Hello to all those reading, we’re grateful that you’re here to engage with Spin Arts and find out more about us! Over the next few weeks, whilst our shows aren’t touring, we’re going to introduce you to our team and our artists.

This first Spotlight Edition shines a light on Rosie Watt, our very own Creative Producer. 

How Rosie came to work with Spin Arts
Guided by two strong, empathetic and entrepreneurial women, Natalie Querol (The Empty Space) and Sarah Shead (Spin Arts), Rosie began working as a Producer in 2014.

Sarah and Rosie immediately connected through having trained in dance and sharing a desire to be entrepreneurial and lead, to work autonomously, and find a niche in the industry. This terrible twosome became a Spin Arts producing duo, lived, worked, travelled together, and had a good laugh along the way! These days, and no longer living under the same roof, Sarah and Rosie connect through their worldly outlook. 

“We are both spiritual and like to read, learn and engage with people about spirituality, differing perspectives, social-politics, mental health, personal growth, how we can support others. We are surrounded by others, particularly the artists we work with, who seek and are curious about the world, are activists and highly emotionally intelligent people” (Rosie).

What project work Rosie does with Spin Arts
Rosie works with a wide range of artists and companies more recently with: Keira Martin, Sonia Sabri, Surface Area Dance Theatre, Azara Meghie, Kapow, Sandra Passirani, Yuvel Soria, Non Applicables, Crystal Zillwood, Sandrine Monin, Nicola Hunter, Split Design, Caldonia Dances, Kasia Witek, Blood Memory Dance, Split Design, Jo Cork, Earthfall, Coalesce Dance, and Mischief Dance, to name a few.

This family of artists support their communities and aim to overcome barriers for LGBTQ+, Deaf People (through work that incorporates British Sign Language and employs D/deaf artists), single parents, those with low-socially economic backgrounds, those challenging race inequality, those with mental health challenges, and intersectional individuals within the industry and wider society. 

“Both Sarah and I feel very lucky to be around a group of people who are talented, intuitive, self-aware. Spin Artists are good at expressing themselves, able to communicate and talk about feelings, and have a breadth of knowledge on wellbeing practices (dance, yoga, massage, energy healing, meditation, Kundalini). Dancers, artists and creatives have a lot to share with society! This is empowering, and encourages confidence, better wellbeing and support for one another” – Rosie Watt.

What else does Rosie do during her time at Spin Arts?
Rosie has supported artists and students via Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Dance City and Absolutely Cultured, has attended National Arts Fundraising School, is learning British Sign Language with Surface Area Dance Theatre, and has completed workshops in Life Coaching, leading to her become a mental health advocate/volunteer for a national charity. As a Samaritans Volunteer (from January 2019), Rosie has learnt empathy, patience, listening and communication skills, how to support others through asking open questions, reflecting, safeguarding, refraining from judgement and giving advice. With support of Spin Arts’ team, Rosie has been inspired to begin a Postgraduate in Counselling and Psychotherapy, with the hopes to become a qualified therapist in years to come!

“The planet does not need more successful people. The planet desperately needs more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers and lovers of all kinds” – Dalai Lamar.

What is Spin Arts wellbeing practice?
Sarah, Rosie and Spin Artists regularly consider health and wellbeing, particularly mental health and resilience. Some of the teams wellbeing practice includes:

Regularly communicating with each other, and certainly not just about work!

Reading cards together – “a few of us get together in person, and more recently via Zoom to read Oracle and Tarot cards to see how we feel about particular situations, or to intuitively find out how we can work together collectively to benefit society”.

Attending counselling and therapy when needed, “there’s no shame in this, and it’s a great support and opportunity for self-growth” (Rosie), “Growth occurs when individuals confront problems” (Carl Rogers).

Rituals such as burning incense / sage, meditating with crystals, creating potions with herbs and crystals, salt baths.

Cleaning, tidying and decluttering homes and work spaces, considering Feng Shui.

Healing sessions with intuitive energy healer and Spin Artist, Sandra Passirani.

Creativity and practicing artistic pursuits! This helps with open-mindedness, adaptability, problem solving, allows enjoyment and self-expression.

Yoga, running, staying active…dance! Dance is a great way to express yourself non-verbally, understand body language and connection to others.

Setting boundaries! Whether this concerns hours or days of work, communication, respect, time out.

Being out in nature, walks in nature, bird-watching, being with animals / pets.

Being kind to one another and ourselves, supporting each other to be confident, to heal limiting beliefs (those inner negative thoughts most people have from a young age).

Finding ways to help others and be of service to others.

Being yourself and true to yourself. “If you’re always trying to be normal you will never know how amazing you can be” (Maya Angelou).

Not comparing ourselves to others, finding confidence in our own journeys and how they cross-over and interlink with others.

Knowing strength, assertiveness, business savvy, resilience, can go hand in hand with empathy, care, support and sensitivity.

Reading – “currently I am reading the ‘Awakened Empath’ by Luna and Sol, to learn how to manage being a highly sensitive person in different situations from work to relationships. I am also reading ‘Soul Plan – Reconnecting with your true life purpose’ by Blue Marsden, this book teaches how to read our soul destiny – both worldly and spiritual challenges, talents and goals. I find a lot of this stuff resonates and can help you keep an open mind” (Rosie).

Drinking water! This helps us concentrate and stay healthy.

Listening to music – “Throughout lockdown I played Erykah Badu, Zero 7 and Nitin Sawhney on repeat” (Rosie).

We hope this has been both insightful and helpful! Thank you for reading. Stay tuned for our Spotlight Edition 2 coming soon. Take care!