We have never been more together and yet so alone. I have no doubt that at the time of writing this statement there are many of you who might share this same sentiment. The current situation surrounding COVID-19 has been one of the most extreme and challenging experiences we have all faced and although we are now in a position where we are living in isolation we have never felt more connected.
I want to firstly thank all those of you who have been in touch to offer your support, friendship and advice, it has all been wonderful and empowering.
As a physical performance company whose work sits entirely in the business of human contact, the outbreak of the Coronavirus has had a devastating impact on our planned activities over the coming months. Theatres closed, festivals and events cancelled or postponed, and schools shut, essentially meaning Highly Sprung had nothing left to offer. However, stopping business was never going to be our intention.
Immediately we have utilised technology to find new ways to reach out to our Highly Sprung network and family of supporters. Sprungsters has continued through weekly Zoom sessions for our older groups, learning how we can continue to play and create through small screens. For our youngest Sprungs we have turned to Facebook in an effort to provide a safe environment to continue to invest in their creativity.
Our healthy heart project City Beat, a project involving six Coventry primary schools, has ceased in-school activity, but instead will call upon the creative talents and ideas of our team to provide an online platform of resources, games and challenges for all the participating children, with the support of their wonderful schoolteachers. The City Beat end of project exhibition will now happen online, celebrating the journeys and achievements of those children we have been working with since January.
There are still more plans in the pipeline, still discussions about how we can continue to offer our work through new mediums, and we can’t wait to share these with you, once we know more about how we move forward.
Please know that we are still here, still creating and still happy to talk and dream with you all.
Be safe and be happy!
Sarah