Body-in-Play is a practice-based performance that seeks to nurture the “self in context.” Informed by Taoist philosophy, it will explore the dynamic body-landscape in resonance with Compensare: For the Swallows We Weigh. Through relational play and embodied response, movement artists Kim Bormann, Seraina Dejaco, Sarah Butler and Dawn Reeves and artist Marley Starskey Butler will reflect, respond to, and remix the exhibition’s sonic and visual textures, interacting playfully through the conversational body. Conceived within 24 hours of its presentation, it will unfold as a shared moment in time. The artists will develop the performance through private and public collaboration. Development, testing and rehearsals will be open to the public from 12–5pm, with a performance from 7pm as part of Digbeth First Friday. Artist BiosKim Bormann is a German-Chinese movement artist, performer and facilitator. She has an academic background in Education and holds a PGCert in Dance and Physical Theatre. Subsequently she has gained a wealth of experience, teaching, performing, facilitating and, in recent years, has been defining principles for her movement practice CircularDynamics*, developing a holistic process of ‘Mapping | Self in Context’ alongside. By synthesising movement research with her understanding of Taoist systems, she provides a framework, connecting ‘the conversational body’ to their inner landscape and outer surroundings, deepening somatic understanding and sparking creative potential in and among others. In the past she has worked with theatre casts, performance artists/poets and has facilitated cycles of performance workshops, furthering the idea of ‘dynamic company’. Currently she is the dancer of Displace Studio’s mixed reality piece ‘Replica’, part of Marley Starksey Butler’s exhibition ‘Compensare: For The Swallows We Weight’ and will soon join Dawn Reeve’s performance research ‘We-dentity – in the company of entangled selves’. *Inspired by movement itself CircularDynamics is an open exploration that seeks to guide participants dynamically, highlighting possibilities for the moving, dancing, imagining body, whilst seeking lightness and playfulness, transforming limitations into new potential.Dawn Reeves is a performance artist and film maker, currently studying for an MA in expanded choreography. Dawn has long-term practice working with four alter-egos to make performance art, film, movement pieces and action-paintings. The alter-egos are constantly in action, often in the public space, engaging with others and with objects. Dawn’s research explores how working with different embodied versions of ourselves helps us create new ways of being together; more we - community and relationality, and less I - individualism. It is full of joy, curiosity and disruption. Her performance-based film Full full, half half (2023) featuring alter-ego Tatyana, a Czech gymnast, was selected for the Cannes Artist Film Festival, the European Cultural Centre Institute of Performance Art Exhibition in Rome and 8 film festivals across Europe. A founder member of TAA Galerie collective in Berlin, she has performed widely in Germany and the Netherlands. A British/Irish artist, Dawn works between her studio in Nottingham, and in the University of ARTez, Netherlands. Seraina Dejaco is a dance artist based in Nottingham. She graduated from Trinity Laban with a BA and MA in Choreography. She was a member of Daghdha Dance Company/Limerick and was one of the founding members and artistic director of DEJACOmpanie which toured nationally in Switzerland. Recently she performed for Romanian Artist Alexandra Pirici at Art Basel, Purple Theatre and she is a dancer for choreographer Kerryn Wise, De Montfort University. Funded by the Arts Council she created and performed the work ‘Nimmermehr’ in collaboration with dancer artist Cheryl Wimperis. The piece was selected to be presented at the International Dance Bodensee conference in Switzerland. Amongst others Seraina performed for Miquel Pereira, Joe Moran, Lucy Suggate, Sioned Huws’ Odori-Dawns-Dance Company and several times with Nicola Conibere, Ian Doland’s Dirtmarket and Amy Pickler. She worked with Gecko to support their Wedding tour. Seraina has been awarded the danceWEB scholarship for Impulstanz in Vienna and received the Culture Award of county Thurgau/Switzerland. She has become more and more interested in developing her own practice which draws from her extensive movement experience, somatic practises and teaching dance and Pilates to a diverse range of people. Sarah Butler is a freelance dance and theatre artist based in South Derbyshire. She has extensive experience working as a multi-skilled performer and maker across dance, theatre and puppetry. Being part of devised work, with a strong collaborative approach is a particular interest, as well as performing outdoors and in unusual spaces and places. Past and present performance experience includes works with; AutinDT, Soundcatchers, Tell Tale Hearts, Glasshouse Dance, Beautiful Creatures, Coreo Cymru/Wales Millenium Centre, Tutti Frutti Productions, Birmingham Opera Company, Katie Green, Inspirate UK, Spiltmilk Dance and Rebel Sparks. Sarah has toured extensively across the UK and internationally including; Norway, Macau, Belgium, Ireland, Spain, Gran Canaria (AutinDT), Egypt (Tell Tale Hearts), Denmark/ Sweden (Katie Green). She works and has worked as rehearsal director for AutinDT and Spiltmilk Dance, choreographic mentor for Linden DC, Deaf Explorer, Rebel Sparks, Spiltmilk Dance and RESETDanceCo. Her teaching and facilitation practice includes; Engagement Artist NDCWales, lecturer on Undergrad/Postgrad courses at Derby University and University of Lincoln, workshop facilitator for RSC and Birmingham Hippodrome and leading pro classes for Tom Dale Company, Brum Pro Class, EMDAN, Derby Dance Network and Creative Pro Exchange. Sarah is Director/Project Manager for East Midlands Dance Artist Network C.I.C.(EMDAN). She has successfully secured Arts Council Funding and a wide range of organisational partnerships to support EMDAN’s activities/ artist support since 2024. Marley Starskey Butler is a Birmingham based interdisciplinary artist and qualified social worker. Their practice interweaves storytelling, memory, and emotional landscapes to explore how people make meaning of personal and collective narratives within systems of care. Grounded in lived professional and familial experience in child protection, fostering, adoption, and mental health, their work centres on themes of well-being, social justice, and human rights. These experiences inform both the content and methodology of their practice, positioning it at an intersection of art and social care. Marley is working with Eastside Projects as an Incidental Artist supported by a Wheatley Fellowship from Birmingham School of Arts, and following a placement at Beacon Family Services developed the exhibition Compensare: For the Swallows We Weigh. Recent exhibitions and projects include Thirty-Six, Midlands Art Centre, Birmingham (2024); Hospital Rooms – Sandwell CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) (2023/4); Dwelling, Eagle Works Studios, Wolverhampton (2024); Reclaiming Narratives: Voices from the College of Medicine and Health, Barber Institute of Fine Arts (2024/25); Reflector, The New Art Gallery Walsall (2024/25), Blast Creative Network, The Wolverhampton School of Art, Wolverhampton (2023); Picturing High Streets, FORMAT International Photography Festival, Derby (2023); Freedom, National Justice Museum, Nottingham (2023); Portrait of Britain, British Journal of Photography, Nationwide – JCDecaux Screen (2022); East Meets West, FORMAT International Photography Festival, Derby (2021). This performance commission is a collaboration with Fabric