MInack photos and more...

Sometimes a lot happens at once, we have just come out of 3 Embodied Space shows and they were all so completely different.

Since Friday I am processing the style, the elements, we know them well experientially but how to find the language to delve deeper and discuss with those who don't do the practice..the insights of the performers as ever are vital and I will share all that soon.

It was with excitement and trepidation i went yesterday morning to Minack Theatre Car Park. Colin and i were having a site meeting for Embodied Space performing there 2pm Friday 7 June.

Who wouldn't love to go to the Minack for a meeting! the extraordinary blessing of living where we do, and then, had i made a daft decision? who performs in Car Parks? well we do obviously!

Anyway my fears were allayed by short grass (fairly flat), blue sea and ornamental plant rockery back drop and the most obliging and supportive staff you could ask for, so here's hoping.

A few years ago we blogged a meeting on a small cliff in St Ives, but now this photo celebrates our best, outdoor stunning view, meeting venue so far.

The natural beauty that surrounds us in Cornwall, especially those who live in Penwith, - it is one of the most beautiful places i have visited in the world - which leads us to this Friday and our unscheduled Pop Up Embodied Space response to the 2nd Global Strike for the Climate

You can find us this Friday 11am - 12pm performances 

12pm - 1pm chalk drawing 

on Newlyn Green.

At present i am thinking we might do the same music as we did on the beach at Trebah Gardens 'Sorrowful Songs,' followed by the Kestle Barton cowslip meadow where we resonated with the hope Spring brings ( 'Primavera', Einaudi) and hope for a renewal, revival and reversal/repair? 

In Cornwall there are now choughs reestablished in their habitats, when i was child they were virtually extinct in the wild.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/earthnews/3345903/Choughs-nest-in-west-of-Cornwall.html

This week i also received this from Tina Cockett who gave so much to Shallal throughout the charity from back stage, performing, movement development, skills sharing workshop, bid writing, national networking and just a really good supportive friend to us all.

"...I have been thrilled to learn of all Shallal’s continuing work via Facebook over the last four years.
Have often thought of you all .... so I can thank you properly for your inspiration and the experience Shallal gave me. ... I am offering a solo movement installation in some local woods. ....
with my deepest appreciation of Shallal’s presence in my life in Cornwall love and best wishes to all Shallal members."

So to end, this post seems to have most of the components that arise in this blog, creative reflection, sharing  information, feedback with company members and artists, letting our funders see a glimpse of partnerships and process, background work and notice of forthcoming events in Shallal and within our wider community.

It is the start of another glorious sunny day here, and sometimes the financial insecurity of working in project-led funded work, in a low income area, is soothed and balanced by freedom and flexibility - I might go for my first sea swim this year after my early morning meeting!
Yesterday Luke and i had hoped to scout out some Parkcor spots after the meeting however we ended up eating fish and chips at Sennen, it's fantastic to have these short holiday moments interspersing working life, there is a point to this! low tide firm smooth sand is something to dance and be filmed on! I'm still waiting to do this.....

Friday 24 May 2nd Global Strike for Climate Shallal Dance Theatre 'Striking' on Newlyn Green from 11am - 1pm.

At the end of the day, was the phrase that sprung to mind, which seems fitting for the subject of this post..
At the end of today, Colin used his talents to quickly write this...
( Star had just written a powerful piece called Hope inspired by the global predicament and the wonderful meadow of cowslips, come along next Friday for its first public performance)

So next Friday 24 May you can find some or all of us ( the hardy few if it's raining!) on Newlyn Green from 11am - 1pm.
In solidarity with and in support of the 2nd Global Climate Strike for Future ,  Shallal's Strike will be Pop Up dance theatre performance and poetry, live music and song from 11am - 12pm and colouring in the pavement with chalk drawings from 12pm - 1pm.

Tremenheere Gallery last Friday

Embodied Space
Tremenheere Art Gallery 10 May 2019

"I loved it, and it definitely ranks as one of my favourites. 
It was a joy to witness the performers'  bravery and honesty, and the integrity they showed one another.  Really wonderful."

                                                           quick snaps from warm up in the space....

We filmed it all for refection ...looking forward to sharing it with everyone today and chatting to our mentor Harry Theaker soon, Lois gave me a good insight yesterday. We have the autumn term to gather and reflect, really pleased so far!! ....

General Strike XR next week on Shallal Dance Theatre day hoping to do something interesting, we shall see...

Came across this recently ....

https://www.royalcornwallmuseum.org.uk/exhibition/spectrumofart

and Eddie has Open Studios at Krowji starting 25 May
https://www.openstudioscornwall.co.uk/artist/eddie-callis/

Tremenheere this Friday

Shallal brings new dance experience to Cornish venues in May

Cornish inclusive arts charity Shallal new tour of pioneering new improvised dance theatre work in May started with performances at Falmouth Art Gallery, Kestle Barton near Helston and comes tomorrow 10^th May to Tremenheere Art Gallery at Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, Gulval, near Penzance.http://www.tremenheere.co.uk/

‘We have been working on an entirely new improvisation method which brings out the element of surprise and playful spontaneity often missing in our lives and in art’, says Shallal Creative Director Jo Willis. 

Shallal’s new ‘Here and Now’ project brings their three dance theatre companies together for a touring programme which will take them to venues across Cornwall from Liskeard to The Minack Theatre.

Described by an audience member as "mind-blowing, soul-moving, powerful performance”, the shows, funded by Arts Council England, are admission free and fully accessible.

‘The new project has given a level of progression to the company that is full of risk and new challenges and I am really excited to see where it will take us’ said Shallal dancer Star.

Check Shallal’s website for times and further tour dates throughout the summer and autumn www.shallal.org.uk culminating with a final show in January at the Newlyn Art Gallery 

The performance at Tremenheere is at the art gallery which has level access and a disabled toilet.  For further information please check venue websites.  

The shows are alternating between art galleries and outdoor venues and sometimes both!

It looks good in galleries, the initial inspiration for it, and we are excited to perform for the first time in the beautiful new build space at Tremenheere, and if the weather is kind we might extend to outside.

Joseph at Newlyn Art Gallery
the body in space then add others, dance, music and art! poetry, song ..it goes on....

Embodied Space Falmouth Art Gallery and Kestle Barton

Friday found us back at one of our favourite venues Falmouth Art Gallery.
Shallal Dance Theatre along with some of Shallal 2, surrounded by the sensitive art of Partou Zia situated within other strong women artists.
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2008/apr/04/2

http://www.artcornwall.org/features/Partou_Zia_Helen_Hoyle.htm
I knew Partou from when we lived in Newlyn, and you would meet people walking up and down the steep hill, we had moving and memorable conversations on one particular corner the 'quiet' way down, beside the second Methodist Chapel.
The exhibition has a strong presence and it was moving to remember Partou and to work within it.

warm up

warm up, liked the palette/shades of costume colour with paintings

Toby and Justin in late warm up and - from this angle - 'in' paintings

For our 'Remembering Marjorie' dance we played Turning World by Charlie Heykoop. http://www.charlesheykoop.co.uk/music.htm Charlie had played with Shallal many many years ago most memorably outside Truro Cathedral, in a dance festival, and Paul Gosling - who i thought would dance in the limited area of the pavement - instinctively danced around the whole square moving with gestural beauty so profound one dear friend in the audience cried! - which leads onto the conversation around Spaces.

Saturday
Kestle Barton for the first time

Line up for: costume colour combination check in,
Everyone brings their own and a few options and then we tweek, share, whatever's needed....!
photos George Bradley peer

i thought if i put up my pink brolly it might not rain!?! - however it did intermittently in true Cornish Spring showers style - feedback from some dancers is they liked it

Zoe's dance for Marjorie to the song 'Wayfaring Stranger'

oops can't get volume setting right?! saved by Anna

we love the wildflower meadow!
Maybelle ( Shallal 2) in the background

                                                     Jo and Anna

Barbara Hepworth talked about 'the figure in the landscape'.
I love the figure: the gesture, the movement/dance, the interactions/relationships, the music and then the SPACE.
Oh my, we know how powerful the first four are but the space is the fifth element, we are really experiencing it in its grandeur in these outdoor settings and such a joy.
The beach at Trebah and now the meadow at Kestle Barton.
The work in these spaces then takes on 'epic' proportions and vistas: moving art, colour, emotion interaction, the way people turn with each other, one dancer spoke of being connected to everyone! ( at a real distance) no choreography just a trust and assurance of working together, for some of us over many years and then three of Shallal 2 in the meadow as well ( having not worked with SDT before) and a member of the audience saying, "How do you describe this?"

Shallal 2 really enjoyed working with George and want to do more.
The performers in Shallal 2 and Shallal Dance Theatre varied slightly each day and it worked well. It was good to have time together and that also raises progression ideas for us all. We had hoped to have a Liskeard dancer join us as well.

Still reflecting, processing information and insights from it all.

On another more practical note a full audience at Falmouth Art Gallery and the donations suggestion at the end worked well, total averaged at £5 a head, but hard to do on Saturday due to the showers - and moving in and out and round about - assessing and communicating with performers happy or not to work in rain and various spaces, meant it was less easy to make announcements and communicate with the audience and leave/display information etc.
Finally filming by Barbara Santi..

Comments from Friday
"Inspiring. This performance reminded me what I love about dance."
"I just happened to walk in- so moving I have a lump in my throat. It is so magical. Thank you."

Next
The beautiful Tremenheere Art Gallery, Gulval, near Penzance
https://www.tremenheere.co.uk/art-gallery-cornwall/
Friday 10 May 4pm
Looking forward to it.