Spirix Retold: When the Story Took Flight
Photography by Owen Peters
In December 2025, Spirix Retold marked the official launch of Spirix Collective, the next evolution of WigLe Dance.
Across three performances, 80 young people stepped into Wigan’s Trencherfield Mill to perform a new , original contemporary dance piece written by Spirix Creatives, based on modern folklore rooted in Wigan. The piece was shaped by our talented young dancers and creatives, who’s input, ideas, and passion ensured that our rebirth performance was crafted by our very own DNA,
An accompanying score was composed by electronic music producer Tom Hodgson (Tom2Trax) and a full performance film was shot to mark the occasion. A new chapter for Spirix Collective - rising from the ashes.
Bringing the Spirix to Life
The piece was built around the Spirix story. Not as something abstract, but something the young people could connect to. A symbol of change. Of speaking up. Of doing things differently. This was the final creative centrepiece on our huge rebrand that we undertook throughout 2025.
Across the multiple weekend performances, the idea of rebirth, new chapters, and inspiration came through clearly. The performance was punctuated by big group sections where everyone moved together and the energy lifted, as well as dmaller moments where individual dancers had space to be seen.
The space at The Engine Room helped with that too: it was industrial, open, and raw. A perfect stage and blank canvas for our dancers to express, move, and let the piece sit in suspended, Northern ambience.
Soundtracked by Musical Collaboration
Music played a huge part in shaping the piece as we move towards our new identity as a multi disciplinary arts collective. Our aim was to introduce new rhythms and collaborations to our young creatives, exposing them to multimedia, collaborative work across music and dance.
The score, produced and composed by Tom Hodgson (Tom2Trax) from Alltrax CIC, took elements from classical music, ambient, breakbeat, techno, and industrial, and gave the work its rhythm and atmosphere. The music - and choreography - traversed through: ‘Sameness’, ‘Lost’, ‘Rebellion’, ‘Forest/Flight’ , ‘Together’ & more sections (listen in the links) each one evoking a range of emotions felt in the journey of rebirth.
There were moments where everything felt quiet and focused. Others where the sound drove the movement forward and filled the space.
Young People at the Centre
The cast brought together young people from different groups and schools across Wigan. Different ages, different experiences, all coming into the same space. What mattered most was that they were able to be themselves.
The performances championed building confidence and giving young people the space to try, to take risks, and to grow.
And you could see that across the three performances: our dancers settled into the work, grew in confidence, and started to really own their place on stage.
More Than Just Performing
There was also a team of young people working behind the scenes. They supported with stage management, helping things run smoothly, making sure each performance happened the way it needed to. A huge thanks to our team of young people: they played a big part in making the whole thing work.
At Spirix, it’s important that opportunities don’t just sit on the stage. Young people should be part of every part of the process, whether that’s performing or supporting behind the scenes.
Choreographed in-house & externally
The creative team, led by Amy Hodgson, with fantastic, expressive choreography from Jessica Clarke and Jessica Bennett - and additional support from Helen Linsell - created a space where young people could contribute, not just follow.
This was our first time working in this way as a newly rebranded collective. There was structure, but also flexibility. Clear direction, but room for ideas.
What Stays With Us
Post-performance: we can reflect on the fact that Spirix Retold was a way of sharing what Spirix stands for:
Giving young people space to express themselves. Trusting them to take the lead.
Collaborating with other artforms: music & film.
Taking bold risks into new territory as a collective whole.
