Jeopardy and Trevor's Birthday

Jeopardy
is a new word in our process and performances - thanks to Zoe Osmond Shallal 2 and made me smile!
"We don't want to loose the sense of jeopardy"
you could write a thesis on improvisation/performance and that word!

i just found:
The whole process is a bit like doing a jigsaw puzzle in the dark- trying to find the shape of the production"
http://www.tangledfeet.com/news/6
.

I am at the flat space now i need to focus and yesterday we had our music list for Shallal 2 60mins for a 20min performance, interesting?! we are now in mid process or later!

and Shallal Dance Theatre is at about the same point with a more ambitious show, live and recorded music, voice, stunts, visual arts, 4 spaces ...and up to 30 people not 10 Shallal 2 has approx 10 at present and we reckon one in each decade 0-60 - i'm the oldest!

and the BOOK
we had our second meeting Tuesday and that is exciting! and terrifying, but in the hands of a professional Jonathan to guide us it feels do-able, even to an indecisive person like me, especially as George and Victoria are compiling it, just have to hand over masses of info for their edit!!

Many thanks to all our behind the scenes people again as we can now invest in work we want to research and support, we haven't has this security before and it really helps and shows in the public work as well.

I was asked about inclusion today by a group in Northern Ireland
www.rondadance.co.uk

I was reminded by Star of Trevor's birthday, there are a lot if us now so i am known to be late!
A few years ago when i  chatted with new company members about how they were getting on many people said one of their favourite people was Trevor.
Gestural communication in dance is a wonderful way to communicate with Trevor to appreciate his cheeky, twinkling humour and innate sense of style!

main photo Steve Tanner, others by Shallal artists and Belinda Whiting

Trevor started in a Healthy Living group run in Truro about 2011/12 he then went onto Friends and Dancing and later into Shallal Dance Theatre with Giles supported by Duane, he now lives in Truro and still attends both groups regularly, supported by Star.
We wanted to make a short documentary about him for PDSW competition re older dancers, however as his health was been less good recently, rather than give him too much focus ( stress)  we are now working on a documentary looking at all of us over 50 in Shallal, we don't like any definitions, boundaries, but if it helps to show we can all keep going work together across all those divides then thats good! Barbara is doing this with us and we are always grateful to work with her.

Thanks again to all those working in the background: trustees, business manager, bid writer, their experience and expertise is reassuring!

Last day of carving, still some filming, rehearsals and trying to collate it all so far and piecing together the rich jigsaw inspired by Passmore Edwards and everyones response and inspiration.

Annis and Anna photo in West Briton For Footprints exhibition!

Many thanks to the talents of Annis and Anna!!

We had a photo on the cover of "Whats On" West Briton.

I wrote an article, not great but adequate, and then looked through our photos, I am a slow learner but when Hennie our chairperson explained the simple fact to me that local newspapers like people looking at you it helped me understand and choose images. We had many lovely images from the residency as you can see on Shallal Studios Blog but this one is bold striking and looking at you, so we sent it in, and hurrah it was used and article printed.

Annis and Anna have been in Shallal Dance Theatre and in all Shallal Studio residencies and it is a privilege to watch them develop. They have a creative ease with each other, which is rare to find, and always progress their ideas.

Skye Anne Mackay who was with them in Shallal Dance Theatre has written and recorded a song for our next Doorways Show and returned recently to Shallal 2 supporting a younger member, it is lovely to have her back.

It was the last day of Footprints exhibition today and i will collect the art work tomorrow, hopefully the publicity may have sign posted more of the public to see it.

Monitor

A new monitor, a new composer!
So I am such a fan of R&D and residencies being so much a process person but also we all need a product/performance/showing/sharing to give it all focus, with improvisation you see performance every week, really my job is just to keep an eye out for it. Last nights Shallal 2 had 3 instances of work we can redo and keep looking at for our next show: 'men' in hats, the box brought in by Erin and Maz and a spontaneous dance to Zo's violin playing with Leigh, Jo, Maz and Miles.
Back to new monitor which was installed for last week of Helston Show yesterday. A slide show of wonderful images by Oli Raymond Barker and Emily Dobson, startling different in Oli's minimal clean clear space, one dancer with sounds, to Emily on the last day when all had been stretched and played with up to 8 dancers/artists, ink, sticks, paintings on floor and walls, and interspersed with a few other images of the month to show what was happening.
Victoria sent over a track by Darcy which i loved and though it is seen as something to dance to it's quiet beauty sits well with watching images, so we have used it,with the slide show, but will also use it in sessions to see who responds to it.

So new monitor, new composer!
The monitor means we can show films in exhibition of Doorways work in the future and show work back to groups on a good size screen.
In thinking of our hoped for permanent studio we would have a resident digital art mentor in Stuart, as well as painting, printing, drawing and now as i write this re-looking at Oli's wonderful evocative photos, stretching photography as well.

I am still on the hunt for a textile/costume/fashion artist to work in collaboration with Zoe Wilton, it has been many years now and we have had limited success, trialled projects, installations but still no-one we can readily call upon, or who just gets enough of a buzz out of it to continue and develop it.

The symbiotic nature of the work is what we are constantly looking for, it is a fragile but strong and flexible thing!
("Comedy - there was so much comedy in Kerry's dance piece and in Jo Lumber's poetry and the audience loved it.  I didn't realise there was so much space for comedy and laughter in Shallal."
comment from audience response/evaluation from Private view.
It is that joy and fun we look for, as it also supports taking risks and emotional depth and trust that is needed, and a level of enjoyment which then readily gives time and support to others.)

George's new adaptation for music!

We are very fortunate to have Pep with all his skills with us and obviously Kerry and Colin. Watch out for Kerry's wish to do aerial work, and we just heard of someone local with movable gear!!! no excuses now!

So we maybe looking for someone to push the 'box' Crossborders, cross art form idea forwards with me, which i am brewing from the residency, or they might just be here already or pop up.  It needs film, and web intelligence to set it up. If no-one available we shall see how far we can go ......

Heading of to first day back at Liskeard group with Demelza, as Tom is away, and Jo Lumber may come to for a day out!
Many thanks to Nick for easy read version of our poster!

(yes and i couldn't download the poster with our phone number,  on however at present it is the least effective way of contacting us)

First week back and Footprints Private view

First week back after the holidays.
A fantastic Sponsored Dance thank you to all who supported it, and "See you soon, we miss you" to all who were ill and unable to come.
We danced on through the five hours, helped by some good tunes and fun. Already we have raised approx £150 and much more to come in, this time our need is for our Community groups.
The last dancers left had a well earned cup of tea and chatted with Dr David Cox, our potential next new trustee.
As often i wonder artistically "What i am doing?" and was overwhelmed and reassured by the quality of work i saw at Footprints Private View. I had had nothing to do it with it, except enable the time and space for the artists and some wonderful work was shown, even though it was 'work in progress' when the artists are so comfortable in the realm of spontaneous work the standard is high.
I am about to upload the images to our Shallal Facebook and Studios blog and Lou filmed a lot of it so hopefully there will be other records and all of it will be there in some form or other at Doorways July 14 Falmouth Library.
We may need to change the title.
This week i start some voluntary sessions with Flushing School, ( where Luke goes to school) i am excited to work with youngsters and although it is themed, the theme is open and fun, "Back to the Future" we can play with space and time! and i will learn a lot!
Liskeard starts again and the rehearsals intensify for Shallal 2 and Shallal Dance Theatre we will identify all we have and start the second stage expansion of work.