Vinterlys Festival 2025 – A Magical experience into the Forest
The title of the piece is really “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” and referred to a poem of the same name, written by the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas in 1947. Over the years, several composers have set the poem to music, including Igor Stravinsky (1954) and Iggy Pop (2019), and now Craig Morrison made an installation around the ideas.
while I just call the installation/performance “The forest shaman” due to my work into it. The artistic leader, costume designer, tech and me performing collaboratively explore the boundaries between human movement, natural form, and constructed space. In a carefully selected area of Fredskoven, the themes of resistance, fragility, and movement unfold.
Performing at Vinterlys Festival
The performance/installation was part of Vinterlys 2025, an international light festival in Skjern that transforms Fredskoven into a mesmerizing landscape of light and interactive art installations, so cool! For nine days, the forest’s small spaces and winding paths were turned into a visually spectacular and immersive experience for thousands of visitors.
The Work
For those nine consecutive nights in February, I performed an improvised, site-specific solo outdoors, embodying the Forest Shaman. Despite the cold and rain, each evening became a unique and ever-evolving experience. For around two hours, I navigated the space alone improvising in response to the audience, the shifting lights, props, and the atmospheric sounds surrounding me. The performance blended ritualistic movement, theatrical storytelling, and interactive engagement, making each night a new experience.
💫 A huge thank you to the audience—for your smiles, interactions, and willingness to connect, play, and take selfies with a mysterious and a little scary Norwegian forest creature 😊
After a short break, I transformed into the Spikey Creature, dancing on rooftops, forest trails, or near other installations, merging movement with the landscape.
Development
Performing a solo in an improvised setting for extended periods was both a challenge and a great training ground. It pushed me as a performer – refining my ability to respond in the moment and fully embrace each night’s unique energy.
Dancing and moving in the cold and rain, adapting to an ever-changing audience, and holding space for hundreds of spectators each night while keeping energy alive and present, was both physically and mentally demanding—but also deeply rewarding as a performer.
Huge thanks to:
🔥 Craig Morrison – for bringing me into yet another crazy and exciting project. This marks our third collaboration. working with you has had a big impact on my career. I am very greatufl.
👗 Heidi Reepslager – for the incredible costumes that fascinated and captivated both me and the audience. They were a joy to move in and brought the Forest Shaman and Sparkly Spikey to life.
🍵 Ant Dickinson – for the company, advice, tech support, and endless tea during our two-week journey.
🎭 Dina Abu Hamdan – for organizing such a great light festival, which welcomed 40,000 visitors.
A Performance Beyond Words
The audience played a crucial role in this experience—curious children, intrigued adults, and passersby who found themselves drawn into the world of the Shaman. Even though I didn’t speak Danish, and spoke a little weird (Norwegian troll??) we found a shared language through movement, eye contact, and playful interactions.
This performance also carried personal meaning for me.
Traveling to Denmark just a month after losing my Danish grandmother made this journey even more special. Her language surrounded me, and in moments of connection with the audience, I felt as if she was there, watching, listening. Hearing Danish words from the audience like, “Du er så flot og smuk,” felt like echoes of a younger version of her.
I hope you saw this, Grandmother. Dancing in the forest lights was so magical!
What’s Next?
Performing at Vinterlys has left a lasting impression on me. It reinforced my love for immersive, site-specific performances and the power of movement, light and sound to create shared experiences. As I look ahead to new projects, I carry this experience with me—one of transformation, resilience, and light in the darkness.
This experience will stay with me for a long time, thank you everybody!