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Creative Team
TREE was inspred by the book TREE by Britta Teckentrupp from Little Tiger Press. You can find out more about the book or order a copy here:
Click here for information about illustrator Britta Teckentrupp and writer Pat Hegarty.

Sally Knight
Director/Choreographer and Producer
Sally is a choreographer, movement director and educator who still dabbles in performing when the opportunity arises. She is the Artistic Director and lead producer for Cscape and develops and creates each project with passion, creativity and joy! She lives by the sea in Cornwall, is mum to 2 children aged 5 and 6 and is married to a tree specialist (hence the love of trees for this project!). Favourite season: Spring, when the bluebells come out and the leaves start popping out on the trees.
Favourite kind of tree: a close call between an oak tree, and a Monkey puzzle tree."
Sally is a choreographer, movement director and educator who still dabbles in performing when the opportunity arises. She is the Artistic Director and lead producer for Cscape and develops and creates each project with passion, creativity and joy! She lives by the sea in Cornwall, is mum to 2 children aged 5 and 6 and is married to a tree specialist (hence the love of trees for this project!). Favourite season: Spring, when the bluebells come out and the leaves start popping out on the trees.
Favourite kind of tree: a close call between an oak tree, and a Monkey puzzle tree."

Hana Backland
Film maker
Hana uses all sorts of camera kit to help people tell their stories and show their creations. She regularly collaborates with community, arts and education groups and shoots behind the scenes on large scale feature films.
Hana is governed by the tides and will swim until she's called indoors for dinner.
Favourite Season: Winter. No such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing!
Favourite Tree: Any of the beech trees lining the route to her old primary school
Hana uses all sorts of camera kit to help people tell their stories and show their creations. She regularly collaborates with community, arts and education groups and shoots behind the scenes on large scale feature films.
Hana is governed by the tides and will swim until she's called indoors for dinner.
Favourite Season: Winter. No such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing!
Favourite Tree: Any of the beech trees lining the route to her old primary school

Anna Sadler
Co-creator and performer of Tree in 2019 and workshop facilitator in 2023, Anna has worked with Cscape over the past 5 years as an Early Years Dance practitioner. Anna comes from a Fine Art background and also teaches yoga, meditation and Biodanza. She is mum to a 9 year old and lives in Cornwall.
Favourite season:
Favourite Tree:
Favourite season:
Favourite Tree:

Polly Motley
Dancer and co-creator of Tree. Polly originally trained at the Northern school of Contemporary dance before joining the Edge post graduate performance company at London Contemporary Dance School. She has worked with a wide range of companies and choreographers including the Royal Opera House and Kneehigh. She has worked with Cscape over the past 15 years on a wide range of projects. Polly is mum and step mum to 3 children and lives in West Cornwall.
Favourite Season:
Favoyrite Tree:
Favourite Season:
Favoyrite Tree:

Barnaby Taylor Composer
Composer of original music. Barnaby Taylor is an Emmy Award-winning composer for film and television. He works with major broadcasters, musicians and orchestras on a range of documentaries, dramas and advertising. He lives in west Cornwall.
Favourite season is SUMMER. "I love an August thunder storm because it reminds me of Florida where my mum lives."
Favourite tree is a Yew "because they are magical and their dusty red berries are like beach glass (also poisonous!)."
Favourite season is SUMMER. "I love an August thunder storm because it reminds me of Florida where my mum lives."
Favourite tree is a Yew "because they are magical and their dusty red berries are like beach glass (also poisonous!)."

Alessandra Ausenda
Designer Alessandra, is a visual artist and educator and Co Director of Tough Dough CIC. Her practice has involved collaborations with teams of artists, performers, teachers, young people and families for over 30 years. Creating the set for ‘Tree’ is exactly the kind of project she loves being involved in.
Favourite season: Spring, with its promise of long days and growth.
Favourite kind of tree: Chestnuts lined my walk to school as a child growing up in Rome.
Favourite season: Spring, with its promise of long days and growth.
Favourite kind of tree: Chestnuts lined my walk to school as a child growing up in Rome.

Zaid Al Rikabi
Zaid Al-Rikabi is a freelance musician and composer, an actor and puppeteer.
He has composed music for many productions & companies including Kneehigh Theatre (FUP), Rogue Theatre (Mr. Zablionio), the Minack Theatre (Goodnight Mr. Tom, The Railway Children, The Secret Garden)
As well as working in traditional theatre Zaid also writes for, produces, directs and performs in a music project called "The People's String Foundation
Favourite month: "summer, when the days are warm, fragrant and long, and freckles come back to visit people’s noses and cheeks for their Favourite tree "the stone pine without a doubt! Welcome shade from the hot sun."
He has composed music for many productions & companies including Kneehigh Theatre (FUP), Rogue Theatre (Mr. Zablionio), the Minack Theatre (Goodnight Mr. Tom, The Railway Children, The Secret Garden)
As well as working in traditional theatre Zaid also writes for, produces, directs and performs in a music project called "The People's String Foundation
Favourite month: "summer, when the days are warm, fragrant and long, and freckles come back to visit people’s noses and cheeks for their Favourite tree "the stone pine without a doubt! Welcome shade from the hot sun."

Ishita Raina
Dancer and collaborator, this is Ishita's first project with Cscape. Born and brought up in Delhi, India , originally from Kashmir, Ishita is a Contemporary dancer and aerialist who likes to combine eastern and western practices.
She started dancing with The Danceworx in Delhi (2009-2013) and performed for over 100 shows at KOD (Kingdom of Dreams , Gurgaon) in the musical Jhumroo. She did a summer intensive with SEAD (Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance) in 2011. She was invited by the NDCW (National dance company of Wales) after their collaboration with The Danceworx, Delhi (Cascade) in 2013 for a dance project - Alternative Routes 2013 .
She is currently working in the UK with companies including Cscapel, Yskanna, Incandescence and creating her own work and . research of movement in different mediums: air(rope &straps) , wall(vertical dance) , ground( harness & contemporary dance) and water ( under water movement).
She started dancing with The Danceworx in Delhi (2009-2013) and performed for over 100 shows at KOD (Kingdom of Dreams , Gurgaon) in the musical Jhumroo. She did a summer intensive with SEAD (Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance) in 2011. She was invited by the NDCW (National dance company of Wales) after their collaboration with The Danceworx, Delhi (Cascade) in 2013 for a dance project - Alternative Routes 2013 .
She is currently working in the UK with companies including Cscapel, Yskanna, Incandescence and creating her own work and . research of movement in different mediums: air(rope &straps) , wall(vertical dance) , ground( harness & contemporary dance) and water ( under water movement).

Lucy Freeman
Based in East Cornwall, Lucy is a professional performer working across dance, theatre and community settings. As an advocate for access to both the arts and to nature, Lucy is passionate about projects that look to uplift, engage and inspire audiences.
Her personal intention to live consciously, and close to nature, aligns with her love of sharing projects and practices that aim to deepen our understanding of ourselves, and this truly wonderful planet we inhabit
Lucy completed her professional training in Dance at AMATA - Falmouth University, and then went on to do her MA with MapDance before embarking on a professional career as a dancer, performer, storyteller and facilitator.
What’s your Favourite season Lucy?
I love when the late summer starts to turn to autumn 🍂 The morning and evening air becomes a little crisper, but there’s still warmth, colour and light.
What’s your Favourite Tree?
A cocoa tree! 🌿 They produce pods and inside those pods are seeds called cocoa beans, and this is where chocolate comes from!
Her personal intention to live consciously, and close to nature, aligns with her love of sharing projects and practices that aim to deepen our understanding of ourselves, and this truly wonderful planet we inhabit
Lucy completed her professional training in Dance at AMATA - Falmouth University, and then went on to do her MA with MapDance before embarking on a professional career as a dancer, performer, storyteller and facilitator.
What’s your Favourite season Lucy?
I love when the late summer starts to turn to autumn 🍂 The morning and evening air becomes a little crisper, but there’s still warmth, colour and light.
What’s your Favourite Tree?
A cocoa tree! 🌿 They produce pods and inside those pods are seeds called cocoa beans, and this is where chocolate comes from!
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