The Swings
Come and enter our world and playground of The Swings. We love being on a swing and we know you do too!
Part performance and part installation, The Swings is both an aerial dance duet and an open invitation for the public to swing high and free. It all takes place on our magnificent, larger than life, five metre high swing set.
A giant swing set, 5 m high and 2 swings. 2 aerial artists use the Swings as their aerial apparatus to fly high and appear throughout the day. They appear and disappear opening the Swings up for anyone to come and join in, to sit and swing.
Whilst you are on the swing a sound installation plays full of memories, thoughts and feelings of being on a Swing. Feel the rush of air past your face, the rise and fall and the joy of swinging that we love too.
Play, watch and listen. An interactive event for all the family we have toured 43 venues across the UK in 2021-24, and will be out touring again in 2025.
Over the past few years we have visited venues and festivals across the UK. The Swings premiered in 2021 at Family Encounters as part of Edinburgh International Children’s Festival at the Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh. From the Birmingham Weekender to Just So Festival in Cheshire, Lyth Arts Centre in Wick to Glasgow’s Merchant City Festival The Swings has toured the length and breadth of the country to cities, towns and rural venues.
In 2023 The Swings went on its first international visit to Canada as part of Toronto International Festival of Authors
Read our 4* review from Kelly Apter of the Scotsman
The Swings was co-directed by Jennifer Paterson & Nic Green, sound design by Yas Clarke, design by Becky Minto.
Performed by: Chrissie Ardill, Suzanne Bee, Claire Crook, Beverley Grant, Oran Longmuir, Danuta Ramos, Grace Turner, Adam Wright & Saya Yamaguchi
“Jaw-dropping fun for kids and allows grown-ups to revisit their childhoods”
Kelly Apter, The Scotsman
“It was a fantastic event! The kids and adults loved it!”
Hayley, audience member, Catstrand
Sound Installation
Whilst making this piece we asked our friends, family, neighbours and colleagues about what being on a swing meant to them. Ideas of freedom, leisure, togetherness and shared space resonated strongly with the circumstances we have found ourselves in of late.
Fragments of these conversations can be heard in the installation, and transcripts can be found in full here as part of The Swings Programme.
Photographs by Suzanne Heffron, Brian Hartley, Gibson Digital Images
