If Wishes Were Horses: exploring childhood dreams 

If Wishes Were Horses, was created and performed at Winchester University in 2016 and at The Arc, Winchester in 2017. The work explored the nursery rhyme: If Wishes Were Horses, Beggars Would Ride, asking people of all ages about their childhood dreams and ambitions.

In the early stages of research, Sam was inspired by working with young people and adults living with dementia, and so the work developed to ask the company of dancers to remember their childhood dreams.

The show included Becky’s childhood dream of becoming a car mechanic like her big brother, Helen becoming a chef, and Becky B becoming a Fosse Dancer. Together the dancers brought these dreams to life in the show using contemporary dance, contact partnering and lifts, and by using plastic sheets they invited the audience to question the fluctuating, fickle nature of our dreams and wishes. 

If Wishes Were Horses was supported by Integr8 Dance CIC, The Point, University of Chichester and Winchester University.