Something to do, someone to love, something to look forward to

“The three components of happiness are something to do, someone to love, and something to look forward to" - Gordon Livingstone M.D.

The work shines a light on being an outsider, on power dynamics and racism, on having to prove yourself and your worth repeatedly. It tells of the longing for home. It’s the story told by Teuta, a woman who fled her country and came to Sweden in search of a better life and future for herself and her family.

This work becomes more and more relevant in today’s climate where division in our society is growing and the separation into “Them” and “Us” colours our days, news, works places, universities etc.

The piece speaks of the somethings to do, the someones to love and the things there are yet to look forward to. Things which are worth fighting for and keep us going, those which bring us together.

The multidisciplinary piece balances on the exciting border between contemporary dance and physical theatre. Together with the cast, Lee Brummer has created a language of her own. It’s a raw and storytelling language, consisting of communicative movement. A painful, universally-told story unfolds and is told by the dancers. The result is a performance that in a direct, playful and yet accessible way intertwines dance with spoken word, text, movement and music.

The spoken text delivered in the work (script based on the original interview with Teuta) is in English.

Photos featured are taken by AdeY.

Choreographer’s notes - Lee Brummer

The story of how this work came about is a long and winding tale, I will try to be short.

It started in December 2018 in the first stage research and development process. Back then the work was based on a book called “Too soon old, Too late smart” by Gordon Livingstone. Amongst other things, it speaks of the pursuit of happiness reckoning that the three components for that are: Something to do, Someone to love and Something to look forward to. The creation process was always going to include research of mine about the meeting of my two passions, text and movement and how they co-exist.

Skipping ahead- it’s 2020 covid came into our lives which postponed the 2020 final development and premiere of the work numerous times… Early 2022 When working towards this development, I acknowledged that so much had changed in the past four years and many aspects of my original idea didn’t feel relevant anymore.

I decided to stay with the title but wanted to draw from peoples real life experiences. My plan was to interview individuals and hear about their somethings to do, someones to love and somethings to look forward to. It felt like something I (and maybe we all ?) needed after the 2 years that had passed.

My first interview was with Teuta, the mother of a close friend of mine. I knew little bits about different pieces of her life and so in the interview, I asked her one question: “what is your story?” ready to hear about it all in her own words. We sat for a total of 4 hours and I recorded it all. I left her home knowing that her story can not just be a small part of something bigger. In itself, It is too big and too important and It’s a story that needs to be heard.

Teuta’s daughter, Rudina, was a part of our process, supporting me with the script editing and dramaturgy and supporting the dancers with the work on the text, the work is what it is much because of her support and dedication to this process.

This work is here to tell the story of a woman I feel is so very inspiring. For all the women, all the parents, all the people who have had to and continue to have to fight for their families and for their basic rights. May we all have some Teuta in us.

I was blessed to work with four performers who have been so brave and willing to try things they never had before and were willing to fall and try again because they too believed in the importance of sharing this story in the best way we can. Jennifer, Anoushka, Naomi and Siri I thank you for your dedication, willingness, depth and courage and for your trust in me. My cup runneth over.