SPLASH, perfomance at Falmouth Art Gallery 7pm 7th Sept

Performance Friday 7th September 7pm at Falmouth Art Gallery

Shallal are perfoming extracts from their summer Doorways show. I f you missed us at Gyllyngdune gardens now is a chance to see some of the work. We are really pleased to be back at Falmouth Art Gallery as we all loved working and performing there with Chromatic. It should be a lovely evening, hope to see to see you there.

Shallal are delighted to be performing at The Falmouth Art Gallery for their Soaring Spirits exhibition. They will be performing highlights from their site specific summer Doorways shows, described as "Fantastic!" " poignant" and "amazing"  Shallal celebrate, diversity, ability and community. www.shallal.org.uk 

http://www.falmouth.co.uk/see-and-do/splash/splash-performances

performance free but tickets limited, contact above...

Zoe's short film Inspiration and and a nude Eddie painted are in the Soaring Spirits exhibition, the 7th is the last day.

Open House and Shallal 2

Open House groups next term, good news Redruth is continuing and really excited about Helston group, please spread the word!

new group in Falmouth
poster needs a bit of tweeking but all info correct
and big thank you to Jessie and Matt

Sharing new groups info;
 Wednesday 5-6.30pm  Shallal 2 Falmouth group replaces Penryn Improvisation and performance group. A big thank you to The Performance Centre and especially Adrian Bossey for giving us space there for the last year. We are now back in town and hope not to move again! and Jessie is now supporting..thanks to Debs and Anne Mackay for helping to nurture and support the group so far.
We have held an Open House group at this venue before and it a big airy hall with a nice wooden floor, parking, access etc. Friends and Dancing is from 10am-12pm in Falmouth on the same day they are different but complimentary groups, Shallal 2 is designed to be a follow on group...we have the enthusiasm to make something happen...and some talent we hope to nurture....and most of all we hope to meet and have fun.

Good news, thanks and thoughts on improvisation

Good news and thanks;

New skills for website use , thanks to Jem Mackay for his patience- i now have to go and practise!

Wonderful new box of art pencils from Derwent for the new studio - i get so excited seeing art materials, as exciting as big empty dance studio! Thank you to Derwent it means so much to have that support. They will be well used, immediately think of Sam's colourful boat series and Toby's fantastic pencil work. Sam has mentioned in his feedback form his love of art galleries and how he'd like to progress his art work, can't wait to see it.

Thanks to Anne for contacting Derwent.

New poster for Shallal 2, created by Jessie and her cousin Matt- thank you to them both, look forward to sharing it soon.

New short Doorways films coming soon from Barbara's collaboration with performers.

New Open House sessions starting in Helston.

New calculator for my desk ! not quite so exciting but meant to be an encouragement to  me, in bid writing?! looking forward to working with everyone again to sustain the impetus to do the bid...i am observing my own creative process with it, it makes me sadly neurotic, i have to go through a high pain threshold to write? which is why i didn't finish a degree and a postgraduate, the reason i seek experiential learning, working non verbally- although i do talk too much! etc anyway this is an excuse... and the written word can be wonderful as we all know and here is an old quote that i love and refound when moving my filing cabinet (a job that involves looking through the first ever Shallal posters and begging letters! as i aim to sort but end up sitting in a sea of memorabilia!);

"To improvise, the performer learns to disregard the line our culture draws between child play and adult work. Improvisation, like the play of the young child and the young animal, is still a practise of basic survival skills, a celebration of life; imagination, adaptability, concentration are all intrinsic to both processes. Improvisation is play. We are not used to seeing adults play in a noncompetitive manner in our culture. 
When I watch improvisation I am not rooting for the performer to win. I am a fellow traveller, on a journey hopefully, towards revelation."
from The Knowing Body, Elements of contemporary perfomance and dance by Louise 
Steinman

added on later:...... I was working on the bid ! and came across this statement which Barbara asked a support worker to write recently about benefits for people they work with who attend Shallal it resonates loudly with the above quote;

"Shallal is a unique and inspiring forum for people with learning difficulties. With the company's  nurturing and guidance people with LD are able to discover and express their creativity which otherwise, in many cases, would remain untapped. Many people with LD are restricted to a routine based lifestyle and the opportunity to be able to improvise, create and move freely has a very positive impact on their sense of well being and identity.

Lack of physical activity within the learning disability community is an important  issue and positive  motivation for someone to exercise and explore their physicality is key. This may fall into two, though not distinct, catagories. Firstly, to overcome the commonly held notion of the individual in our modernised society, that physical activity equates work or toil. Secondly, for a disabled person to be given an opportunity to overcome their perceived disability and perform on equal terms. Shallal Dance Theatre addresses both these issues.

.......  is profoundly restricted in his verbal communication and has been diagnosed with dementia. ............craves social interaction and his participation as a performer with Shallal enables him to form meaningful relationships and communicate and express himself fully.

These are ..........examples and there are many others with learning and physical disabilities who attend weekly workshops or rehearse as part of the company that benefit in diverse and similar ways. 

Shallal is an inclusive theatre company under which many creative arts hope to continue to thrive, including dance, theatre, poetry, the visual arts and film-making. The inclusion of people with learning and other disabilities in these pursuits has had a profoundly positive  effect on their lives and benefits the communities in which they live."

The 'ouch' reminder point is last.... "The company relies on the continued support of volunteers and funding from the public and private sectors, without which the company would not be able to survive."

I believe we are all equal and different and what is available to one should be for all and many people without labelled disabilities in our society need and enjoy the freedom of improvisation, one of the most important things for me watching Wolfgang and participating in his sessions was how we were all pushed, asked to expand, contribute. If something works it should work for everyone and be able to be adapted for everyones needs/abilities.

To play together in a constructive, non competitive way.

I will now return to the bid or beakfast?

Good news from West Cornwall Youth Trust

I have just written an email with, "i will have to go and blog for joy!!" a good start back to work.
Well done to Jessie and Debs whose application to West Cornwall Youth Trust, http://www.westcornwallyouthtrust.org/
has been successful; to run 2 groups, one at Curnow school and one at Nancalverne school for children with high additional needs and life limiting conditions. 
This is such good news and a project really dear to my heart, what you can do with 2 people, a dancer and facilitator is so much more than one, as we now find in nearly all of our groups. This is their first piece of independent work under Shallal and we hope it will springboard into much more. 
Thanks also to Anna Marie Murphy who suggested we look to WCYT for some funding.

Thank you to Wakeham Trust

Short summer posts!
Thank you to Wakeham Trust, for funding Laura's travel next term so she will be able to make a start on Shallal Studios this September. The vote of confidence made by small grants such as this really make a difference, combined with dedication of people involved, really good to have Laura on board.

Greart article about Kyle, Eddie and Apex in The Cornishman recently.

Now i'm blogging to avoid housework, as having a pause from bids and too much planning this week, Mary 18 yesterday. The water is warmest at Grebe beach Durgan, so far on summer swims.
Should tidy upstairs desk!...with all the old - needs to be archived Shallal work.

Off to the Minack tomorrow, Anna and i are guests of an old friend, we were attracted by the interesting set drawings, www.bookofmirrors.com/designs.html
it's such an amazing setting....

last summer an old creative friend was back from New Zealand ( we shared a room at formative time in London years ago ) and it's still as exciting talking about inspiration with her....

Also dear Terri popped in and has donated all her props to Shallal, thank you to her and she will come to see show on 7th September at Falmouth Art Gallery.

Posters being designed, website being updated soon, films in film festival, waiting to hear from bid- Jessie and Debs, new group in Helston every other week, etc

Will stop now, more next week, good holidays!

new film

New film from Barbara from Godolphin House work, inspired by Eddie's poem and edited by Barbara, Eddie and Zoe;

http://vimeo.com/awen/
ghostsofgodolphin


this and another short wil be entered in Cornwall Film Festival and more to come!
Thanks to Barbara and Chris....

comment on inclusivity

This arrived today.. continuing our practise of, if someone says something nice we ask them if they are willing to write it down for us.
Rory had asked if his friend Jessica could come and visit, and she joined us watching a workshop and quick rehearsal, at the end of term. 

I promised to write a little statement for Shallal so here it is:

"I was lucky enough to be invited to watch a rehearsal of this inclusive dance company, and was amazed to see such inclusivity in action.  The troop of dancers, some with disabilities some without, worked as one – the level of emotion shown was breathtaking and the movement and co-ordination of the dancers stunning.  It was a powerful, inspiring example of how barriers can be removed and I look forward to seeing Shallal perform again."

Jessica Corby, Equality and Diversity Consultant.

(Jessica has given the Arts Council disability training)

i kept meaning to blog the joy and fun everyone had that day re working together after lots of tight rehearsing and performing, so many new risks were taken..the standard always rises after performing, and everyone commented on being happy to move ( play ) again. Next term we will dedicate half session to workshop/skills sharing and half to rehearsals.

Our back stage ladies both very talented in their own right also joined in dancing!

The two Tina's will be warm up buddies next term, and the Freefall training 3 of the dancers have now been involved in is showing through....http://www.freefalldance.co.uk/

somtimes we fail

Sometimes we fail, and our culture which promotes the self and self confidence, self assertion etc often hasn't much space for apologies, admitting we fail or are wrong, saying sorry;

well, this morning, after a rich day yesterday which concluded with our eldest daughter's celebratory -nearly 18- evening meal at Sennen with both her wonderful godmother's there, from the outer regions of Italy and Essex, i was tidying my desk ready for a meeting with Diana today, when i found i had forgotten Star's, Echoes Dance Co show yesterday, not only had i forgotten it, i had not blogged to remind everyone about it.
Kerry and Sammy from the main co were guest artists in it and i was keen and fascinated to see and support them and Demelza (who is trying out with us in September) and Star is an amazing artist and support within the company, so what can i say a deep apology and sorry for not being there (or busting a gut to try to be).

It was the shoreline where work and home meet and hit each other like waves and normally one negotiates it reasonably well, but yesterday, work and all around it was washed away in the waves of life / holiday /family/ guests arriving/staying/ work being done at home.

So back to the desk, back to August trying to be a month off, and failing in that already this year, so plan B keeping work in it's place, not working either, as hitting inertia as body etc want holiday; lie in, time off, time with other people that i don't see the rest of the year etc. And i am blogging a needed apology but also blogging to avoid; clearing desk, sorting for meeting, sorting for writing bids, etc

Some new photos from Andy on;
 http://fezparker.photium.com/portfolio269470.html

I am returning to my desk; remembering enthusiasm - when talking about Doorways and new bid, grateful for a job which usually doesn't feel like a job..i love being self employed, the people i work, with the medium etc thankful for all the support Shallal receives from everyone in and around it..plunging into the frozen wave of desk mess! before the house wakes up.....