2. Who we are Braena is an interdisciplinary performance company; we create original performance work and facilitate inclusive-movement based workshops in the community alongside artists from different disciplines including music, visual art and film. Who we are

3. Brent Anna Tracey

4. Braena aims to...... Provide opportunities for individuals with learning disabilities. Improve individual’s health and well being

5. Enhance the quality of life for Young people and adults who have learning disabilities in the North East. Influence mainstream provision to incorporate dance as a form of intervention for health and wellness. To work as a collective that is supported by highly recognised artists with a common goal. To deliver a culturally rich and diverse high quality artistic performance to audiences. Empower individuals and involve them in the management of the service. Offer person centred creative activities.

7. Tracey, Brent and Anna Project manager Susie Tate. Our families. Support from Arts Council England through The National Lottery

8. The communities we work in. The participants we work with. Support from Arts Centre Washington and Dance City. Support from Artists regionally and nationally. Collaboration with Musician Nick Williams.

9. Braena delivered two terms of inclusive creative movement based workshops in partnership with Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens. We are company in residence at Arts Centre Washington

10. In 2011 Braena received a research and development grant form Arts Council England through the national lottery, to develop a methodology and framework for co-facilitation, to support and enable Brent to Co facilitate workshops and to support Braena’s practice. Image Slideshow http://vimeo.com/38131378 http://vimeo.com/38131378 Braena's creative process to develop a methodology and framework for co facilitation captured in pictures. Captured in the images are workshop participants from Braena's Creative Summer residency at Dance City.

11. In September 2012 Braena were company in residence for 3 months at Arts Centre Washington and were supported by Arts Council England to work with internationally renowned performer, choreographer and genetics councillor Caroline Bowditch and musician Nick Williams to research and develop their first full length performance work ‘There are 3’. ‘There are 3’ is a trio about choice, experiences, relationships, journeys and stories; exploring love, dreams, hopes, fears and being brother and sister. As part of the research project for ‘There are 3’ we delivered creative music and movement workshops in the community and educational settings through out the region. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEXhPNSqOjghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEXhPNSqOjg And shared our research through improvised performance at platforms in the North East. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ikDd430Umwhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ikDd430Umw

12. Braena’s practice is accessible, it gives participants a choice, and we work with authentic movement practices and contact improvisation. We improvise the moment we cease to know what is going to happen, improvisation provides us with a means to excavating layers of experience, sensation, character, feelings that we normally rush through or suppress. Through Braena we want to give people choices and opportunities for creative growth. Through improvisation Braena explore the body and its surroundings in movement with solo warm ups, working in pairs and groups improvisations. We work with improvisation as a source for original material, to develop a piece of work and within performance. Braena support people who have a creative talent but cannot follow the conventional routes, through work placements, creative workshops, and apprenticeships.

14. A trio about choice, experiences, relationships, journeys and stories; exploring love, dreams, hopes, fears and being brother and sister. Braena’s first performance work. Choreographed by Caroline Bowditch. Working with musician Nick Williams and moving image artist Lyndsey Duncanson. Working with families who have a sibling who have Downs Syndrome. Outreach workshops for people in the community and students in education and professionals.

15. To develop high quality performance work to tour regionally, nationally and internationally. Working with professional renowned Choreographers. To develop a series of inclusive creative movement based workshops based in Sunderland and the surrounding areas for professionals, people with learning disabilities in the community and students in education.

17. Images by Oran Milstein, James Froment and Betty Brown