GOSH Residency - Dance and Early Years
▶︎ Dalija Aćin Thelander
Third Version Creative worked with choreographer and dance artist Dalija Aćin Thelander on an artist residency at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), exploring how contemporary dance and sensory performance might create meaningful artistic experiences for children and families in a hospital environment.
Based in Sweden, Dalija has developed an internationally recognised practice creating immersive, durational performances and installations for babies and very young children. Her work combines movement, sound, light and tactile environments, challenging conventional ideas about how young audiences encounter and participate in art.
The residency extended this practice into a healthcare setting, considering how artistic experiences might respond to the particular circumstances of children receiving treatment, their families and those caring for them. Central to the exploration was the idea that children, regardless of age, ability or circumstance, should have opportunities to encounter ambitious contemporary art on their own terms.
Working within the hospital context offered an opportunity to consider new approaches to participation, accessibility and the relationship between artists and audiences. Rather than adapting conventional theatre performances for a different setting, the residency explored how artistic encounters could be shaped around the needs, experiences and agency of individual children.
The project formed part of Third Version Creative’s wider collaboration with Dalija, which began in 2022 and has included supporting the UK presentation and touring of Fields of Tender, her immersive dance installation for babies, young children and their families.