As Eliot Smith Dance marks its 15th anniversary, Artistic Director Eliot Smith reflects on the reimagining of POPPY, a powerful dance work first created in 2018 to commemorate the centenary of the Armistice. Lee Allcock caught up with Eliot to discuss this significant milestone.
POPPY was first created in 2018. Why did you choose to re-imagine it now? And what has changed in this new version?
POPPY was originally created to mark the centenary of the Armistice on 11 November 1918 and premiered at The Glasshouse, formerly Sage Gateshead. Reimagining the work now felt particularly timely, as global conflicts continue to shape our world and public consciousness, and following the UK’s marking of 80 years since Victory in Europe (VE) Day in 2025. This new version continues to draw on the enduring symbolism of the poppy flower and is further inspired by illustrations from The Art of World War II by John Noott. Featuring an original score by multi-award-winning composer Adam Johnson and performed by five exceptional dancers, the work follows a couple torn apart by the devastation of the Second World War.
What made POPPY the right work to open your 15th anniversary year?
POPPY feels like a fitting way to begin our 15th anniversary because it reflects the values that have shaped Eliot Smith Dance from the very start: honesty, social reflection, and a deep respect for audiences. The piece sits at the intersection of art and community, inviting people to pause, reflect, and share an experience together.
You place strong emphasis on community engagement and post-show conversations throughout your work. How do those values shape the way POPPY is performed and experienced on tour?
Community engagement is central to how we make and share work. With POPPY, post-show conversations allow audiences to process what they have seen together, share memories, and speak about experiences they may not often voice. These moments of exchange are as important to us as the performance itself. At the recent premiere at Alnwick Playhouse on Remembrance Sunday, one audience member, a Royal Signals veteran, shared his emotional response and praise for the work. His contribution was deeply moving and a powerful reminder of how strongly the piece can resonate across generations and lived experiences. We also involve local adults in workshops that directly inform performance adaptations. For POPPY, nine local adults from South East Northumberland and the wider North East collaborated to create Sea of Red Dancers, a community performance reflecting on war, remembrance, and hope. Developed through workshops at Woodhorn Museum and performed on 1 November 2025, in collaboration with the Royal British Legion Northumbria Branch, the work was a tribute inspired by the poppy and the poetry of John McCrae. Sea of Red Dancers will next be performed as a curtain-raiser for POPPY at Newbiggin Maritime Centre on 18 February 2026.
As you mark 15 years of Eliot Smith Dance, what feels most significant about the company’s journey so far?
What feels most significant is our commitment to people – artists, audiences, and communities – and the trust that has grown from that commitment. Over 15 years, we have remained independent and values-led, often working at the margins and in non-traditional spaces, regionally, nationally, and internationally. We have built long-term relationships, taken creative risks, and consistently asked why the work matters, not just how it looks. I want to thank everyone who has interacted with Eliot Smith Dance over the past 15 years, including our funders and Friends of ESD, whose support has been invaluable.
And finally, what are you most excited about next?
To celebrate Eliot Smith Dance’s 15th anniversary, we have a landmark year ahead. The Spring tour of POPPY will bring the work to audiences across the North East and Tunbridge Wells. This will be followed by ESD via the Lens, a photography exhibition by John Lyons, and the documentary In Conversation with Eliot Smith in June.
To find out more about Eliot Smith Dance, head to eliotsmithdance.com.
