This month we introduce you to the creative adventurer, Samantha Moss, a dancer and teacher who has spent 9 years living in Malawi. Sam regularly brings her passion for transforming people and communities through art to our work, as one of our valued JumpstART learning support tutors.
Name: Samantha Moss
Can you tell us a little bit about your own practice?
There is a Rwandan saying: ‘I am when I dance’, that’s when I am too… most present in the flow of the moment, most tinglingly alive, most connected to others. And I am passionate about facilitating others to experience something of this, to develop technical skills, confidence, creativity and teamwork.
I am a Dance Artist using contemporary dance and creative movement with a sprinkle of other world and pop dance styles. Currently, I predominantly work in primary schools creating and delivering dance units, providing professional development and plans for teachers, ensuring ongoing sustainability. Over the years I have choreographed and taught dance to people of all ages and abilities and have aimed to keep dancing and performing myself too. I have regularly worked alongside other artists, which I find enriching.
What’s been your favourite artistic experience of the past 12 months?
‘Harnessing the Wind’ was my third combined schools dance project. For eight weeks, children from four schools devised, learnt and rehearsed a ‘chapter’ each of the true story of William Kamkwamba. He was a boy who persevered to teach himself to build a wind turbine from scrap, that provided electricity to his family and village in Malawi. The sell-out performance by 100 children took place in March at Jerwood Theatre, DanceEast. African inspired art by the children was projected as the backdrops. Having lived in Malawi for 9 years, I delighted in sharing some of my experiences as part of the process.
Which Suffolk Artlink projects have you worked on to date?
I am a Learning Support Tutor for Jumpstart in Ipswich.
How has working with Suffolk Artlink influenced your work?
It confirms that participative arts are transformative for individuals and communities. There can be a life-wide impact. I am more aware of the whole person, not only the ‘dancer’ or ‘student’, and seek to adapt my work or delivery to enable people to achieve their best.
How would you describe Suffolk Artlink in 3 words?
Nurturing, reliable, person-centred
Find out more about Sam Moss: www.facebook.com/SamMossDance