Saturday 23 June 2018

Thoughts .....


written on the morning of the 22nd June
posted on 23rd 

Deep calls to deep
I often use the phrase 'non verbal art forms' then 'gestural communication'...
All this and more 'soul'  (don't speak that one often but would like to collect essays on it..another project for the bucket list!)
What is this place where we can meet?
It is a place of privilege to watch people be authentic, spontaneous, collaborative , considerate...
Yesterday Pam said,"is it giving or being given?".
Symbiotic is another word i often use....
I think the work evokes/ provokes these questions/ responses...
It goes past the head ...the head arrives after often, when we think ...why we still come? are still engaged? not bored?
I don't claim this 
, people move on and leave
Some of us remain...
So yesterday with the death of Tom I am considering, where does this deep love and meeting come from?
I don't have the answers but I wonder at the surroundings to it...
Sharing at depth, risking, showing vulnerabilty, mutually supporting, joy , fun
Pam also mentioned a Greek word which encompasses happy/ sad...a good one for me at this time.
A place of connection, with oneself with others...with ' the other' that can come through art and creativity.
Mutual respect.
And often to be able to make work, meet in a 'real' place, you share difficulties as by naming them you can then move....not therapy but sometimes therapeutic! And art can take us out of ourselves give us beauty, 'move us'..

So many thanks, Marjorie, Helen, Eileen, Tom.

We make the work today with love for Marjorie our ' matriarch' a real servant and celebrator of life...
'Mind the gap'was in honour of Eileen particularly Phosphoresence.
Anna and I are working on a poetry book it's been a long time in the wings and Helen was our first poet! A zany wonderful creative spirit...
I write soon to ask Sarah if we may use a beautiful piece of music composed in memory of Tom to make a short film...
Marilyn shone on stage with a joy of dancing that her dementia couldn't dim...
Paul Gosling was a sublime performer moving a friend to tears as he improvised outside Truro cathedral I had placed us on the pavement outside ( Truro dance festival,, he chose to dance the whole square solo to a tune for him by Charlie Heykoop as he gestured up to the cathedral bringing it into the dance, neither he or Marilyn had clear speech they didn't need it when they danced they touched depth, as did dear Jean who danced in Friends and Dancing and helped me look more at ' gestural communication' as when she danced with you she gave you her heart in its sweet generousity..a privilege to meet in those places.
So that is why I keep working...

Thursday 21 June 2018

Weekend of dance in North Cornwall, musings and songs for tomorrow......

What our friends are doing....

A 'must see' weekend of dance in North Cornwall

Midsummer Dance curated by Lois Taylor

http://www.sterts.co.uk/product_details.php?item_id=100

Shallal has the joy of working with Lois as associate artist at Liskeard Shallal group "Out There".
You can see her perform with Tom and Alice at The Blue Light Day 4th July. time tbc

Sarah ( who stood in for Lois recently and attends "Out There" when she can ) is performing in
Passage for Par
https://www.artsadmin.co.uk/events/4132 
You can have a whole weekend of exciting dance events in North Cornwall, if you aren't at Mazey Day Penzance or Parklive Falmouth!

Tomorrow 
Two new songs: 'Oh Marjorie' by Eddie and Jacqui, a smash hit with everyone already and Katherine has a lovely haunting song she created from a friends poem, which Nigel and Laura have kindly recorded with George - thank you.
Jo Lumber has written a poem in memory of Marjorie and we have two of Marjories poems and one of her dances to share, along with new dances and spontaneous improvisations.
Kerry has a moving poem to perform and I am, as always, in awe of the creativity and forms of expression, the range of voices everyone has to express and connect with....



Liskeard today:
David goes away soon to....
PATHWAYS:  The Indra Congress Durban 1st July to 8th July 2018
http://www.theindracongress.com/events/

I enjoy all the groups i work with and enjoy the space and people at Liskeard where i worked today it is still a relatively new group and it is fascinating to see it take shape and develop its own personality.
Everyone who comes contributes to the feel of the group and its outlook and style, so it a continually 'Moveable Feast' to use someone else's good phrase!

http://www.themoveablefeast.co.uk/
Phil Jacobs. our former theatre facilitator, went to their workshop weekend some years ago and returned enthused and inspired!



Monday 18 June 2018

list of some of the films and inspiring links!

Shallal – Celebration in Film
Friday  22 June 11am
Newlyn Filmhouse


Join us to celebrate the completion of Cornish Doorways project with the films produced over the 3 years plus some classic Shallal shorts.


Cornish Doorways evaluation film (approx. 5 mins)
Passmore Hats (approx. 2 mins)
Falmouth show film (approx. 5 mins)
Shallal – making an almighty din (11 mins)
Tranquility (4 mins)
Duchess and the Doll film (3 ins 40 sec)
Duchess, the doll and the dog animation (approx. 2 mins)
Trevor Film (2 mins 30 secs)
The Crows (1 mins 40 secs)
Moving Words Nancealverne School (4 mins)
The Wild (1 mins 54 secs)
Tree poem (49 secs)
What is Inclusive Dance? (1 min 32 secs)

Ghosts of Godolphin (2 mins 18 secs)

plus new short film by George and more.....


after the films....


Whilst googling around contacting our patrons came across these:
first 2 were benefits for Shallal 
https://www.dgmlive.com/albums/falmouth-all-saints-church

https://www.dgmlive.com/albums/newlyn-st-peters-church


Robert Fripp

https://www.facebook.com/kingcrimsonofficial/posts/10155601766427519



Patrick Gale
https://galewarning.org/

Jeremy Annear
A supportive artist friend who put our crowd funder on his instagram,
has an opening tomorrow in London....
http://www.jeremyannear.com/
http://www.jeremyannear.com/blog-jeremy-annear/

The Indra Congress
Also this amazing work by David who comes to Liskeard 'Out There' group:
http://www.theindracongress.com/

......a global metaphor for the Golden Rule, i.e. that all peoples are treated as we would wish to be treated ourselves. The young participants, co-ordinators, artists and others that make up the precious jewels in the net of the Indra Congress, use the wonderful, probing, challenging and joyful language of the arts as a vehicle to this end: together we imagine and aspire to a better world guided by compassion, justice and creativity.

I am 'proud' not an adjective i use easily, but friends are starting Welcome - Falmouth and Penryn Welcome refugee families
some of you may remember we sent money from Shallal 2's Porthmeor Show to Peoples Action in housing,  many people want to help the refugee crisis, and this is in response to that need on both sides, for help and to help.
You can meet Welcome at Parklive http://www.parklive.rocks/
in Falmouth on Sunday 24 June 10.30- 6.30pm, i hope to be there 2.30-4.30 
and there are plans for an event at Falmouth Art Gallery on Saturday...

A Band of Brothers
http://abandofbrothers.org.uk/
While we are on being inspired by what people do (in the face of difficulty and adversity).....changing the world one step at a time....another amazing organisation that Colin is involved in....