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Creative Trail at Durham Botanic Garden



As part of our ongoing collaborations with Professor Paul Chazot and Durham University, Balbir Singh Dance Company has designed a Creative Sweet Spots Trail that runs through the heart of Durham University’s Botanic Garden. Tying together our explorations in creative health and wellbeing, the trail encourages you to take your shoes for a walk and rediscover the connections between ourselves and nature.


25-26
Credits
2025 to 2026


Exploring the Trail Together:
A Guided Preview Walk



On 18th June 2025, we held a soft launch event that brought together participants and artists from a range of projects, infusing each stop on the trail with an interactive, creative experience.



Listen to an introduction to the Creative Sweet Spots Trail, narrated by Professor Paul Chazot, in the audio above.

To explore the full audio trail, visit our Linktree here.



The Gardener and the Professor


Adam Strickson, in character as the gardener of Durham’s Botanics, led the day. Guiding our participants from one stop to the next, Adam’s enthusiasm helped build anticipation and engagement at each point, as he interacted with the various artists (and the Professor) who joined us on the day.




Interacting with our Participants


As part of our Resilient Dancer Programme, Tara Balfour, a dancer of Scottish-Indian heritage, was invited to be one of the artists guiding participants through the trail. Tara was able to develop her collaborative skills and inform her own practice, which includes work with Yorkshire Dance and other organisations focused on wellbeing and dementia.




Performances across the Botanic Garden


Rooted in their dance practice and branching into new creative ground, the trail was brought to life by dancers Madhura, Tara, Devaraj and Kali, whose expressive and graceful movements traced new creativity through the Botanic Garden.








A Final Word from Su Madden, Participant




“

The day was perfect, the peaceful walk through the sensory trail was amazing, plenty of chairs to sit with your own thoughts and the dancers were impeccably fantastic at what they do.  In particular I loved the layout, the flowers and greenery all the way round were just wow.  I visited the gardens again in my own time and it was better second time around as we weren't pushed for time and was able to relax with a picnic under my favourite tree, priceless!!

Thank you for always doing what yous do. Yous bring so much enjoyment to many.


- Su Madden, Participant ”






Dancers

Devaraj Thimmaiah
Kali Chandrasegaram
Madhura Godbole
Tara Balfour

 Trail Lead

Adam Strickson

 Photographers

Balbir Singh
Gavin Joynt
Morgan Girvin
Yixuan He

 Find out more:

Durham University
Botanic Garden

Tara Balfour