Becoming ESPE…

Jen Wren on Hope, Heritage, and Her Bold New Production.

After a few quiet years on stage, dance artist and choreographer Jen Wren, Artistic Director of Slanjayvah Danza, returns to the studio with a new creation: ESPE. Following years of deep research, community collaboration, and international exchange, Wren is ready to open the next chapter in Slanjayvah Danza’s story — one rooted in courage, belonging, and hope.

Phil Sanger (PS) – It feels exciting to finally talk about your next production. But before we get to that, I want to ask about the gap. After lockdown, Slanjayvah Danza seemed unstoppable… What’s been going on behind the scenes?

Jen Wren (JW) – It’s true, there’s been quite a gap in touring and live performance. But there has been a lot happening behind the scenes between renovating spaces, developing new programmes, fundraising, research residencies and lots of talking with artists. Slanjayvah Danza has recently secured Creative Scotland funding to move ESPE into the studio, which is very exciting.

PS – Congratulations! So, you’re about to enter the R&D phase for ESPE. What can you tell us about it?

JW – ESPE is the character I’ll play. The name comes from Esperanza, which means “Hope” in Spanish. It follows a young woman wrestling with the difference between fitting in and belonging, always feeling on the outskirts, and trying to understand why.

PS – Where did the idea come from?

JW – ESPE has been forming for years. It’s drawn from lived experiences (not just my own) surrounding themes of identity, heritage, environment, neurodiversity, bullying, self-discovery, courage, and the relationship to hope woven through it all.

PS – Is it autobiographical?

JW – I definitely exist within it, but ESPE represents and will represent others who have shared their own stories and experiences between “fitting in” and a sense of “belonging”.   As Brené Brown says, fitting in is the opposite of belonging. Belonging means being able to show up as your true self.

PS – What’s driving you to make this piece now?

JW – Next question! (laughs).  I think rather than go into that, people can see the synopsis on the website and decide for themselves.  To be honest, explaining in words won’t ever really cut it, so I guess that’s why it’s “told” within a performance.

ESPE is also a call to action for me; each new work pushes me to learn something new about myself and others… and ESPE is no different.  Artistically, the work lets me weave together an array of artistic forms, some of which are new to me (in performance myself) and others not so new.  So there is a lot of artistic growth throughout the process and the project itself.

PS – It sounds complex.

JW – It is — and that’s the beauty. Let it be complex! 

Pandora’s box has been bursting to open for some time.  On a side note and interesting for me, I discovered the other day that the last item taken out of Pandora’s box was in fact “Hope”.  I liked that.

Excitingly, this time I’m not self-directing.  I will be collaborating with incredible artists who will all feed into the journey towards creating ESPE. 

PS – Oooo, tell me about them.

JW – ESPE may be a “solo” performance, but its definitely not a solo process. I will be working with an international team of collaborators from Scotland, Ireland, Cape Breton and Spain including: Pat Kinevane (writing & co-direction), Rob Heaslip (dramaturgy & rehearsal direction), Jenny McKenzie (Cape Breton Step Dance), Susana Aguilar and Luisa Galan (Flamenco/Contemporary), and musician/composers Calum MacCrimmon (Pipes) and Luke Sutherland who is a multi-instrumentalist amongst other talents.  

PS – When will audiences get a glimpse?

JW – The full work is a way off. But this spring, we’ll work to craft a 30-minute draft, ultimately a test piece that we will share with the project partners and their communities, to get their feedback, which ultimately feeds into the next part of the process to develop/create the work.

PS – Exciting times.

JW – Exciting and scary at the same time.  I’ve a lot to get into and it’s been a while.  If I go quiet again, then you know I’ve taken the deep dive that ESPE truly deserves.  Here we go!