End of year

 So many thanks to the whole team for this year... Shallal has grown to be so much more than this blog can give credit to, please check out Shallal Sketchbooks and Shallal Studio especially and the community groups, so many good creative things going on!

Most groups had their own end of term celebration for Christmas, Friends and Dancing had a wonderful Sharing.

 Shallal Dance Theatre hosted the Shallal Zoom Christmas party with 34 people dropping in.

We ended the year with The Video Premiere of 'A Call to Home' on Shallal Arts Youtube at 7pm 23 December, do check it out.

https://youtu.be/zo2FhEHbtiA

Many thanks to Sapphire for filming, editing and compiling and to Sammy and others who helped on the day.

We will be sad to have Sapphire's role end on the 7 January we have so benefitted from and enjoyed working with her, we hope to keep connected and working together, plans bubbling along.

We are grateful for a few wonderful audience members on 10 Dec for Shallal Dance Theatre's second Showcasing and Sharing, with covid concerns heightened we didn't want to cancel but also wanted safe numbers, so all worked well. And we are now attracting the cross section of audience we had hoped for some years ago.

"A spellbinding garden of winter runes and blossoming light forms." - comments from a returning audience member who also has joined a community group.

I also heard second hand that a performer said it was "one of the best days" he had when commenting on our first Showcase.

Our next AGM is booked in as 2pm 20 May 2022.

A big thank you to everyone behind the scenes in Shallal for our increasing organisational improvements. We are growing and need to sustain all we do and everyone is in role and holding and supporting each other, it is lovely to see.

And the kindness, generousity and creativity of everyone involved in the groups and sessions continues to move, inspire and impress me.

Shallal 2 had a fun Christmas meet up some in the room and some on zoom! We are thoroughly enjoying being at our new venue.

Shallal Christmas tree, one of many at the Christmas Tree Festival at Princess Pavillions until 4 January

Until next year I leave you with a favourite memory to dance in the new year

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CUn-r6JD-ZV/?utm_medium=copy_link

Watching this again reminds me that...

The joy and collaboration of Shallal Dance Theatre has been the inspiration Shallal has grown from,

it is now so much more with each part having it's own unique yet similar spirit.

Creativity , Charlotte, Showcasing & Sharing, Covid, 'A named thing'

 Last week, apart from a stinking winter cold!

Great first meeting with Charlotte and team, I learn a lot, i get catapulted into 2 parallel realities in such meetings/conversation of confidence and insecurity at the same time, not sure one ever gets used to it.

 Confidence, in those you work with, in the vision and history etc 

Insecurity, in ones own creative life endeavours etc 

Thankfully dear John Miller said, "you never know if you can do it again", creativity is not owned, controlled, manufactured, it's a visitor, a gift, a small bird on the shoulder, a whisper in the ear, a glimpse of something on the periphery, you make the situation as inviting as possible and work and wait for it to come along, So when people talk about it as a given, you know it's not. We try to make friends with our own creative process sometimes, ranting, shouting, rushing....sometimes curling up empty and waiting... the great thing about Shallal is it's shared.

So heres to a creative solution for tomorrows Shallal 2 unexpected venue issue!

Here's to the fun of another of these...

i now remember what drove me here, to blog about the changes, subtlety and inclusion needed in our Covid times. Last week in Shallal Dance Theatre we reflected on the show A Call to Home and whether to do this Showcase and Sharing.

A smaller team are keen to go ahead with it and that makes it easier, as there will be less people performing so more covid safe..so trust the process..is what Shallal has taught me over all these years! 

Another small reflection from that conversation was about space and environment, we need to have the 'vibe' to suit us, enable inclusion and welcome as fully as possible. Which interestingly came up in a chat with national Mencap this week, who have a legacy to spend on Cornwall..interesting.

I do love a legacy! Anyone want to add us to their will?

I feel my age, 58, creeping on, but intend/hope to work for years.

Films trickling out ...

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHqXvGvul--aNrXo-NoGtsA

Comments A Call to Home

 A Call to Home

at St Peters Church

26.11.21

Comments book:

"Beautiful. Always feels like a window into heaven when I see you guys perform. Thank you."

"This was so inspiring! Thanks"

"Fantastic - Heart Warming - inspiring enjoyed every moment" - Richard and Jenny

"Lovely engaging performance. Well done to all - great afternoon."  Linda

"As a performer I thought the audience was lovely"  Toby Bridge

"Very moving uplifting show"

"Very nice   lovely"

"Absolutely beautiful. Thank you all so much"

Messages:

"Really enjoyed the show it was very moving and a real pleasure to be there"

"What beautiful and interesting work"

Email:

"We loved the production again on Friday and it was interesting to see it in a different setting. St Peter’s Church has been adapted so well and keeps its grandeur whilst being a wonderful space for the community. I last went there in 1967 to a cousin’s wedding!!"

We hope to have the recording available on you tube at the end of next week.

We have postponed our Showcasing and Sharing to 10 December 2pm

Many thanks to everyone today especially those who helped with all the technical hitches, suffice to say a laptop failed and 3 mobile phones replaced it. 

I'm always in awe of the generous supportive spirit that everyone brings.

Thank you for audience photos from Carolyn Streatfield via Demelza...

work

work

and more work

first dance 

Noahs Ark 

BSL

wade in the water

wade in the water

                                                                   Angels and resurrection

Victor Jara film

 Victor Jara film:

...a long time in coming, conceived in lockdown and weathering the difficulties of the pandemic times, this jewel of a film started with 4 voices ( artists) went down to 2-3 and then collected artists as it went along, and is well worth the wait!

 

I leave it to George to encapsulate it ( see below) and many thanks to everyone involved!

"This film is pure poetry.

With  each viewing I feel it land somewhere new in my heart and body.

Filmed and edited in such rich detail. It’s message so touching.

This film soars beyond  the sum of its separate elements; movement, landscape, drawing, painting, music, poetry…"

Like our recent film "Voices at the table" we send this film off into the world hoping it may touch many hands and hearts, or heads, hearts and hands.

"Cristian Galaz of Fundacion Victor Jara replied with many thanks for the link and said he has forwarded on to Amanda Jara, Victor’s daughter, to send to her Mum."

Snapshot Shallal

Bat song writing workshop with Eddie and co today at Back Lane West Residency

Shallal 2 are busily making Christmas tree decorations today as are Express Yourself for Falmouth Christmas Tree Festival this weekend

Krowji Open Studios this weekend - pop along and see what Shallal Studio gets up to.

Creative Journeys a new small group from Shallal Sketchbooks has started.

Lots of creative and necessary meetings behind the scenes...

Background including agreements & somatics links

Background

Exploring links given by Elizabeth Tomos  https://www.instagram.com/elizabeth_tomos/ - Welcome to Cornwall she has just started work at Falmouth Uni on Fine Art and lots to discuss, learn and share ...

i came across 

some good guidelines:

Agreements for Multicultural Interactions at EBMC

Adapted from Visions Inc, “Guidelines for Productive Work Sessions” www.visions-inc.org

Try It On: Be willing to “try on” new ideas, or ways of doing things that might not be what you prefer or are familiar with.

Practice Self Focus: Attend to and speak about your own experiences and responses. Do not speak for a whole group or express assumptions about the experience of others.

Understand The Difference Between Intent & Impact: Try to understand and acknowledge impact. Denying the impact of something said by focusing on intent is often more destructive than the initial interaction.

Practice “Both / And”: When speaking, substitute “and” for “but”. This practice acknowledges and honors multiple realities.

Refrain From Blaming or Shaming Self & Others: Practice Giving Skillful Feedback.

Move Up / Move Back: Encourage full participation by all present. Take note of who is speaking and who is not. If you tend to speak often, consider “moving back” and vice versa.

Practice Mindful Listening: Try to avoid planning what you’ll say as you listen to others. Be willing to be surprised, to learn something new. Listen with your whole self.

Confidentiality: Take home learnings, but don’t identify anyone other than yourself, now or later. If you want to follow up with anyone regarding something they said in during a session, ask first and respect their wishes.

Right to Pass: You can say “I pass” if you don’t wish to speak.

Learn More at: https://eastbaymeditation.org/resources/diversity/

and some fascinating work..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2Em4Ie5tm4&t=215s

https://vimeo.com/351152970

https://vimeo.com/user45294792

and an interesting festival Elizabeth suggested ...well worth looking around at contemporary discussion and practice!

https://www.bodyiq.berlin/

Rereading this i'm reminded of HAIL a good simple tool to check our speech communications

Honest

Authentic

Integrity

Loving

 

Trevor Hill fund raiser and news

 Big Thank you to John Willis who raised £1400 for the Trevor Hill Memorial Fund by running the Oxford Half Marathon.

The fund will help people in supported living access Shallal sessions.
Thank you to all who supported his fund raiser, we can already see the difference this fund is enabling.
John remembers Trevor fondly over many years of being around Shallal shows especially Doorways at Godolphin House.

Fundraising is a constant conversation in charities and family are a constant conversation for many of us, so when two combine in a nice event and a good memory legacy it was a cause to celebrate. Four of our family went off to Oxford to support John.

John remembers Trevor more than i thought and this means so much, we all affect each other and Trevors legacy is special for many reasons that i can't articulate clearly enough in this short blog post.

We recently had an AGM and 3 'new' people to Shallal described in a heartfelt way what Shallal meant to them. They have come into Shallal via Shallal Sketchbooks and Picture Post and this shows how Shallal has 'grown up', it is bigger, wider and hopefully better than before. Still keeping it's family feel and credit was given to our trustees and especially to Nick Fripp for hosting the AGM so well. Our trustees have graciously steered us through the last few years really proving their supportive guiding roles. We are very grateful, the gratitude goes through out the organisation as everyone gives their best!

And it is remarkable the skills and vision that people bring, our new website is one of these and our new business plan is on it's way.

Check out the News section for more info on everything going on!

https://shallal.org/news

Good news from Manda Brookman that Kate Raworth, creator of Doughnut Economics, is using our film "Voices at the Table," so pleased!

"Kate contacted me this week as she wanted to show off Shallal doughnut youtube film so i sent it on to her as she wanted to use it at ... TEDx somewhere and she wanted to use that as an example...just wanted to let you know Kate's got it and she's talking about it! so power to your elbow Shallal you are ****** amazing!"

 Kate Raworth is the person who created Doughnut Economics https://www.kateraworth.com/about/

TEDx talks....https://www.ted.com/watch/tedx-talks

Off to Shallal Dance Theatre dress rehearsal, then a  chat with Blair and Pete Freeman at Newlyn gallery re live steaming to Tretyakov Gallery Education department on 28 January, i think we need a translator! 

lots of bids, applications and plans as well as second half of Back lane West  and an online Christmas Party zoom!  and Creative Journeys with Claire at the Studio Saturday mornings, advertising our Zoom sessions. many thanks to The Henry Smith Charity and looking at Time to Shine and RANK Foundation as Sapphire's time draws towards it's close, we've loved working with her ( and our planning continued projects ) and she has brought a lot to the role despite the difficulties of lockdown! 

Awaiting 2 films and lots on, i want to post work from Foraging Nectar..its beginning to sound like a TO DO list..time to stop...

Last thought

A friend recently commented how he disliked blogs! ( oops here i am )  he is involved in something wonderful that we talked about ages ago when the film Elephant Queen came out, now they have huge education and outreach programmes as well as illustrated school books.

 "completed more than 17 screenings of The Elephant Queen and reached over 6000 people in the first two weeks in schools and communities in southern Kenya. The screenings are part of our 8 month-long nationwide tour."

https://fb.watch/9n1BXH2Lws/

 

Welcome to Charlotte

 Thanks to the vision of Phoebe and Lou, they have been having ( Cultivator funded) mentoring to write our Business plan with wonderful helpful and inspiring mentors:

 Charlotte Bond https://uk.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-bond-a616791b8 https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/users/charlotte-bond

and Jess Prendergrast.https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jessica-prendergrast-b2719035

https://www.blagravetrust.org/listening/listening-rolling-with-the-punches/ https://www.emergingfuturesfund.com/blogs/watchet-onion-collective

With our new manager Chris in place we are aware of what we still lack and our thrilled to be able to have a short term ( and hope and plan for it to continue) development manager, Charlotte joins us in December and we are so pleased to work with her as she has been a background support to us for many years, (offering advice and insights when i was struggling to understand structures and systems) and inviting Shallal to receive the wonders of Kneehighs Ramblers project so we could see amazing shows and have a great night out.