Bits and Bobs

Lou Brett came to visit Shallal's new Express Yourself  as she is writing us a press release.
It is interesting to see how the work speaks to people and this is from her:
"Firstly thank you for inviting me yesterday, it was an experience of expansion and joy and if you could thank everyone next week for me I would be really grateful!"

some of the first members of Express Yourself, good to have Miles and David with us and see Kirsty again.
(Anna comes to look after baby Ruby - who as you can see is happy in the thick of it)

Hoping to produce a Shallal 2 Showcase this summer at the Princess Pavillions / Gyllyngdune Gardens.
The aim is a friendly informal evening showcasing Shallal 2's new work and that of friends, Eddie's new band Travelling Time Wasters
https://soundcloud.com/travelling-time-wasters
with Stu, Eddie and Adrian..
Colin fooling/clowning and more.....

An interesting and informative meeting with Lois a week or so ago, much to share, support and explore.
www.loistaylor.co.uk
www.falmouth.ac.uk/content/lois-taylor

This is one of the areas we discussed, a potentially really exciting project.

Moving Through

Is a research project aimed at increasing access to dance/movement through live-feed technology. Lois Taylor is a dance practitioner who has worked in health and community settings for many years and is keen to find new possibilities for those who can't access mainstream activities. The project will be aimed at those who for physical/mental health reasons are restricted to a home base. The project is also designed to work alongside and in partnership with their carers.

Lois would like to meet others interested in digital solutions, tackling isolation, setting up research projects, health and wellbeing, documenting the project.

She will be working alongside other arts networks and organisations such as Arts for Health Cornwall and Isles of Scilly and the Foundation for Community Dance to support and disseminate findings. Its early stages, so it would be great to meet to discuss ideas.

For more info contact Lois Taylor, dance lecturer and freelance dance artist | 07730586306 |lois.taylor@falmouth.ac.uk

www.falmouth.ac.uk/airstudio

Lots going on quietly behind the scenes, applications to: explore textiles/design/costume, take out the Shallal Sketchbooks to two venues, explore painting in the landscape.

It's spring and all the flowers are bursting forth and it feels like scattering seed and waiting to see what will take and grow.

Conversations and plans with The Performance Centre. Students needing placements, writing dissertations on inclusive dance, forming exciting projects inviting in Shallal dancers......a time for dreams to start to bud.

And I am enjoying my new meeting room Gylly cafe! 
Polly the dog had a grand time when we met Grace ( a third year choreography student) there, we were 2 hours sitting outside in the wind and sun, whilst she worked the crowd on the beach in front of us and had sticks continually thrown for her!

Off to the main company today, new theme arose last week which I am keen to explore "landscape" set pieces of music we all know well, and then taking it out as a Landscape which the dancers can people as they will, so the opportunity to engage anew each time with where and when and how you improvise to it.
What other ground rules, sign posts, boundaries might it need? it would allow whichever dancers are available to be in it.
So while we await pulling together our next big exciting project (which is half way there and on hold for some months) we are enjoying "playing" and finding new methods for us.
I am looking forward to the main company performing in the Courtyard at Godolphin this summer, and hopefully taking a version of the St Ives pop ups to Golowan/Mazey Day.
And we are off to Newlyn Art Gallery for the afternoon.

Last not least some really good updates from behind the scenes success and outcomes for remappingstives from Jo Mayes:
 ...some examples.......Glen and his family (who were involved in the performance) - his mother has been fighting to have access issues which she experienced with her husband, who was in a wheelchair towards the end of his life, addressed. The St Ives Accessibility Action Group, which was set up as a consequence of the project, gives a voice to local people who wish to affect accessibility within the town. The first meeting of this group, at the end of the project, was attended by both St Ives Cornwall Councillors (who are also town councillors), St Ives mayor, the chair of the St Ives Chamber of Commerce along with a representative of Glen's family and Jo Mayes (Remapping Project Director). Actions were agreed to contact the officer responsible for accessibility at Cornwall Council and ask for a review of the town as well as to provide specific web pages on the Visitor Information Centre for businesses to advertise their accessibility to people who visit or live in the town.

........
And last week was Colin's birthday, as a present he went to see his favourite team Manchester City on Sunday and they won at Wembley! he returned having lost his voice..... 
we look forward to seeing how this affects the already victorious elated painting he is doing!!