New favourite review! for Connecting forms Tate St Ives

Tate St Ives commmission for their Winter Festival, 'Together for Change'

 we created 'Connecting Forms'

It's been quite epic and fast and we have loved it.

for the company, 1 R&D day and then only 2 visits dancing in space with art workshops.

On the first performance i was handed a hand written piece of paper with one of our favourite reviews.

When we transferred to a charity and i had to explain what we did and self promote Shallal etc i baulked at it, however we found one way around it which is as often as possible use other peoples reviews so...

thank you for this one:

"Shallal- Beautiful, truthful and very moving, this didn't feel like a 'labelled inclusive performance'

it was grace and expression on the deepest human level, almost spiritual. Totally absorbing."

So we created 'Connecting Forms'

Music live and original with collected soundscape, thanks to Matt Thomason!

Barbara Hepworths recorded voice and Jillys collated sayings of Barbara Hepworth, Debs' evocative poem

All is Spontaneous response/Open Improvisation performance. Please note we do not know what we are doing till we do it, (only one suggestion for Jilly's word and one solo) everything else is totally devised in the moment!

They are impressive - they practice this approach to working together!

and oh we love cross art form work! thank you to Anna for introducing us to this particular gestural style on the paper, we want to do more.

We were pleased with how the collaborative banners turned out - thank you all!

Bobby is commissioned to make a film  from it all - we saw a short extract -beautiful 

and Steve Tanner was there also recording film and photos for the Tate, so we await all these with joy!

We will take away the 4 new collaborative drawings we created and work on them.

Thank you to George for recording some simple phone interviews for Lou and evaluation

I woke up yesterday with ideas for new art pieces project and Anna says she is interested in backdrops and Bunny and Hannah have joined us bringing their skills.

Well done and thank you to all the dancers /artists/performers - always a privelige to work together

and last of all what a space Porthmeor Beach behind us in light, shade and waves and a strange but wonderfully curved gallery with audience above and to the sides - always worth a visit Gallery 8!

Passing on Passmore at Blackwater Village Hall

What a joyous thing to do, like so much of what we plan the back ground co-ordination is tough, but the result of some Shallal dance Theatre performers and a wide age range ( 2-93 ), of 24 local audience  were a winning combination.

It felt a nice round off to a wonderful bicentennial season of Passmore Puppets and pop ups which started at The Ladder in March. Also celebrating Dean's recent Heritage award!

Blackwater Village Hall is a little gem.   http://www.blackwatervillagehall.net/ and we hope to return whenever we can.

So we 'hang up' up our puppets and await what comes next.

Next this time was immediately plunging into our Tate St Ives commission the following 2 days read next blog!

many thanks to Bobby for this poster,
it's wonderful to see her marketing and communications skills
so easily enhance all we do!

Congratulations to Dean Evans for Cornwall Heritage Award!

more info 

https://www.cornwallheritagetrust.org/cornish-heritage-champions-honoured-at-annual-awards/

https://www.facebook.com/TheCornwallHeritageTrust

Want to share this wonderful letter of support 

for recommending Dean for this award

written by

Jo Lumber,
Associate Artist Shallal Dance Theatre.

How many people have seen the words 'Passmore Edwards Free Library', carved in granite above the doors of Cornwall's public libraries? And how many people have fleetingly wondered who that was and what it meant?

Dean Evans has enlightened the county about ordinary Blackwater boy turned philanthropist, John Passmore Edwards.
Dean's fascination and enthusiasm for bringing the achievements of this man into public conscience has both widened knowledge and brought people together.

Dean's selfless engagement has been extensive; he's researched John Passmore Edwards and written the book 'Funding The Ladder', he's helped fundraise for the restoration of Blackwater village hall, he's given numerous talks about his chosen topic. And is helping to give John Passmore Edwards the recognition he deserves; a man who used his money to enhance the lives of ordinary people through access to learning and enjoyment via free public libraries, and healthcare and support by funding convalescence homes and hospitals.

I met Dean several years ago when he first gave a talk for Shallal Dance Theatre. As an inclusive company we have a wide range of people with differing needs. Dean shared his knowledge with enthusiasm and warmth, in understandable language, with photographs and pictures to support his talk. Dean came across as a kind, gentle person, with great communication skills. Shallal created a performance entitled 'Ladders and Footprints' (using words from

Passmore Edwards quotes) in 2017. Initially a 'site specific' piece for Falmouth Library it went on to be performed in numerous places including
St Austell Library, Blackwater village hall, St Agnes Library, AMATA at Tremough campus, plus extracts at Hall For Cornwall.




With 2023 being John Passmore Edwards' bicentenary year Shallal has continued the partnership with Dean. And we've gone big! The larger than life puppets of Mr and Mrs Passmore Edwards have been visiting towns throughout Cornwall, meeting folk with an oversized wave or handshake, whilst sharing the knowledge of this special Cornish couple. The puppets opened the 'The Ladder' in Redruth, a former Passmore Edwards free library now currently being restored and repurposed as a creative, community space. With banners created to share Passmore Edwards quotes and achievements, they then lead the procession and book chain to the current Redruth library.

They visited Falmouth Library for a community talk and afternoon cream tea. They joined the Mazey Day celebrations in Penzance, helped plant a commemorative tree at Newlyn Art Gallery (another Passmore Edwards building). They met people at Trevithick Day in Camborne and Murdoch Day in Redruth.

They even made it on to BBC Spotlight on what would have been John's 200th birthday!
All of this stemmed from our initial engagement with Dean. We have written poetry, monologues and song lyrics. We have created artwork, physical comedy, poignant dance and movement, all connecting to the life and work of John Passmore Edwards. We have gained knowledge and enjoyed the process of interpretation, sharing with our audiences and people at events in the streets of Cornwall.




I sometimes wonder what would happen if John Passmore Edwards and Dean had the opportunity to meet. I imagine they might both be overwhelmed by each others achievements. John, grateful for having his beliefs and ethos brought to attention at this present time, encouraging people to think about compassion in an ever challenging world.

Dean, perhaps a bit 'fan struck', thrilled to meet a real life hero and excited to tell him about how he's keeping his name alive, not just carved in stone but in spoken communication.
Two men who, in different times and different ways, are on the same page.

So I'd like to celebrate Dean Evans, for his continued enthusiasm in celebrating Cornish philanthropist John Passmore Edwards, whilst bringing people together to learn, enjoy and engage.

Improvisation quote: Margaret Beale...& in house training

 So much going on is a normal phrase this term so...Janice sent me a link to Margaret  Beale some weeks ago and i've only just visited it

"The art of improvisation in performance is like surfing. You must jump in without hesitation and keep swimming. You must meet each new wave, the constant “now” over and over, afresh. Sometimes you shape it.  Sometimes it shapes you. Sometimes you are lost in it. Sometimes you are exultantly, found. But, at the end of the ride, something authentic, alive, and arresting in its immediacy has been created and leaves its smoky, indelible trail on the consciousness. The process has become the performance and the performance has revealed the process that is improvisation."

https://dancingwithoutsteps.com/

Along with starting our in-house training:

Thank you to the Tate, Sketchbooks, new podcast and some links

 What do we do with art when the world goes through such global challenges?...

I was sorting my emails and came upon this link http://www.auroralevinsmorales.com/blog/vahavta

"Aurora Levins Morales is a disabled and chronically ill, community supported  writer, historian, artist and activist. It takes a village to keep her blogs coming." 

suggested from The Common Cause Foundation.

Global is important - local is always good, 2 sides of the same coin.

We all need a village, a community.

New podcast now out - a joy to talk to and learn from Heather Ackroyd. I have a list of initiatives she talked about - as i was checking the captions.

Passing on Passmore Podcast no 9 https://youtu.be/WdE_4cdA9x8

I started this blog to be grateful for a wonderful day at the Tate St Ives yesterday, in our closing circle - we thanked George and Cassie our hosts.

What a joy to be meeted, greeted, cared for and fed, commissioned to create exciting new responses to Single Form by Barbara Hepworth. Working with composer Matt Thomson, Bobby being commisssioned to make a short film - the R&D one was wonderful so bring on the finished product - and the fun of seeing dear Steve Tanner lying on the floor photographing.

So open improv spontaneous response performance and art and movement mark making a glorious mix - my happy art space and made me smile...thank you to all artists involved. Debs is researching and gallery 8 must be one of the most stunning views and art spaces to work in - a little narrow ( for dance) but not complaining with the sea outside on to St Ives sand, glorious colours, the day turned form stormy grey ( the end of storm Ceiran)  to sunshine.

snapshot

There are so many important initiative to follow: 

after reading and watching Just Mercy https://eji.org/bryan-stevenson/

The Equal Justice Initiative works to end mass incarceration, excessive punishment, and racial inequality.

I realise this blog jumps around and my menopausal brain is that and i haven't time to polish this so here it is raw scribblings and hope some makes some sense and some seeds fall.

Wishing you a blessed day.

Sketchbooks today at The Ladder...

"Shallal's relationship with Back Lane West is one of our most fruitful and longstanding.

 "Shallal's relationship with Back Lane West is one of our most fruitful and longstanding.

It came through friendship and a chance conversation, as many of the best things do!

Oliver Raymond Barker had a residency at BLW and i rolled along to it with my family as supportive friends. I had a conversation with Jane and Patrick Lowry who said, "We'd really like the community in," and I remember literally nearly jumping up and down, clapping my hands and saying " We can get the community in. We'd love to do a residency, it's just what we have been looking for!"

Since then a decade ago, I don't think we have missed a year and nearly every day of all our residency diaries has been packed, funded or unfunded, solo artists, visiting artists, community groups, bizarre collaborations, poetry, music, film , sound, painted walls, pop ups, performances, sharings, talks, zoom sessions, light installations and always Jane and Patrick visiting, supportive, appreciative.

Thank you. It's a glorious neutral space, a wonderful opportunity and here's to more! 

The work done here has led to a Porthmeor Studios residency and Shallal Studios and into performances and exhibitions, degrees and memories and sheer fun of the creative process, celebrated by all levels and ages a chance to come together for longer with an open brief and enjoy discovery.

you can see some of our recent work on:....https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy9HmvUPnsE/

work in progress Anna Willis