Isle Aux Morts Theatre Festival
Over the years, Lynn Panting Dance has taken on a variety of creative projects: some small, some experimental, and some that quietly planted seeds for what came next. While these initiatives may not have an ongoing presence at the studio, they continue to reflect the values that guide our work: accessibility, creativity, and community connection. The Legacy Projects series offers a space to revisit and share these moments.
From 2017 to 2020, Lynn Panting worked in many roles with the Isle Aux Morts Theatre Festival, as a performer, director, arts educator, and eventually, festival director. Her time with the festival was marked by a deep commitment to community-engaged work, blending professional practice with grassroots collaboration.
One of the most memorable projects from this time was A Fish Tale, co-created with Jamie Skidmore. This large-scale lantern puppet show combined original storytelling, music, dance, and visual spectacle. It toured the west coast of the island in 2017 and 2018, drawing together community participants and professional artists in a truly collaborative process.
“A Fish Tale was a massive undertaking, bringing together giant lantern puppets, an original story and score, puppetry, dance, lighting, and much more. I quickly handed over many of the directing responsibilities to Lynn, as I was consumed in puppet creation and detailing.
We worked together to create a visually stunning show that often brought the audience to tears. Lynn was able to work with community members and teach them the necessary choreography in an incredibly short amount of time. I still find it quite amazing that she could so quickly and seamlessly work the children into the show alongside our professional puppeteers. She is a really great teacher and was able to easily communicate with everyone involved in the production.”
— Jamie Skidmore
Projects like A Fish Tale represent the heart of Lynn’s approach: blending artistry, accessibility, and local connection to create shared experiences that resonate.
