I was thrilled when Viking Cruises asked me to create a new dance film with EncoreEast for Viking.TV’s Dance Week https://viking.tv/live/friday/celebrate-the-artistry-of-the-encoreeast-dancers-at-bawdsey-radar.

I love the coastline all along the East of England and I am fascinated by the legacy of centuries of military defence scattered along the shoreline. Not because of the history that surrounds these objects, but more their juxtaposition to the natural beauty that surrounds them. The beaches are dotted with eroded, sculptural debris; objects that once held menacing significance now blend with the naturally eroding coastline. These decaying, corroded, off-balance objects create questions for me about a human’s need for control and power, which extends beyond ourselves and into the natural world.

It seems to me we have positioned ourselves outside the natural order, with a belief we can tame the world into fitting our imagining of it. The debris reminds us that time and nature go on, we are but a moment within it.

As an older female dancer, I feel the weight of a world that resists the aging process. A world that preferences youth to such an extent that age sometimes seems like a distant location. We use language that ring-fences old age, positioning it in the distant future, a moment just before the end.

For me life is a journey, each part rich and significant, full of experiences and learning. Being a member of EncoreEast has allowed me to feel present in who I am right now. I hope when you watch the film you will share with me in thinking how beautiful this age, this time and this space is.

Stella Eldon