Doodle and new trustee

Well I love the art of doodling!
Helps many of us survive, lessons, meetings, phone calls etc
And this is George's from our AGM!

Thank you to everyone and welcome to new trustee Nick Fripp, and Henrietta Boex who joined recently and to Tina Cockett. You can find out more about them on our website.
We are loosing a good team and gathering a new one, for exciting times ahead.

The year we reflected on was personally a hard one to survive on unexpected internal issues but externally a fantastically creative one and wonderful on that level, which I am very grateful for, and we are still building on it.

Welcome also to new members Michelle and Eden, who joined us yesterday, we look forward to working with them. That makes 4 families in the main co at present!

AGM today and feedback from You Matter

Welcome to our AGM today, 2-4pm at St Peter's Hall, Newlyn, not too much talking and tea and cake!!

Joseph was 21 on Tuesday and Colin and I and others had many conversations replanning our schedule as 4 dancers were ill, i was ill till the day and George was ill on the day!
However "show must go on" and thanks to everyones confidence, flexibility and George sending us 3 recordings - we made it!
I was asked to introduce us and this time thought i should take the opportunity to speak on some of the things close to my heart and behind our ethos and development, so chose Inclusion, Labels and Vulnerability, with a few short stories/examples to illustrate them. We also had a good short questions and answers and a friend kindly took around our new "comments" book.

So we scored 76% on a "very effective" presentation on their evaluations ( so felt i had a mark to compare with my daughter at uni!!)

The performers did very well, thank you to you all!

A few of the comments:

"Surprised at my immediate emotional connection to the pieces. The spontaneity of the improvisation worked it expressed more than the choreographed piece." 
Sarah Forbes tutor

"An amazing and emotional performance - love the ethos and values behind the project. The dancers were wonderful"
Tracy Robson

"How inspirational and empowering.
Very emotional. Huge thanks."
Sam Shewring

"beautiful real honest" 
Alex Waite

"loved the performance, enjoyed seeing the dancers love what they were doing"
Harriet 

"Really enjoyed your performance, watching how passionate and happy you all were made me smile, it was truly amazing" x
Caitlin

"Amazing performance, really inspiring and beautiful to watch, would love to see it again"
Tammy Thomas

Joseph, leading the procession in his home town St Ives for remapping St Ives project

Fan mail for Marjorie's poem

I have many dreams and schemes and one tucked away in an old folder waiting for it's time is for a poetry book, meanwhile:

 

"I had the pleasure of being one of the audience members when Shallal were performing in Penlee museum before Christmas. The performance was absolutely amazing and the one item I particularly enjoyed was the washing line poem.  Would it be possible for you to either let me have a copy or inform me where I could have one.

 

Thanking you in anticipation"

for those of you who weren't there:

      Memory Line       

A washing line most people think

Is to hang out your clothes to dry

But mine is special, I peg on mine

My special thoughts, my hopes, my fears

A dried red rose from my wedding bouquet

My first mothers day card, specially made

A valentines card, some photographs from long ago

when I was young and slim

Such memories they bring me

My dreams, my hopes, my prayers

These are the things that you will find upon my washing line.

By Marjorie Wilton

(copyright Marjorie Wilton no reproduction without permission)

Eddie and Marjorie

Zoe ( daughter ) and Marjorie

Linda and Marjorie

photos Steve Tanner

It seems to be a time of year for thanking people and I can't thank Marjorie enough for all her support and friendship throughout Shallal Dance theatre's existence. I have learnt a lot from her and like all good friendships she has gently corrected and challenged me when necessary!

Link to The Art of Autism submissions call out.

As someone who struggles over labels and believes in people first I am often surprised  by how readily some of my friends and people I work with who are on the autistic spectrum happily tell you. "I'm autistic" often as soon as they meet you. Thinking about it i realise that actually it can really help, it allows the people they meet to make adjustments so that they don't receive unhelpful responses and people are sensitive to and can accomodate their needs and behaviour.
Having worked at Budock Hospital I saw first hand the mental, psychological and emotional suffering of people with autism who weren't understood and it still haunts me.
For me it is important to maintain the fight: visibility, positive inclusion and appropriate support for people so this doesn't happen again!
Someone who is vulnerable and needs support will always need it and the ongoing quality of their life is only as good as the next carer/support system. I have seen the positive and negative of this so often and we have come a long way, but we can never relax in case it slides backwards.
I won't go on too much but the obvious thing is also the support and understanding for the carers/ those who support them, often their family.

So this is to introduce a link which Eddie told me about last night and forwarded to Shallal on Facebook. I have huge affection and respect for Eddie as a person, friend and artist and enjoy working with him, he first came to Shallal some years ago - he will tell me exactly when! My vagueness is helped (in the groups) by people with autistic detail and memory!

https://www.facebook.com/APEXCreativeBrain/posts/760338144035450

to
http://the-art-of-autism.com/autism-unveiled-seeking-submissions-for-forty-day-advocacy-project-culminating-on-world-autism-day/

BSL poetry article, and meetings and "You Matter"

Demelza sent in this article from "Action Hearing Loss" magazine. Making Magic is a BSL poetry programme for under 6's showing on CBeebies. This is what needs to happen and art is always such a great way forwards to introduce ideas, challenge how we communicate and change our culture.
It is a shame it has come after our Moving Words project but will help reinforce and give confidence to what we were exploring. And we continue with BSL where we can in our work, Demelza signed the poems and songs within our last show at Penlee House.

Meetings....lots of exciting possibilities 
www.shallalstudios.com/blog

and the main company are sending approx 13 performers to You Matter event at New County Hall on 27th January. The challenge of the space again and we are grateful to be invited back for the third time!

Sponsored Dance 9th January

Shallal's Annual Sponsored Dance is at St Peter's Hall Newlyn tomorrow 9th January
10am -1pm
Family, friends and supporters all welcome.
See you there!

photos from Contrasts photographer Simon Roff

First Shallal 2 this term last night and we met and enjoyed, looking at photos, thinking of new plans and dancing together again.

Eddie and Stuart performing Eddie's new song as everyone arrived
many thanks to Stuart for coming along and to Eddie for all his ideas and enthusiasm 

Andrew and co

Paul and Anna

Anne

Artists studio with recorded voice by Jo Lumber
ideas from residency at Back Lane West where Jo's writing was also supported by Falmouth Art Gallery

This lovely photo of Zoe by Simon has the Contrasts theme

Miles comment, "I love how we all end down"

David and co in Sea

FINAL BOW
Leigh, Anne, Zoe, Skye, Anna, David, Miles, Paul, Eddie, Jo and Andrew

Contrasts Photos Simon Roff

First choice of photos more soon....

there are 14 photos on https://www.facebook.com/FalmouthArtGallery 

Thank you to Simon