Sticks and Stones

A physical and emotionally charged dance performance about the power of words

Words can hit harder than blows – and stay with us long after they have been spoken.
Sticks and Stones is a powerful contemporary dance performance exploring the impact of language on young people – how words can hurt, empower and shape the way we see ourselves and others.
Rooted in young people’s own experiences, the performance moves between the physical and the digital world, examining language, peer pressure, online communication, identity and the consequences of what we say to and about one another.
Through dynamic movement, physical intensity, striking visuals and an original musical score, Sticks and Stones creates an immersive experience that invites audiences to feel, reflect and engage. Rather than offering simple answers, the performance opens a space for recognition and conversation, encouraging young audiences to question how language shapes their relationships, their sense of identity and the world around them.

FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES – AND THE ADULTS AROUND THEM
Sticks and Stones is particularly suited to schools, festivals, theatres and cultural organisations looking for high-quality performing arts that connect directly with young people’s lived experiences.
The performance offers an opportunity to approach complex and highly relevant issues through an artistic language rather than a didactic one. It can stand alone as a performance experience while also providing a strong starting point for conversations around language, identity, relationships and communication.
A performance about the words we say, the words we hear – and what sticks with us.

PREMIERE & SUPPORT

Sticks and Stones premiered at Kulturhuset Najaden in Halmstad, Sweden, on 28 August 2026, in collaboration with Föreningen Halmstad Danshälsa.

The production was created with support from the Swedish Arts Council (Kulturrådet), Region Halland, Halmstad kommun and Skånes Dansteater.

The full performance has been filmed by Roger Westerberg and is available to view on request.

Trailer

THE ARTISTIC TEAM

Project Leader & Choreographer – Cecee Rowland-Huss
Cecee Rowland-Huss is a freelance dance educator, choreographer, project leader and children’s author based in Halmstad, Sweden. Her artistic practice moves between dance, performing arts and storytelling, with a strong focus on human connection, compassion and wellbeing.
As the initiator and artistic force behind Sticks and Stones, Cecee explores how words affect us, what we carry with us, and what remains long after words have been spoken. Her work is rooted in encounters with people and in the lessons life offers, with a desire to use art to spark reflection, create recognition and encourage more compassionate ways of relating to one another.
Through her artistic and educational projects, Cecee creates work that seeks to engage, include and make a difference – particularly for children and young people, while also engaging the adults around them.

Composer & Artist – Jenny “Paperwing” Soovik
Jenny “Paperwing” Soovik composed the original score for Sticks and Stones. Her music combines beauty, intimacy and emotional depth, capturing and amplifying the movement and atmosphere on stage.
The score has become an integral part of the performance, strengthening its emotional landscape and creating a close, almost magical connection between sound, movement and story.

Filmmaker / Director – Patric Ullaeus
Patric Ullaeus is a Swedish director and photographer and founder of Revolver Film Company in Gothenburg. Known for his distinctive visual storytelling, he created the evocative opening film for Sticks and Stones, establishing the visual language and atmosphere of the performance from its very first moments.
In 2007, Ullaeus received the Norwegian Grammy, Spellemannsprisen, for his direction of Dimmu Borgir’s “The Serpentine Offering”.

Co-Choreographer & Dancer – Viktor “Wisewave” Lundgren
Based in Malmö, Sweden, Viktor Lundgren is a dancer, choreographer and educator with strong roots in the street dance styles of waving and popping.
His practice moves across artistic disciplines, combining a deep understanding of movement with an intuitive ability to transform physicality into expression. His contribution brings a distinctive movement language and perspective to Sticks and Stones.

Filmmaker – Roger Westerberg
Photographer and filmmaker Roger Westerberg is based in Mellbystrand, Sweden, and works primarily across Halland and Skåne.
In Sticks and Stones, Roger’s projections become an active presence on stage – almost like a third dancer. He also created the performance’s closing film. His visual storytelling adds another layer to the work, bringing image, movement and emotion into dialogue.

PERFORMERS

Maja Fock and Liv Holst perform live on stage, bringing two distinct and highly personal movement languages to the work. Their contrasting expressions complement one another, creating a dynamic and emotionally present stage relationship.
Both dancers have a strong ability to communicate through movement and establish a direct connection with the audience.

Dancers Rickard Fredborg, Kyrie Oda and Christine Brorsson also appear on screen as part of the performance’s visual world.

BOOKINGS & ENQUIRIES

For performance opportunities, touring, screenings or further information, please get in touch with Cecee Rowland-Huss.

Further information about the project’s development and artistic process is available under News & Updates (currently only in Swedish)