The project has been facilitated by Steve Batts, Artistic Director of the company. The performance will take place at the Foyle Arts Centre Dance Studio on Saturday 2nd April at 7pm.

The Learning Age Project has offered opportunities for contemporary dance with Echo Echo over the past two years under the title of Body Wisdom. With Steve, it was decided that it would be wonderful to continue the process but to performance level. And so "Mapping Memories" was devised.

The group focussed on the theme of memories of places and landscapes that have remained special to the participants throughout a lifetime. The participants have each brought their own experiences and recollections to the creative production process and weaved the movement images together into a beautiful, calm and quite meditative performance piece lasting about 30 minutes.

Local composer and musician Christpher Norby has developed an original music score to accompany the piece which he will perform live.

Echo Echo Artistic Director Steve Batts says" I like to work with older people. I am just 50 myself and although I enjoy working with young athletic people, as an older dancer-choreographer I find my heart more often touched by sharing the movement world of people who have age and experience in their bodies. The project connects my passion for the natural world and landscape with my work as a dancer and choreographer."

Sinead Devine, Development Officer for the Learning Age Project (West of the Bann) adds " We are dellighted to be working in  partnership once again with Echo Echo. Our older participants are being offered a very unique experience to create a new piece of dance to performance level. The process throughout links into memories of the participants which were then shared and explored and presented through movement. I have been watching the Body Wisdom project  unfold throughout the last two years and I look forward with great excitement to see the finalised performance this Saturday".

"Mapping Memories " will be performed on Saturday 2nd April at 7pm in the Foyle Arts Centre Building at Magee Campus, University of Ulster. Entry is free and if you would like to reserve a seat please contact Sinead Devine on 028 71 36 9947.