Alicia Meehan’s What Adult Am I? was selected as a Dance Partner Project for 2023-24. The piece created by Alicia Meehan in collaboration with Rebecca Glendening- Laycock and Lucy Harries is an episodic celebration of queer narratives through the lens of pop culture & societal conditioning. The work explores how queer adults navigate heteronormative conditioning, adulthood, same sex partnerships and queer stereotypes.

Alicia reflects on the project’s development and the support she received from Yorkshire Dance throughout the process.

“The evolution of What Adult Am I? was anything but linear and that’s precisely what made it thrilling. At the point I became a Dance Partner the research process began with conversations and a few days physically exploring the themes of the work with North East based multidisciplinary artist Patrick Ziza. This was followed by a four-day deep-dive collaboration with writer Rebecca Glendining-Laycock, which became a turning point for the project as we explored how text and movement could coexist and inform each other.

Then, in an unexpected twist, I crossed paths with performer Lucy Harries. Our spontaneous collaborations brought new energy and voice to the work. Suddenly, I wasn’t just reshaping the piece I was co-creating a whole new world with an unexpected team.

Watch early research here.

Towards the end of the process, an excerpt of What Adult Am I?  was presented at Live Theatre’s new writing festival, Unearthed.  Stepping into that space with my own piece felt both exciting and daunting, especially as the audience was predominantly theatre based rather than dance focused. Their feedback was warm, generous, and engaged even though they weren’t a queer audience which gave me a strong sense that the work could connect across different communities and be well received by a wide variety of audiences.

Watch Live Theatre’s presentation here.

We concluded this phase of development by leading a workshop at Yorkshire Dance’s Collective Encounters Festival. The session drew on themes and pre-existing choreography from What Adult Am I?, while inviting participants to bring their own perspectives. 

Meeting queer individuals from across the region of different ages, backgrounds, and experiences was profoundly enriching for the project. The festival itself was joyful, welcoming, and community driven, showcasing a vibrant range of queer work and creative processes. I felt deeply connected and grateful to be part of it, and as a result, I’ve formed relationships with like-minded queer artists.

These experiences shaped the future of the project. Presenting to a Live Theatre audience offered invaluable insight, while the workshop illuminated new ways the piece can invite participation. Both opportunities expanded my vision for the next stage of development as I continue to develop What Adult Am I? through the Rooted in Movement commission. 

I am incredibly grateful for the support from Yorkshire Dance throughout this journey. They have been consistently encouraging, and during the initial stages held monthly check-in meetings, offering producing advice, connecting me with collaboration opportunities, and providing additional resources to help the work grow. During some challenging moments particularly around securing additional funding Joao and the team were incredibly understanding, and offered guidance with problem-solving, which made a huge difference. Their ongoing support has truly been invaluable, and I look forward to continuing this partnership as the work evolves.”