jersey Ballet Dives Into Dark History of Witch Trials
Updated June 07, 2025
Ballet d’Jèrri, Jersey’s contemporary ballet company, is set to premiere a thought-provoking triple bill inspired by the island’s history of witch trials. The performances will take place outdoors at La Hougue Bie, a neolithic burial site, offering an atmospheric backdrop for the exploration of this dark chapter.
Carolyn Rose Ramsay, who founded Ballet d’Jèrri in 2022, drew inspiration from local myths and the grim realities of the witch trials. The new program features premieres from three female choreographers: Vidya Patel,Katya Bourvis and Cecilia Lisa Eliceche,each bringing a unique viewpoint to the subject of witchcraft and persecution.
Linda Romeril, collections director at the Jersey Archive, revealed that the accused were not exclusively women; about 20% were men, such as Symon Vauldin, who was accused of consorting with the devil. Historical records detail accusations ranging from casting evil spells to causing death.
The trials frequently enough coincided with periods of turmoil, such as the spread of plague in the late 1500s. Some of the accused,like Jeanne Le Vesconte,were practitioners of alternative medicine,accused of “infecting some and curing others,” yet they were still executed.
Katya Bourvis’s piece, “Flux,” explores the archetype of the witch as a symbol of repressed desires and societal restrictions. Bourvis said the witch represents ”everything that’s not allowed…messiness and sexuality and desire, but also intuition and wisdom and sisterhood.”
Dr. Adam Perchard, dramaturg for Ballet d’Jèrri, noted the contemporary relevance of the theme, asking, “Fear and suspicion of the other, the patriarchy trying to control the masses – is that the 16th century or is it the present day?” Ramsay also draws parallels to modern social media witch-hunts.
Perchard highlighted the story of Guillemette du vaistain, who, despite having her punishment downgraded, was still sentenced “to be whipped all the way from the courthouse to the shore till the blood comes” and then banished.
Vidya Patel’s “Mark Our Ashes” is described as a reimagined ritual honoring those who lost their lives during the witch trials. Patel, whose choreography is rooted in the indian classical form kathak, connects the witch to earth, nature and the seasons.
For having an affair, she was sentenced to be whipped ‘from the courthouse to the shore till the blood comes.’
What’s next
Ballet d’Jèrri’s “Witch Trials” continues at La Hougue Bie, Jersey, until June 14, offering a poignant reflection on history and its echoes in the present.
