Matilda has been creating music in response to her walks in the highlands for many years. Her first music and mountain performances took place at Mull Theatre and Cove Park in 2010, based upon her cold long distance winter walk across Knoydart.

In April 2014, she wanted to walk the furthest she had ever walked on her own before, carrying everything she needed.

“I wanted to experience what the rhythm of walking would feel like, emotionally and physically, after days upon days of walking through Scotland’s wilderness on my own. It was important to me to carry my pack with everything I needed each day too. I was seeking adventure and solitude.”

Joan Cleville, dancer and choreographer (who Matilda has already worked with) was keen to experience the same solitude in the highlands and wanted to dance for the same length of time as Matilda walked – to experience a parallel physical and emotional journey.

They both listened to the same playlists of music on their journeys and contacted each other (when there was reception!) along the way to share their findings.

Matilda completed her 21 day walk of the Cape Wrath trail on May 11th 2014. Joan finished his 21 days of dance at the same time in a remote peninsula in the west coast, called Scoraig. There he also worked with the school and performed sections of his newly devised dance, while Matilda walked!

Since the walk, the two artists have been working hard to create music and dance that embraces all their findings and stories – their trials and tribulations, the people they met, the trees, the birds, the solitude. Together they have worked in various locations across Scotland – Dundee, Glasgow and Loch Tay. In a few weeks time they will be putting the final touches together at their Aberdeen, Citymoves residency, ready for the Premiere.