Spirix Retold: When the Story Took Flight
Photography by Owen Peters
In December 2025, something shifted.
Not quietly.
Not safely.
But with movement.
Spirix Retold marked the official launch of Spirix Collective, the next evolution of WigLe Dance. And we didn’t announce it with a logo or a statement.
We performed it.
Because at Spirix, we don’t just talk about change.
We perform it.
Across three performances, 80 young people stepped into something bigger than a show. They stepped into a story. A living, breathing piece of modern folklore rooted in Wigan, shaped by youth, and driven by purpose.
This wasn’t about getting it perfect.
It was about being real.
Being seen.
Being heard.
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.
Across the performances, that idea came through clearly. Big group sections where everyone moved together and the energy lifted. Smaller moments where individual dancers had space to be seen.
It felt honest.
Not polished for the sake of it. Just real.
The space at The Engine Room helped with that too. Industrial, open, a bit rough around the edges. It didn’t need dressing up. It matched the work.
The Sound of It All
Music played a huge part in shaping the piece.
The score, created by Tom Hodgson from All Trax CIC, gave the work its rhythm and atmosphere. It helped carry the dancers through each section and supported the shifts in energy across the performance.
There were moments where everything felt quiet and focused. Others where the sound drove the movement forward and filled the space.
It helped the whole piece feel connected.
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.
We didn’t expect everything to be perfect. That’s not the point of Spirix.
It’s about building confidence. About giving young people the space to try, to take risks, and to grow.
And you could see that across the three performances. Dancers settling into the work, growing in confidence, starting to really own their place on stage.
More Than Just Performing
There was also a team of young people working behind the scenes.
Supporting with stage management, helping things run smoothly, making sure each performance happened the way it needed to.
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.
How It Was Made
The creative team, led by Amy Hodgson, with choreography from Jessica Clarke and Jessica Bennett, and support from Helen Linsell, created a space where young people could contribute, not just follow.
That balance matters.
There was structure, but also flexibility. Clear direction, but room for ideas.
The work wasn’t just delivered to the group. It was built with them.
Looking Back
Each performance had its own feel.
The first had that mix of nerves and excitement.
The second felt more settled.
The third felt confident.
By the end, it wasn’t just about remembering steps. It was about understanding what the piece meant and performing it with intention.
What Stays With Us
Now the performances have finished, what stays is more than the show itself.
It’s the confidence built over the process.
The connections between the group.
The sense of being part of something bigger.
Spirix Retold was a way of sharing what Spirix stands for.
Giving young people space to express themselves.
Trusting them to take the lead.
And showing what can happen when they do.
That’s what we’ll carry forward.
