps for the journey.
This is no ordinary camping expedition, for tonight Risen will be dancing and then sleeping over in Durham Cathedral, along with others in recovery.
We meet at Chester Railway Station and wait for the mini bus. Everyone is in high spirits and looking forward to Risen’s quest to conquer the North East. Sadly, we learn that Alison Parry will not be joining us on this trip, due to family commitments. We are all going to miss her very much.
The journey is a fairly long one, punctuated by a couple of coffee/tea/fag/toilet stops, depending on which of these signifies a person’s greatest need. On the longer stop, we have an impromptu rehearsal on the grass in the middle of the car park, inviting a few curious glances from fellow travellers. Dave, our driver, refuses to join in with the dance. I cannot for the life of me think why!
I get to know Suzy, from the Chester group, who will be dancing with us this weekend. She is funny, warm and kind and I feel an immediate connection with her. Our in-transit entertainment is largely provided by Phil and Paul and our sides are soon splitting, courtesy of their madcap and often X rated banter.
We arrive in Durham and I am struck by how startlingly beautiful this city is and in particular its cathedral, which dates from Norman times. As we walk around, familiarizing ourselves with our majestic surroundings, Amanda says that it feels like Hogwarts and I know exactly what she means. I keep expecting to see Peeves, the poltergeist; but perhaps not. This is a holy place after all.
We find a place where they are serving brews, and somewhere to dump our stuff. We light candles and say prayers for loved ones lost. I light a candle for my beloved brother Simon, who passed away in January of this year and my performance this evening will be for him.
Paul calls for a rehearsal and soon we are literally dancing on St Cuthbert’s grave. It is for a good cause though and the music we dance to is hypnotic and soulful, so I have a feeling that he wouldn’t mind.
The service begins and it is a service honouring recovery from addiction. The Right Reverend Mark Bryant, Bishop of Jarrow speaks warmly and eloquently on the subject of true honesty and visible recovery. There follow some stories and musical performances by other people in recovery and very soon it is our turn to perform. We have been waiting nervously by the stone pillars and beneath the stained glass windows of this truly spectacular cathedral. We have taken a few moments to meditate on our breath and now the moment has come.
I am privileged to be asked to read aloud a poem from the pen of the lovely Kelly Harte. It is an honour to be asked to read, but also very daunting to stand in the pulpit and speak in front of a bishop and a congregation of mostly strangers; albeit people in recovery. The poem is a poignant and heartfelt description of Kelly’s feelings throughout the darkness of addiction. It serves to remind us all that no matter how deep the abyss of despair we fall into, there is a way out into the light and the light is here in this building and in our dance. Wolfie talks about his experiences of addiction and how Fallen Angels Dance Theatre and our group Risen, has helped him. We are then ready to perform.
Waiting for the music to begin, I feel my heart beat against my ribs, because I am first to step into the performance space. There is something profoundly spiritual about dancing on the altar of a cathedral. It is as if we have entered the realm of the divine, connected by the breath of life and a shared bond that is the miracle of recovery from addiction. We are buzzing as we take our final bow and move in for a group hug. The applause continues to resonate throughout the building and it is a beautiful sound.
We suddenly realise how hungry we are, not having eaten since much earlier in the day and so we set off in search of grub. It is a walk in the dark, through Durham’s meandering streets and the city is spectacular at night. Andy stops to take photos and eventually we find a Chinese buffet restaurant – all you can eat for a set price, so that seems like just the ticket and Steve certainly makes the most of it! Lol!
There is a curfew at the cathedral. We have to be back by 10.30, or we will find ourselves locked out. It is all uphill on the way back, and for me, after stuffing myself full of Chinese, it feels like my stomach might burst through my chest, but we arrive back in time and set up camp for the night. It is a surreal experience, spending the night in such an awe inspiring, spiritual space and one I don’t think any of us will ever forget. There are bats in the eaves, as we make our way to the washrooms and I am enthralled. They are tiny. I always imagined them to be so much bigger.
Andy and Neil are soon asleep, in spite of not having anything soft to sleep on. Suzy has her duvet and her makeshift bed looks so cosy it is coveted by people on their way to perform their evening ablutions. I try to get comfortable in my new sleeping bag, but it is as I thought, not very likely. I open it out and sleep under it, but it is cold, so I have to put my fleece back on. I wish I had thought to bring my onesie like other sensible people.
Some of the group settle down to watch a DVD on Paul’s tablet, drifting away one by one to their beds. Wolfie’s battery is still on full charge however and he is like an excitable puppy, all through the night. I have slept in some strange places in my time, but this has got to be one of the most memorable.
We have to have the cathedral looking less like a dormitory and more like a church by 7.30 a.m. the next morning and unfortunately, when we say hello to the great outdoors it is raining heavily. We need tea, coffee, breakfast and the chance to sit down in a dry place, but we don’t really know where to go. There is a Neros open and we sit in there for a while, before moving on to find a place selling breakfasts.
Luckily, Dave comes back with the mini bus to take us to the start of the recovery walk, in a very soggy field, with lots of stalls to look around. Suzy and I buy hot chocolates with marshmallows and cream. Very, very yummy and just what we need. Some of us go to get angel wings painted on our faces.
The walk is soon underway. People are in high spirits. Phil and Amanda are up at the front, drumming. Suzy and Wolfie are bearing the Fallen Angels banner. It is a jubilant, uplifting tribute to visible recovery. Everyone is buzzing. The two Kellys take the opportunity to skip through the crowd, making friends with as many people as they can. Unfortunately, I only make it to the top of the hill. My knee is painful and I have to save my energy for the dance, so I return to the field and go back to the face painting stall to have my angel wings painted on. I talk to a nice woman on the way back, who is very interested in our cause.
When people return, the entertainment begins. The Dakan twins are up first, with their uncompromising songs on the theme of addiction. The crowd are soon singing along. These are songs I know, because they were taught to us by Dom in rehab. Fallen Angels are up next and we shed our shoes and socks, so that we can dance on the grass in bare feet. The rain has held off for a while and it feels great to be performing so close to nature. It is a spellbinding experience. The dance is well received and we revel once more in the applause and the feeling of camaraderie that is all around us. I have to rush off because I am also singing in the choir.
All too soon, the day is over and we say goodbye to Phil and Amanda, who are travelling back in a different bus. We are tired, happy and at the end of another adventure. Thank you Durham. It has been lovely getting to know you. Here’s to the next trip!
Linda Lewis
October 10th 2015-10-10
http://newsroom.durhamdiocese.net/bishop-speaks-of-hope-at-recovery- event/?utm_content=bufferb1c98&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
Reflections on another recovery adventure
I hate sleeping bags, but I bought one especially for this excursion of ours and so Saturday 12th September sees me kitted out with a brand new airbed, foot pump and said sleeping bag, not to mention a pile of butties, plums and crisps for the journey.
This is no ordinary camping expedition, for tonight Risen will be dancing and then sleeping over in Durham Cathedral, along with others in recovery.
We meet at Chester Railway Station and wait for the mini bus. Everyone is in high spirits and looking forward to Risen’s quest to conquer the North East. Sadly, we learn that Alison Parry will not be joining us on this trip, due to family commitments. We are all going to miss her very much.
The journey is a fairly long one, punctuated by a couple of coffee/tea/fag/toilet stops, depending on which of these signifies a person’s greatest need. On the longer stop, we have an impromptu rehearsal on the grass in the middle of the car park, inviting a few curious glances from fellow travellers. Dave, our driver, refuses to join in with the dance. I cannot for the life of me think why!
I get to know Suzy, from the Chester group, who will be dancing with us this weekend. She is funny, warm and kind and I feel an immediate connection with her. Our in-transit entertainment is largely provided by Phil and Paul and our sides are soon splitting, courtesy of their madcap and often X rated banter.
We arrive in Durham and I am struck by how startlingly beautiful this city is and in particular its cathedral, which dates from Norman times. As we walk around, familiarizing ourselves with our majestic surroundings, Amanda says that it feels like Hogwarts and I know exactly what she means. I keep expecting to see Peeves, the poltergeist; but perhaps not. This is a holy place after all.
We find a place where they are serving brews, and somewhere to dump our stuff. We light candles and say prayers for loved ones lost. I light a candle for my beloved brother Simon, who passed away in January of this year and my performance this evening will be for him.
Paul calls for a rehearsal and soon we are literally dancing on St Cuthbert’s grave. It is for a good cause though and the music we dance to is hypnotic and soulful, so I have a feeling that he wouldn’t mind.
The service begins and it is a service honouring recovery from addiction. The Right Reverend Mark Bryant, Bishop of Jarrow speaks warmly and eloquently on the subject of true honesty and visible recovery. There follow some stories and musical performances by other people in recovery and very soon it is our turn to perform. We have been waiting nervously by the stone pillars and beneath the stained glass windows of this truly spectacular cathedral. We have taken a few moments to meditate on our breath and now the moment has come.
I am privileged to be asked to read aloud a poem from the pen of the lovely Kelly Harte. It is an honour to be asked to read, but also very daunting to stand in the pulpit and speak in front of a bishop and a congregation of mostly strangers; albeit people in recovery. The poem is a poignant and heartfelt description of Kelly’s feelings throughout the darkness of addiction. It serves to remind us all that no matter how deep the abyss of despair we fall into, there is a way out into the light and the light is here in this building and in our dance. Wolfie talks about his experiences of addiction and how Fallen Angels Dance Theatre and our group Risen, has helped him. We are then ready to perform.
Waiting for the music to begin, I feel my heart beat against my ribs, because I am first to step into the performance space. There is something profoundly spiritual about dancing on the altar of a cathedral. It is as if we have entered the realm of the divine, connected by the breath of life and a shared bond that is the miracle of recovery from addiction. We are buzzing as we take our final bow and move in for a group hug. The applause continues to resonate throughout the building and it is a beautiful sound.
We suddenly realise how hungry we are, not having eaten since much earlier in the day and so we set off in search of grub. It is a walk in the dark, through Durham’s meandering streets and the city is spectacular at night. Andy stops to take photos and eventually we find a Chinese buffet restaurant – all you can eat for a set price, so that seems like just the ticket and Steve certainly makes the most of it! Lol!
There is a curfew at the cathedral. We have to be back by 10.30, or we will find ourselves locked out. It is all uphill on the way back, and for me, after stuffing myself full of Chinese, it feels like my stomach might burst through my chest, but we arrive back in time and set up camp for the night. It is a surreal experience, spending the night in such an awe inspiring, spiritual space and one I don’t think any of us will ever forget. There are bats in the eaves, as we make our way to the washrooms and I am enthralled. They are tiny. I always imagined them to be so much bigger.
Andy and Neil are soon asleep, in spite of not having anything soft to sleep on. Suzy has her duvet and her makeshift bed looks so cosy it is coveted by people on their way to perform their evening ablutions. I try to get comfortable in my new sleeping bag, but it is as I thought, not very likely. I open it out and sleep under it, but it is cold, so I have to put my fleece back on. I wish I had thought to bring my onesie like other sensible people.
Some of the group settle down to watch a DVD on Paul’s tablet, drifting away one by one to their beds. Wolfie’s battery is still on full charge however and he is like an excitable puppy, all through the night. I have slept in some strange places in my time, but this has got to be one of the most memorable.
We have to have the cathedral looking less like a dormitory and more like a church by 7.30 a.m. the next morning and unfortunately, when we say hello to the great outdoors it is raining heavily. We need tea, coffee, breakfast and the chance to sit down in a dry place, but we don’t really know where to go. There is a Neros open and we sit in there for a while, before moving on to find a place selling breakfasts.
Luckily, Dave comes back with the mini bus to take us to the start of the recovery walk, in a very soggy field, with lots of stalls to look around. Suzy and I buy hot chocolates with marshmallows and cream. Very, very yummy and just what we need. Some of us go to get angel wings painted on our faces.
The walk is soon underway. People are in high spirits. Phil and Amanda are up at the front, drumming. Suzy and Wolfie are bearing the Fallen Angels banner. It is a jubilant, uplifting tribute to visible recovery. Everyone is buzzing. The two Kellys take the opportunity to skip through the crowd, making friends with as many people as they can. Unfortunately, I only make it to the top of the hill. My knee is painful and I have to save my energy for the dance, so I return to the field and go back to the face painting stall to have my angel wings painted on. I talk to a nice woman on the way back, who is very interested in our cause.
When people return, the entertainment begins. The Dakan twins are up first, with their uncompromising songs on the theme of addiction. The crowd are soon singing along. These are songs I know, because they were taught to us by Dom in rehab. Fallen Angels are up next and we shed our shoes and socks, so that we can dance on the grass in bare feet. The rain has held off for a while and it feels great to be performing so close to nature. It is a spellbinding experience. The dance is well received and we revel once more in the applause and the feeling of camaraderie that is all around us. I have to rush off because I am also singing in the choir.
All too soon, the day is over and we say goodbye to Phil and Amanda, who are travelling back in a different bus. We are tired, happy and at the end of another adventure. Thank you Durham. It has been lovely getting to know you. Here’s to the next trip!
Linda Lewis
October 10th 2015-10-10
http://newsroom.durhamdiocese.net/bishop-speaks-of-hope-at-recovery- event/?utm_content=bufferb1c98&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer