Photos by Steve from dress rehearsal....

I have just uploaded Steve Tanners first batch of photos from the dress rehearsal onto Facebook.
Wonderful that the first few are of new people, in their first major show with us!

B&B
Brian and Ben

 Ben and Brian are a good twosome and we are really glad to have them with us, Ben has attended Colin's groups for a while before joining us as well. Ben has amazing timing and spatial awareness, which shows up well in open improvisation. We are a little restricted by the site in this piece, uneven ground and less off stage area, but hope to showcase more of his talent in our next show, however watch out for him, especially in the horse race!

The Two Mollies
Molly 2 and Molly 1

Molly and Molly are neighbours, they rush off to more dance classes at the end of the morning session, http://www.bdc.me.uk/ .

Molly 1's mum Danu was Shallal's first development manager!
Molly chose the song she dances to, which gives me an excuse to sing a favourite song i think Anna Murphy taught me many years ago!
Molly 2 is helping with backstage this time but we hope she will feel well enough to join in soon.

Anna in middle

Anna joined us in time for our AMATA residency and is a lovely engaging and quirky performer.

She wrote a good poem which didn't quite get in due to timing pressure but we hope to show it somehow soon, and themes from it inspire pieces in the show.

Mike

Thanks to funding via a CPD dance card Mike has been able to stay overnight in the Penzance area so he can get to rehearsals as he lives in Wadebridge.

To see all the photos and get a taster for some of the show see our facebook page.
www.facebook.com/ShallalDanceTheatreCompany

Thank you once again to Steve, at the dress rehearsal we had Zoe taking close ups for the film and Belinda, whose show looks wonderful do try to see it, so they were having to peer around each other and all the wonderful colonnades to get photos - quite a feat!

Reminiscence and Photo exhibition

Well here i am blogging when i should be preparing for workshop today at Okehampton, crossing the Tamar to foreign parts ( yes i am Cornish, with a bit of Welsh etc). Nervous and excited to work with Get Changed Theatre co for the day, then rush back to Shallal 2. Who hopefully have a new commission from Wheal Martyn and are very enthusiastic about it.

The reason for the blog is a bit of reminiscence, from early on I knew our style of work suited some people, Zoe and Marjorie have never left! someone must like it, some people have had to move away and have said they are sad they haven't moved near something similar.
But in the last few years i have been pleased to see the children / teenagers progress and move through it. It's not always easy to keep them through the stages, children 'personnal dream' stage - all fine it's an extension of play and your inner world, but through self conscious adolescence is no easy thing for emerging adults.
So i won't post any photos but Michael was in the show Mind the Gap and Shallal for a time and Skye has been with us for many years and they both coincide on this poster:
Michael designed it, he is now our poster designer and will continue when he moves away to university, he has an offer to Edinburgh to study painting in September.
Skye is in Shallal 2 when not too tired from studying music performance at Truro College, she is in the photo and thanks to our funding we have just been able to commission a song from her for the next show.
Do come along to see this exhibition it is a real insight into the many facets of Shallal taken in a few outdoor research days last winter with Belinda Whiting. It was also a way to keep some of the young people who couldn't make Friday rehearsals still engaged in the project.

Busy Doorways day with film ....

Yesterday was one of those 'given' days, balmy, calm and sunny with all the new leaves and spring flowers!
At the end of busy day with rehearsals and visitors.....

(Rails of costume and the joy of others doing that all so well - thank you Victoria and Linda, Staging Colin and co and film - thank you Jacob and Pep leading warm up and the rest of us in normal positions - multi tasking, many conversations.
In the midst of it we were able to celebrate Marjorie's birthday and vote in new trustee Lesley Anne Eaton.
And thank you to guest visitor dancer Harry Theaker, i so appreciated and learnt from Rory's feedback last time and Harry has done the same for us at the right moment, giving another eye to it all! He said, "Walking in the room feels like home", so we hope he might do the same for us next year with the next show.)

All this is preamble to at the end of the day i went to pick up Peter and Eddie from Godolphin as a small group had left with Barbara to go filming, the beautiful day continued on the drive there and then out of the woods i met happy faces, you could tell they were having a great time.

Eddie, Barbara, Peter, Tina, Zoe and Demelza

I watched the last part of their filming, more photos  on FB www.facebook.com/ShallalDanceTheatreCompany
Zoe was taking photos so hope to share those and can't wait to see the film, all based on the "Duchess and the doll" piece by Jo Lumber.
Other groups will go through the summer to create short films.

All around Godolphin Doorways Show

All coming together for the show in 3 weeks time 27th May!
Hope to see you there 2pm at Godolphin House, Godolphin Cross, Helston.

Some lovely publicity photos from Belinda Whiting .......

Elaine and Demelza, Demelza is signing Elaine's poems.

Demelza and Lydia

I started my week with the pleasure of looking at photos Belinda took during our research and development, particularly working with some of the younger dancers who can't make Friday as they are now in college.
Come along to see the exhibition in The Cidery at Godolphin, it does capture the range of Shallal really well, as Belinda hoped. It starts 21 May for 2 weeks, along with 3 installations. Toby is staying over in the area to work on his this week, they will be installed next Friday. The others are collaborations and should be very effective.

Skye

Open Day
Lots of exciting things happening, Lesley-anne and i went to see the Open Day at Redwing Gallery.
I was really impressed, mixed exhibitions don't always show peoples work to the best advantage, but this one worked really well. Photos on Shallal Studio blog soon.

Visitors
Lesley-anne visits us tomorrow to be voted on as a trustee. she brings a lot of skill and experience we are grateful she is willing to be a trustee.
 Harry Theaker - dancer- made it to Cornwall, so he visited Godolphin today and tomorrow he can see the rehearsal.
Barbara comes to go and shoot some film with a small group in the afternoon at Godolphin. the rest of us will be in the "flower factory," those of us who are keen have taken the materials home with us!

Mr Ed's What's Up Show
Today i went to Source FM to be interviewed on Eddie's Mr Ed show, you can hear it on 1pm - 2pm Friday. It's not quite a 'spoiler' for the show but you hear some of the recorded music!
http://www.thesourcefm.co.uk/programmes/mr-eds-whats-show
http://www.thesourcefm.co.uk/podcast

Finally Congratulations to Shallal 2's  small outreach group for their performance in Mergecology St Austell, i finally watched the film of it,  thank you to Miles dad Richard. Well done all the dancers,
and this week news of a commission in the waiting which we are really eager to do. Although fairly small they are a strong and sustained group and really support each other.

Doorways Dress Rehearsal at Godolphin House

Yesterday found us back at dear old Godolphin and I was caught up again into "What a setting" those colonnades, the granite, all so wonderful. Plus walking to work through bluebell woods!

It was busy but nice, with support in place from Pep and Linda, and Victoria multi tasking as costume  and wardrobe and project co-ordinator, as well as usual talented and reliable team.

Al arriving by bike in Mexican themed joyous orange outfit ! he is the only person i have worked with it feels we dress down for shows!

Victoria watching costume

Well done to everyone and thank you to the National Trust. The weather was kind not too hot or too cold, no rain!

This show reflects elements of the strands of society that surrounded and maintained a large wealthy home and everyone has brought characters and themes to life. It is as diverse and interesting as the people who have created it.
 It is a pleasure to watch peoples creativity and responses to this project and blossom and develop within the pieces they create. Different artists come to the fore in different shows and i have enjoyed watching Toby and Annis take more of the stage in this one.
Well done to everyone, its back to rehearsals again next week and running through it with the awareness of the space.

tried to photo Toby in his elegant costume walking with Katherine, joined by Zo and Katie

Molly her first show and solo spot at beginning of the show from her choice of song, one i love, Bright Morning Star Arising

 Dear Harry Theaker's car broke down so he didn't manage to come to watch the rehearsal and give us a 'crit'. Steve Tanner came to photograph in the afternoon, images coming soon, as well as Zoe Young documenting film and Belinda Whiting.
I am looking forward to Belinda  showing me choices for a photo exhibition in Cidery alongside the flower installation. Meanwhile installations by Shallal artists with John Keys and Alessandra, and one by Toby are under way, Paul and Greg have been supporting Toby and Greg's website is very inviting.
http://www.futuretracks.co.uk/
...i look forward to seeing it all after 21 May.
Installations will be situ a week before and a week after the show.

George outdoors - it sounded good! 

Joseph also in solo, with Zoe filming close ups and Belinda on photographs, dress rehearsal is one of the only times you can go close up!