Launceston

So here we are  back from our forray to the near borders, on the way there Lauren said she'd never been to Launceston and Lucy ( Lights)  who has spent the last seven weeks living and working at Eden  said "I've never been here, it's very near Devon!"( I need to add Lucy is a traveller, off for summer sun in New Zealand soon.) Anyway we all found it fast and well, and thank you to Launceston Town Hall a highly recommended venue, spacious, comfortable, helpful, .....we would like to return. We started the show with a loyal audience and having been the recepient of Frantic theatre's small shows for sitting rooms etc - highly recommended - www.frantictheatre.com - I have no worry about size of audience "Quality not Quantity" and the performers love what they do, however 10 mins in we were pleased to have many of Access Theatre and their friends join us, which is what we had hoped for. ~So time to meet and chat in the interval and afterwards. Next time we come they said they will spread the word.
Thanks to Sammy who came to be an extra pair of hands, thanks to Lucy for putting up with us and the extra levels of chaos Shallal can provide!!! i had forgotten to find someone to press projection buttons so did it myself - badly -....however with help from Fred and friend who had set the lights etc all went reasonably well. I wear too many hats and old age doesn't help the memory ..anyway.... apologies, and .... 
Thank you to all and well done...
I am always impressed by Shallal, I can forget how much attention we need to focus and I am then amazed by the generousity of everyone involved. Many lovely images from the day, especially of the young "uns" and young at heart! sliding over the long smooth floor at the end.
Thank you to trustee Anne Mackay and her family, and Sammy for doing front of house and hospitality. Jem has taken some photos on his iphone so we may get some images.

Here is some feedback;
(more to come soon from Access members)

Delighted & inspired.
I love the range of dance & movement, poetry, music, song, costumes, lighting.
Ray Bowler

Most enjoyable and touching, would have been great to have had a larger audience. I guess Shallal doesn't have a reputation in this area.
The balance between choreography and improvisation the "play" alive.
Loved the singing, the duets, being audience to human "beings" getting their needs for touch, caring, movement, validation and more is a pure joy - heart to heart.
Thank you.
Franki Anderson 
www.frankianderson.co.uk

And well done and welcome to Lydia, Lauren, Daniela and Arran - their first show with us, and to Anna who stood in for Jessie's solo, 12 and her first solo not ever choosing/wanting to do one.( Mum talking here.)

Mousehole photos from Barbara Santi

Busy putting in applications and asked Barbara Santi for some photographs from Mousehole, so here they are a lovely memory of the day. Thank you Barbara.

Went out on Monday to funding information day and met Anna from ACE conference again, old friends and aquaintances and some lovely new contacts.

Time to look at planning; winter is a time for dreaming and scheming, hatching new ideas and connections.

This wonderful old doorway, once the Keigwin Arms, Dolly Pentreath's local, thank you to the present owners for allowing us to use it twice on the day.

Studio

The Studio had lots of visitors yesterday. 

Terry, Diana, Colin and an artist who is working for Arts for Health on a tapestry project at JDC. Terry and Diana both wrote comments in our diary.

Sam worked in acrylics on the canvas he had stretched and primed.
Zoe finished her silk painting and then made 3 drawings - 1 a ballerina, 2 a mouse having a scifi experience in relation to a light bulb, 3 a design of imaginary fire birds that we discussed using as a design for silk screen printing onto T shirts.
Toby worked on some preparatory drawings towards an 'epic' work that he is planning.

...................from Laura

Our chairperson Terry!

Toby showing his work to Diana. Diana, rarely seen in in photos, who does most of the unseen work that enables Shallal to run smoothly
( job title; multi talented super woman)
but we hope she will end up playing in the studios as well as visiting. We are very into the sketchbook project,
( 5 people doing it at our home) www.arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject
one of them Ollie showed me his photos at the weekend - i was so excited!! i was wondering how i could mention them on the blog, so here we are.....http://oliverraymondbarker.co.uk/?p=354 

wonderful new painting by Sam

Raindrop

Sad news yesterday that Raindrop, Toby's beloved dog died on Thursday. Everyone in the main company and at the Studio will really miss her, she was a fantastic dog and was a real favourite with us all, even people who came initially scared of dogs, were won over by her lovely nature. 

Studio and news

Shallal Studio snap shots

Laura sent in the photos but I can't help commenting!

We plan to be in Creative Skills Open Studios in May next year so some of this wonderful work will be on view and for sale.

Thanks again to Derwent for the wonderful materials!

good to see Raindrop back at Shallal, dreaming under the table

News

Just some news ..so pleased with the progress and work within Shallal2 we have been getting a good crowd but even last night with only 6 of us, they created some amazing pieces of work, which we were all pleased with. Breaking new ground and exploring open improvisation techniques.

2 very interesting meetings this week, yesterday with Debbie about signing BSL, SSE and dance/theatre, she really liked Ed Sherran's video. We are discussing the culture of our worlds within worlds and looking to interface/ meet so really excited about her sending me film of BSL poetry, and we hope to go and watch some dance with signing to look at what's out there already.

Tom and James came round to chat and record for Tom's film.

Lots of interest already in the Inclusive Dance / Theatre  days! it seems like it will be what we hoped, a real meeting ground for anyone interested in this area of work.

INCLUSIVE DANCE THEATRE WORKSHOPS

We are really pleased to have funding from Feast for these days which we hope will draw in people from all over Cornwall from Launceston to St Just and give us a chance to meet, learn, share skills, celebrate inclusive practise. The Performance Centre helped it all happen by their immediate and encouraging support, and we look forward to working all day in the largest dance studio there! They are also providing tea and coffee. 
Mince pies in on the agenda for our show there on the 14th December as it is being included in their pre Christmas community events, more about that soon.

So do book into these days which we hope will help to spread inclusive dance and theatre experience throughout Cornwall, and don't forget Doorways matinee performance at Launceston next week!

All part of our sharing the work throughout Cornwall.

Apologies for the small text on some of this information, we hope to be turning most of our information into Easy Read in the near future. 

We are in the process of forming small working groups to address this and other issues.

Signing links and news

Signing

my morning web search;

 putting up these for younger members of Shallal, young women who are articulate and to the point!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK_G-h1uep8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMizhqo8q0M

and interested in Deaf Men Dancing and Mark Smiths work;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB8VQ3AniQo 

Mark Smith interview re Candoco 

Deaf Men Dancing

really interesting signing at end?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pXm_-jF4Lg&feature=endscreen

DMD....they incorporate sign language into their choreography

http://marksmithproduction.com/deafmendancing.html

News

lots of good meetings this week.... Dot, Sarah at Gyllyngdune, Laura (and Duane), and Terry, all incorporating at least a cup of tea ....as it's half term...

........ we still go by the kitchen table ethos whenever possible............

good to see Duane's exhibition in St Mawes

and good phone calls with Rory re design and Tamsin re work coming up at UCF in December.

Dress rehearsals for Doorways at Launceston, for the next 2 weeks for the main co, and visits and planning and seeking funding and......and .......settling into winter, hatching dreams and plans and wondering which way this wonderful organic thing that is Shallal will grow, have heard quite a a few interviews recently were people say "greater than the sum of the parts", which is true for us .....

The aim to sustain what we have and nurture the new.....

2 possible research opportunites also in pipeline ..we shall see.....

Barbara and Dot and i are meeting 1pm on the 8th to discuss future funding strategy for main co, so any new ideas or developments throw them in now....please....... email or phone me