Wednesday 13 March 2024

Creative inclusion - notes for talk

Tomorrow, now today, i have to give a 10-15min talk at our training day

I've been nervous and struggling aware that i might just ramble on, and i still might well ramble on indistinctly, despite the beautiful slides Anna has collated.

So tonight (now today!) - last minute as ever - i sat down, as i saw the title it gave me some form to hang ideas on....

one of my favourite group photos
from a Steve Tanner project at Newlyn Art Gallery,
Anna Marie Murphy who co-started Shallal and found us our name is also there


 Title

Creative inclusion

thank you to Anna for making the slide show...i  knew the way we worked worked for people with LD's' but Anna and her friends, and since then other children, showed me how it worked from childhood to early adulthood! watching them keep contact with the playful child, we all often loose

notes for talk....

When i first saw a photo of Amici's Ruckblick my eyes were opened to creative inclusion,

before that i had no idea of what was possible, and i am still finding out the depths and joys, and fun that can be had through sharing creativity and what we all have to give

from this total symbiotic relationship with artists..... i have no formal training, am a qualified drop out ( from a Psychology degree and then a dance therapy postgrad) and had no formal interview for what i do and have only had one contract in my working life so...here we are and the journey continues

Wolfgang's classes at City Lit London in the early 80's were the highlight of my week and there. are many stories of surprise and gratitude for the path i took...i saw people perform acts of honesty, courage, beauty, truth and community in dance classes

and feel privileged to continue working in it...

 i first worked in the style of my teacher and then, 7 years in, i started developing  my own way and was excited by the concept Phil Jacobs came back with which came from Moveable Feast, Dartington  - Tony Gee https://www.tonygee.online/ Workshop as Artform

It is symbiotic, so we all explore together, how to push the work and give fuller freedom to artists...

how to give more opportunities, possibilities

everyone learns differently, for me, it's a philosophical approach, intent

the inherent dignity of all humanity, all people and we are creative beings, made for community

Structure Freedom and intent

Structure Stimulus Suggestion

Words often used in audience feedback are "beautiful and inspiring"

in groups "a family"

I create spaces i would like to be in

and it is now so much bigger than my ideas...we also pay homage to our first voluntary administrator also Newlyn Art Gallery's first education outreach officer Diana Morris who pushed on and educated me in People politics.

Now we have expanded and we have moved on with our first impetus, to how our world crisis impacts everyone and vulnerable people and communities first...so we aim to be Relevant...

There is always a long way to go, and it's a good journey with many people who join us for a long or short time and often return, we are in it for lifelong provision and good partnerships, extended family.

details...learning names, meeting and greeting, conversations, feedback, listening, watching, sharing, contributing ideas, continuity, care.

Third way - Patrick Geddes

Communalism - person and community


Shallal: Creative Inclusion Training Day with Museum of Homelessness and Response Ability Theatre 14.3.24 @Tate. St Ives

image from Jo's talk

 Shallal: Creative Inclusion Training Day with Museum of Homelessness and

Response Ability Theatre

14 March 2024

10.30 – 14.30

Foyle Studio, Tate St Ives


Overview

The Creative Inclusion Training Day will be an inclusive practice sharing event

convened by Shallal, hosted at Tate St Ives. The day will include talks by Georgina

Kennedy, Curator Public Programmes at Tate St Ives, Jo Willis, Creative Director

of Shallal and Phoebe Barnicoat, Co-manager and Facilitator at Shallal Studios. Artist

Nell Hardy, from the Museum of Homelessness and Response Ability Theatre will

share her work as an inclusive theatre practitioner and a trauma-conscious coach.

This will be followed by Janet Holland, Shallal Artist, who will lead a non-verbal

drawing workshop inspired by her recent commission with Hospital Rooms.


Contributor Biographies

Shallal is an inclusive arts charity based in Cornwall with 39 year’s experience

creating opportunities for people to explore and develop their creativity, whilst

aspiring to access and equity. Shallal currently runs 14 weekly art sessions across

Cornwall, working with over 100 artists a week. The charity operates similar to that

of a collective with Shallal artists steering the creative direction of the organisation.

Across 2023 Tate St Ives have worked in partnership with Shallal to explore inclusive

engagement practices, informing the development of the Palais de Danse in St Ives.


Nell Hardy is an object storyteller and trauma-conscious coach for the Museum of

Homelessness: an award-winning organisation creating events, exhibitions and

research tackling homelessness, and offering creative opportunities and practical

support to members of the homeless community. She is an ex-homeless actor, writer,

theatre-maker and facilitator. She is the founder of Response Ability Theatre: a boldly

trauma-conscious and survivor-led theatre and participation arts charity that looks to

represent and support people experiencing or at risk of experiencing trauma.

Nell has been commissioned as a writer by In Her Strength (a multi-arts project

exploring women’s experiences of homelessness), Immediate Theatre, and Graeae

Theatre Company. She has guest lectured at University College London, Queen Mary

University of London and the University of Warwick. She is an associate artist with

CRIPtic Arts and Arts and Homelessness International, and has been selected to

represent the UK as a Fellow in the final month of the 2024 Venice Biennale.


Janet Holland is an artist based in Cornwall. Janet’s practice involves vigorous and

repetitive physical movements, working in painting, collage and textiles. Often

making use of large-scale surfaces, Janet works intuitively, building up layers of

colour, energetically searching to create a whole from the different forms that begin

to emerge, before the shape shifts again. For Janet’s recent commission with Hospital

Rooms, Janet ran a series of workshops with participants from an inpatient mental

health ward at Longreach House, Redruth. Janet has exhibited at Newlyn Art Gallery

(2020), Grays Wharf (2023) and Flamm (2023).


10.30- 10.35 Welcome from Tate St Ives, by Georgina Kennedy; Curator, Public

10.35- 10.50 Talk; Jo Willis - Shallal Creative Director

10.50- 11.00 Talk; Phoebe Barnicoat; Shallal Studios Co-Manager & Facilitator on

her research in USA and Canada

11.00- 11.20 Object Story performance, Nell Hardy; Founder; Response

Ability Theatre & Creative Associate, Museum of Homelessness

11.20- 11.30 Comfort Break

11.30- 12.00 Talk; Nell Hardy

12.00- 12.30 Workshop; Nell Hardy workshop

13.30- 14.30 Workshop; Janet Holland, Shallal Artist. Include a chance for feedback.


Workshop Activity

Janet Holland will be leading a non- verbal chalk & oil pastel drawing workshop on

large scale pieces of sugar paper, inspired by her recent workshop with Hospital

Rooms. She aims to create a calming atmosphere and initiate space for interesting

conversations between participants. Janet Holland is supported by Shallal Studios

and works closely with Shallal Facilitators Phoebe Barnicoat, Lou Brett and Kerry

Tomlins. Shallal Studios offers an inclusive studio space for artists to develop their

practice with the support of trained mentors.

Wednesday 21 February 2024

'New Beginnings' Audience Comments and Thank yous

 

Shallal Dance Theatre 'Face To Face' 

Shallal 2 bow at end of 'New Beginnings'


Audience Comments for "New Beginnings"


"That was the most cheering beautiful and touching performance I think I've ever seen"


"Remarkable, the tenderness, the sense of relationship and hope. Wonderful"


"A lovely touching performance. a feeling of such love and support for each other xx"


" Thank you so much for a truly lovely evening and please do pass on the message to everyone who performed with breathtaking beauty and joy"



Personally so pleased to see everyone working at their best and really shining in this way of working.  Real equity on stage.

Debs daughter Ellie has kindly filmed it for us and some photos are coming in!


Thank you to

 our audience a wonderful varied one of all ages, approx 80 people

 to Julie and Tracy on the door

to Toby and Colin for patient rehanging/replacing art works, setting lights etc

to The Centre Newlyn for last minute lights

to Vicky and team at the Pavillions

to Lou for card reader set up! oh my tech..always helpful and long winded to learn but then so easy!

to our new evaluators Kelly (and Jen) and Bessie

to Chris our manager and our trustees

and the whole team including friends and family who provide transport and support 

and of course the performers!

some of who joined us the session before and some for 30 years


Tuesday 20 February 2024

New Beginnings, Artists and Performers and programme

 New Beginnings 

Programme and list of artists/performers


Dancers

Shallal2 

Hannah Jacobs

Peter Kirby

Jo Lumber

Ishi Raina

Rita 

Demelza Rouncefield

Sasha

Becky Smith

Miles Stead


Shallal Dance Theatre

Toby Bridge

Tina Butler `

Colin Curbishley

Mads De Lord

Victoria Edwards

Linda Feeron

Katherine Giddings

Jilly Hellermen

Kerry Jackson

Jo Lumber 

Star

Melanie Stokes

Kerry Tomlins

Deborah Udy O'Nyons

Sam While 

Zoe Wilton


Backstage/ transport co-ordination and so much more: Colin Curbishley

Creative director: Jo Willis

Large Scale Paintings - Shallal Dance Theatre artists

Manager: Chris Gardner

Thank you to Tremayne at The Centre, Newlyn for lights.



'New Beginnings’

Shallal2


Music

Seize the day - Wax Tailor, Charlotte Savary

Rue de Trois Frères - Fabrizio Pateline

Without The Context of the Multitude? - Rzekomo

If My Love Was A Guitar - Tom Adams


New Beginnings Bureau, written and performed by  Jo Lumber 

British Sign L
anguage BSL - Jan Tillyard



Interval 15mins


‘Face To Face’

Shallal Dance Theatre

 ‘spontaneous response’ performance 

the dancers haven’t heard the album 

before so everything is new created in the moment

 in response to the music and each other 

and you!


Face To Face album - Alex Heffes

What is Face To Face?

For years people asked me many variations of one particular question: 

“ Where does your inspiration as a composer come from?” 

This inspired me to make a record - one that was entirely improvised - 

nothing prepared in advance. 

I chose 6 inspiring collaborators to record in 6 inspiring locations. 

My task: to commit to whatever happened in that space on that day 

and make a piece of music. 

Face To Face is my answer to this question. 

Alex Heffes

 https://www.face-to-face-album.com/



Thank you for coming 

Both these groups meet regularly and are open, do join us!


Shallal are committed to Culture Declares Emergency, 

last year we celebrated ‘Passing on Passmore,’ 

this year with all that is going on in our world, we want to celebrate ‘Migration’, 

we all move and we can enrich each others lives.

Thank you to all our artists and to all who support us.






Monday 12 February 2024

DIY Fashion show

 Can't wait to see the DIY Fashion Show.

It's a dream come true for one of the artists Zoe Wilton. There has been a long and wonderful journey getting to this point, which probably needs its own blog sometime.

One for the artist facilitators for it is Amy and I'm just about to add her info rather late to our website.


There is now too much going on for my blog to represent it well....so please check out our News section on our website for updates and or follow instagram.



On Saturday we had Footnotes training for Shallal associate artists and facilitators.

https://footnotesvmt.com/visual-thinking-training-in-search-of-words/ 

Very interesting and i think will prove helpful to many of us, it was warmly recommended by Lou.

We are glad to be working with Kelly Taylor and Jen Roskilly Andrews who are doing our Arts Council evaluation, we feel we can really learn from them, it was a really good first meeting and they are deep diving into the Fashion show this Wednesday.

Meet the artists!

 Meet the artists!

The initial marks were created in performance at the Tate St Ives and then worked on back at our space on Friday afternoons for 5 sessions.

Toby, Kerry, Colin, Jo, Eddie, Tina and Sam

We plan to hang these for our next show at Princess Pavillions, Falmouth.



Just looked on https://www.falmouth.ac.uk/staff/kuldip-singh-barmi

"Kuldip's current performance work is based on his research into improvisation as a performance practice, instant composition."

Interested to see how similar it is to our 'spontaneous response.'



Wednesday 24 January 2024

New Beginnings

 New Beginnings

title by Helen from Zoom sessions Dance and Art Connection

Relevant was our word for RE project with Make and Mends.

Growing on from our Passing On Passmore project and pod casts, we want to stay relevant but give light and hope. in my mind is the movement of peoples, migration and how we respond and how we can be good neighbours and a global community.

So i chose a lighter album than before for our spontaneous response performance. an album which celebrates improvisation - see last blog - and global artists meeting in the moment creating 'beauty,' finding a voice together. 

We have used 2 tracks in previous shows as i have known the album for some years. I was very excited when my brother and his wife after much searching worked with Alex Heffes for the music for their film, The Elephant Queen

https://filmmusicreporter.com/2019/11/01/the-elephant-queen-soundtrack-released/

so Shallal 2 are busy working on an opening performance 15-20 minutes and then Shallal Dance Theatre spontaneous response performance approx 50 minutes, unrehearsed unknown in the moment dance artists collaborating...love it!



Shallal Dance Theatre are excited for our next spontaneous response performance, along with a section by local Falmouth based Shallal 2.

Recent audience feedback includes "Shallal- Beautiful, truthful and very moving, this didn't feel like a 'labelled inclusive performance'

it was grace and expression on the deepest human level, almost spiritual. Totally absorbing."

Hope you can join us!



Tickets on the door, suggested price £5-10 or donation 

Accessible venue.

Wednesday 21 February 7pm

Princess Pavillions, 

Falmouth TR11 4AR

Shallal have pioneered an approach to dance theatre performance "spontaneous response,' derived from Open Improvisation, which aspires to access and equity at its heart by giving the decisions in the moment to the dance artists. It can create a warm rapport and relationship with the audience as well as with the other performers. Come along and enjoy this new and vital way of working. To an amazing soundtrack Face to Face https://www.face-to-face-album.com/

further information: joannawillis357@gmail.com