Blue Eyed Soul Dance Company

Envision

2012-01-22T11:26:00.001-08:00

Young dancers making and rehearsing for the Telford Dance Festival on the 10th February.

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Workshops in Plymouth

2011-12-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

Rachel and Rachel went to the seaside but were far too curious about the dancing to see the sea. Blue Eyed Soul led some of its final workshops last week; a morning with dance students from the University and community practitioners many of whom work with Attik Dance. We all moved together and once again appreciated the importance of dance in our lives.
The afternoon session was with a regular Attik group who were enthusiastic and delightful in their creativity. The later session involved a core group of more experienced dancers who explored some contact improvisation and choreographic techniques.
Attik Dance are doing some fine and inspiring work in Plymouth so if you're local do get down there and join in.

GLASGOW - Finale

2011-11-09T18:00:00.000-08:00

And so Aerial O comes together through a progression of an open Dress Rehearsal for Scottish National Opera staff followed by two performances for family, school staff and friends.
Rapturous applause, tears in many eyes and comments like, "I'm gob-smacked!" herald its success.
The mood of the closing circle was both celebratory and sad as we said our farewells to each other and this part of the project.
Looking forward to next time...

Clicking on any of these photos will take you to a larger version!

GLASGOW - Day 7

2011-11-07T18:00:00.000-08:00

The last day of rehearsals and Aerial O finally looks like a complete piece, well almost. Just a few last minute things to sort out tomorrow!!! Ashcraig and Smithycroft schools seem to be pulling out all the stops to help with the project, Dirty Feet continue to maintain their smiles and good humour whilst working hard. The artistic and technical team are steering the whole thing as one great collaborative effort. Don't really want to think about it all ending... perhaps it won't.

GLASGOW - Sunday

2011-11-06T18:00:00.000-08:00

Sunday rehearsal with the SNO singers and a chance to talk music with the conductor. Still a few unknowns about timings but a brilliant orchestra will adapt to our needs.
Jenny from Ashcraig School made a special journey on her day off to collect a harness for Ross, making it easier for us all tomorrow: yet another example of the immense commitment, goodwill and support this project has inspired.
Then back over the footbridge in the spectacular Glasgow evening light.

GLASGOW - Friday's TV recording

2011-11-06T07:59:00.000-08:00

Rehearsal on Channel4 News

Although not mentioned by name in the report...,
Blue Eyed Soul Dance Company is delighted to see
Channel4 taking an interest in 'Aerial O'.
If you missed the news broadcast, see it here -
(be patient - it takes a while to load!)

and read more about it here on the Channe4 News
site - http://bit.ly/vqFXW0

GLASGOW: Friday

2011-11-04T04:49:00.000-07:00

Channel 4 in filming today for a news item this weekend. If you miss it live it will stay on the C4 website for some time, so don't panic!

GLASGOW: some rehearsal photos

2011-11-04T03:56:00.000-07:00

More photos to come as the rehearsals continue.

GLASGOW - Day four: magic moments

2011-11-03T15:36:00.000-07:00

A good day with some magic moments as the different elements come together: live singing, colourful lighting and beautiful movement. Today was marked by focus on each task and a growing excitment for the performances next week.

Channel 4 are filming us tomorrow so keep a look out on the TV!

GLASGOW - Day three: buzzing with activity

2011-11-03T07:40:00.000-07:00

A day buzzing with activity - back-to-back rehearsals giving just about everybody an opportunity to get off the ground. Time to remember, invent, listen, respond.

It's such a joy to be working with a larger team at Scottish Opera with experts in every aspect of performing arts - including a pianist for rehearsals!!

Time is our biggest challenge - will there be enough?...

GLASGOW - Day two: ropes in place

2011-11-01T14:58:00.001-07:00

Rachel and Ruth standing proudly in front of the ropes.

GLASGOW - The tricky bit

2011-10-31T08:32:00.001-07:00

Getting all the inner circle to link together is always the trickiest bit but, hey, what a team!

GLASGOW - Putting the centrepiece together

2011-10-31T07:57:00.001-07:00

Rachel, John and Ross getting to grips with the rig on the first afternoon in Glasgow.

2011-10-31T07:18:00.001-07:00

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50 Ways to lead a workshop

2011-10-26T13:13:00.000-07:00

Rachel and Sally lead the first of a two creative training days with local artists and teachers in Worcester. Organised by Dancefest and very exciting too, so good to meet with energetic , dedicated and talented artists. The learning never ends.

Join in the Dance Transformations Symposium Online

2011-10-18T12:28:00.000-07:00

Dance Transformations: Developing Choreographers Symposium

Wednesday 19th October 10am to 5pm

The event is sold out – if you’re not there in person you can follow the day online on Twitter following the hashtag #DanceT.

Join in conversations afterwards on our social network www.dancetransformations.ning.com.

Aerial O

2011-10-12T09:16:00.001-07:00

Glasgow for the past three days, with Ashgraig and Smithycroft schools, Dirty Feet Dance group and members of Scottish Opera. We all danced, flew, talked and planned for the BIG production in November. All in all a brilliant time with a great team.

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Aerial dance with Castle Wood School

2011-10-02T08:31:00.000-07:00

The end of a very happy week working at AT7 centre in Coventry with children from Castle Wood School. The Sports Centre was buzzing with activity all week but the staff found time to help with the scissor lift and in reaching up to page the ropes in and out each day ready for the evening volleyball and badminton sessions. They also allowed us into their staff room for much needed mugs of tea!
Class 10 came to 3 sessions and their learning was totally visible. As the week progressed they moved from nervous trepidation to confident and dynamic physicality. Supported by their amazing class teacher Melanie and a fantastic team of staff the children, all of whom have 'profound autism' and little verbal communication, showed their enjoyment in many ways, with smiles, eye contact, nods, gestures and the obvious recognition and excitement of the activity each new day.
Classes 4, 7, and 8 had one session each and quickly got the hang of what was going on. They gave clear 'cues' when they wanted to be swung high above the ground and played with the new dimension of aerial work with curiosity and imagination.
It all happened because of Richard Hayhow and the Shysters' way of working in the school. The only question is, what next?

My last day at Blue Eyed Soul on Work Experience

2011-09-16T08:35:00.000-07:00

Today was my very last day of work experience which included working alongside Jenna and Rachel Liggitt (going through emails with Jenna and various other admin tasks).
This week has been such a wonderful experience. I have learnt a great deal of information about what goes into a dance company like Blue Eyed Soul- a lot more than what I had originally thought. All of the staff at the Lantern and inside the company have been very friendly towards me which is always uplifting and have helped me every time I have asked.
I am now very tired and have a lot of respect of the amount of work going into the Dance Company and I will be sorry to see it close in March.
I am hoping however to stay in touch with Blue Eyed Soul before that time including joining Envision (a LIKE youth dance workshop) starting a week on Sunday.
Now I would just like to say to all the members at Blue Eyed Soul thank you ever so much for giving me the opportunity to do my work experience with the company and you have all been so wonderful, this week has given me a real insight to behind the scenes and has really helped with my decision for my future after school. I hope the last few months of the company go very well for you all.

Charlotte Evans work experience

A day working with Rachel Freeman

2011-09-15T08:56:00.000-07:00

My third day of work experience at Blue Eyed Soul was working with Rachel Freeman. During the morning I helped her research some information which see needed -to hire a cherry picker for the company. We then both sorted through all the areial equiptment including harnesses, safety ropes etc. Rachel needed all the information given on the tags which you can imagin took a long time to gather.
Rachel Freeman had a dance workshop in the afternoon which,she is leading at a secondry school with 6 children/teenagers all around 15years of age for six weeks. It was really interesting for me to see the differences between Rachel Liggitt teaching primary school children the other day and seeing Rachel Freeman teaching the secondry school students. This has given me a real insite to this section of their type of work. I am hoping to attend one of there Like youth dance workshops myself in the near future as I find the company and their work very interesting and I would really like to keep in touch with the company until next March, it will also give me the opertunaty to see disabled and non-disabled dancers working together as I have not yet had the chance to do so.

Charlotte Evans Work Experience

Second day of work experience at Blue Eyed Soul

2011-09-14T08:39:00.000-07:00

My second day at Blue Eyed Soul has been a very busy one. Me and Rachel went through all her emails- there are loads! I had a phone induction and got to answer the phone a couple of times throughout the day one of the phone calls being my form tutor which was very funy as I was not expecting him to call which unfortunatly sent me into a very inprofesional giggle fit- oh dear hopefully that wont happen again!
I also wrote my first blog earlier today about my first day yesterday therefore I am writing a blog about writing a blog (hope that isn't too confussing).
I also did lots more admin work today and did some amendment to the daterbase. Myself and Rachel had a go at photocopying after several failed but funny tries to get the photocopier to work doublesided even though Jenna had shown us how to work it yesterday luckily we did finally get it to work. Mr.Westcott my form tutor came into visit me although he is a maths teacher I think he really enjoys talking about the dance world and not just the admin side of things. Overall today has been another very interesting day and I have learnt even more about behind the scenes of Blue Eyed Soul.

Charlotte Evans - Work experience

My first day of work experience at Blue Eyed Soul

2011-09-14T02:16:00.000-07:00

My name is Charlotte Evans i am 15 years of age and this is how my first day of work experience at Blue Eyed Soul Dance Company went. When I first arrived at Blue Eyed Soul I was introduced to the members of staff who work within the company by Rachel Liggitt as I had previously met with her before my fist day of work experience. All members of staff were very friendly and helpfull which gave me a boost of confidence with working along side then as to start with I was a bit nervous. Rachel Liggitt then gave me a tour around The Lantern where Blue Eyed Soul's office is based. I then started some admin work for the company as there is a lot of it. Rachel asked me if I wanted to sit in on a company meeting, I gained loads of usefull information about what goes into the company behind the scenes (lots of hard work and organisation). I then carried on with the admin work i had started. When i had finally finished Me and Rachel Liggitt went to a primary school where she led a small dance workshop for a few of the children there. All of the children were really sweet and creative I also enjoyed taking part in this workshop. It was a really good experience seeing how Rachel teaches and get the children involved with the dance.

Work Placement at Blue Eyed Soul

2011-09-09T07:25:00.000-07:00

Slight change this time as it's not the usual Blogger here. My name's Aishling, I'm fifteen and over the past week I have been doing my work experience at Blue Eyed Soul.

I arrived at the Lantern on Monday morning feeling very excited but also slightly nervous and not knowing what to expect. I started off by making a complete fool of myself, trying to get through a door that I later learnt you needed a pass for! However a very nice woman, who I unfortunately never caught her name, showed me where to go.

Stood outside the office I quickly took in where I was and knocked on the door. I was welcomed in to a lovely environment. An office, admittedly smaller than I expected, with two smiling faces - Rachel Liggitt and Sarah Kennedy. On the drive up my Mum had said to me "Now remember, most places get the work experience person to make the tea so be prepared", but one of the first things said to me by Sarah was "Do you want a cuppa tea?". I felt privaledged!

My day started off with a brief introduction to the company and an explanation of how my week would run. I thought 'Well that sounds nice and simple'. That was before the huge task was put in to my hands...

I was to be in charge of their mail out to their Symposium in October. I looked at the pile of envolopes and thought 'Okay, maybe not so easy!' Little did I know this task would end up running throughout my week! I was also asked to input names onto the Company's extensive database, email parents about a dance club coming up and of course, the dreaded task for any work placement student... Answer the phone! At the end of the day we went out and put all the letters we had prepared so far in the post box. I went home feeling oddly satisfied.

I had been told that on Tuesday we were going to the Mac in Birmingham for what they called an "Ideas Tap". I really didn't know what to expect. The morning was spent preparing more letters for the mail out, and then at around 12:30 we set off for Birmingham. We arrived at the Mac which is a beautiful arts venue set in the middle of a park! I found and hearing from the disabled artists really interesting.

My next day of work was Friday, which is of course today! So far I've continued the mail out (this seems an endless task!) and done some work in the studio, preparing a lesson Rachel Liggitt will be delivering tomorrow to professional artists in Derby that I have very generously been offered to attend.

And now I'm doing this, wittering on about my week to you lovely people. So I'm going to go and do some work with Rachel for tomorrow. I must say this week has been fab! Thanks for reading.

Market Hall Comes Alive in Dance Performance

2011-08-09T08:46:00.000-07:00

What a fantastic response we've had to the Contact group's performance at the Market Hall in Shrewsbury at the end of last month. Surprised stallholders and market hall customers were taken unawares by an inclusive dance performance that started with cake boards on the balcony and encompassed interactions with books, wool, packing crates and some unsuspecting shoppers.

Choreographer Miriam Keye said: “The performers, as always, were incredible and did a fabulous job! It reminded me of the absolute joy and power behind Community Dance performed at super high quality in a public space.”

For those who were there, and those who weren't, we've curated a gallery of images from a number of local photographers who were there on the day here on our website showing the group in rehearsal and at the Market Hall: Blue Eyed Soul Dance Company Gallery

Many thanks to Moya, Miriam, Sarah, Richard and Nigel for the photos. You can find a full set, and a gallery on our Flickr page: Market Hall Performance Set & Gallery

We also have some video filmed by Richard Benjamin, a snippet of which is here on our YouTube channel:
Performance Captured on Video on You Tube

We're editing all the snippets we have together and will post a final version up here as soon as we have it ready.

You can find out more about how the performance was developed by reading the previous blog post from Miriam here:Green Seen at Green Scene Blog Post

The media were very interested in the performance and we were delighted to be joined by Radio Shropshire and the Shropshire Star on the day. The story has also been covered by ArtSpider (Mencap).

Were were delighted to be able to deliver the performances thanks to funding from Shropshire Council’s Adult & Community Learning division, and were delighted to have opportunity to collaborate with Shrewsbury Market Hall and local businesses.

Although the company will be closing in March 2012 due to loss of Arts Council England funding, people wanting to get involved in dance opportunities can contact Education and Training Co-ordinator Rachel Liggitt who will deliver local work as a freelance artist.

Envision Dance Company perform at Culture Fest 2011- FILM!!!

2011-08-03T06:30:00.000-07:00

Photos of the Contact Group's Market Hall performance

2011-08-02T12:05:00.000-07:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wnbishop/sets/72157627257517764/

thanks to Mr Bishop for these absolutely gorgeous photos!!!!

ENVISION at Culture Fest; LiKE Youth Dance

2011-07-24T07:19:00.001-07:00

Telford's Culture Fest 2011 was absolutely wonderful- so many brilliant activities for families to be involved in.... in that beautiful sunshine.... under the ominous sky.

On the Main Stage:

Envision performed their dance absolutely FANTASTICALLY and the crowd went wild....
watch this space for the video (will probably take a couple of weeks to upload)

In the Get Creative tent...

Money B had us all grooving

Each 20minute workshop was watched by huge crowds of festival goers. Each time Money choreographed a mini-performance and all the participants fully stepped up!!

I found watching the process very inspiring- it's so different to my approach and the energy was electric! I loved how the group each time began as strangers, and purely through moving together, left as friends.

Any opportunity to show off our new poses!!!........

market hall shrewsbury.... green seen at the green scene

2011-07-22T14:31:00.000-07:00

It all started when Sarah at Gateway offered to support a Blue Eyed Soul Dance project......

........we said.........
........ Yes Please. Can the Contact Group dance in the Market Hall in Shrewsbury? It's lovely..... a really lovely vibrant space......

Many people spoke to each other, many people emailed, meetings were had and risk assessments written hoping to get the go ahead....

We got the go ahead.

So I got the train from Nottingham to Shrewsbury early one Friday morning to come and soak up the sights and sounds of Shrewsbury Market Hall.

I chatted with loads of stall holders and got inspired by their wares- cake stands from The Icing Tip, wool from the Card Stall, flowers from Lin, Beer from Matt.... no stay focused, LOL. I came back to Nottingham buzzing with excitement- these stall holders were even up for being part of the show! FUN FUN FUN!!!

Our first rehearsal- what shall we do with the books on Mike's book stall?

Day Two... and Rehearsal Two....

These aisles are perfect for a bit of crate choreography!

Day Three... and Rehearsal Three...

Let's do this with the books..... and the bench... and the trumpet!!!

Day Four.... and can you believe it.... IT'S PERFORMANCE DAY!!!!

These dancers in the Blue Eyed Soul Contact group are incredibly experienced as performers, they've even performed at Theatre Severn..... however, most of them had never performed in a public space- the skills this required are numerous, subtle and at the same time immensely complex. Negotiating the space with passersby, having to improvise their movements around the basic themes of each section to account for people or items being in their path, communicating with each other and the musician about when the next section begins, dealing with bumping into people they know, actually seeing the audience's faces up close!..... and all this whilst keeping within the structures of the choreography! They, as always, were absolutely incredible and did an absolutely fantabulous job! Their three performances literally made us soppy Blue Eyed Soulers cry with back of neck hair tingling all around.

.... So in the end....
.........this is what we did with the crates!!!

And here is our fantastic musician who created a specifically composed score that would allow for the fluidity of performing in a public space- Guitar, harmonica, trumpet.... even Bird Song played by the Bird Song cards sold at the Card stall.... were all incorporated into the musical score.

There will be video and more photos to follow once we have had a chance to collate them... for now, see local media coverage- Shropshire Star and BBC Radio Shropshire were both there.... and if you saw the performance- or danced in it... PLEASE PLEASE WRITE YOUR COMMENTS ON THIS POST!!!!

I love being a part of this, it's been said a million times, and that is because it is true, it reminded me of the absolute joy and power behind Community Dance performed at super high quality in a public space.... MAGIC.

Dance Marathon Online Game

2011-07-13T08:15:00.000-07:00

There's a new online game been launched as part of Dancing for the Games. Our Dance Transformations training programme is a part of this.

Play the Dance Marathon game

News Direct From the DanceXchange Studios

2011-07-13T05:23:00.000-07:00

9 dancers recently recruited to Dance Transformations are currently emerged in some intensive choreographic work at the dx studios in Birmingham. They are being choreographed by the 6 core artists on the programme.

The Dance Transformations social network on Ning is alive with blog posts from the artists as they explore new choreographic ideas this week. Join up to find out more about the artists and the programme, join in some of the debates and conversations and find out about the Symposium event on the 19th October.

The three year training programme is an artist led project working together to explore original choreographic ideas and processes in an inclusive context with mentor guidance. It is supporting a group of emerging disabled and non-disabled dance artists based in the West Midlands.

Merestone Residency continued.....

2011-07-05T04:07:00.000-07:00

During the week there were many reminders of why I enjoy this work so much. There are the obvious reasons such as creating work from a simple idea and watching the end result performed infront of you on the final day. A lovely thing happened on the final day when one of the School Governors was visiting for a meeting.He sat down at the back of the hall whilst the group were going through their final rehearsal before performing to class mates and teachers. He congratulated the group on such a wonderful performance and announced that he was due to leave at that point to attend a meeting, he decided however to stay and watch the performance a second time as he was so impressed.I feel this was real praise to everyone involed throughout the week. I really hope that I can continue to carry out projects at Merestone in the future.

Merestone School Residency Evaluation

2011-07-05T03:37:00.000-07:00

Drawing from previous residencies held at Merestone School, I entered into the week with enthusiasm and an expectation of being part of something really special. In addition i also felt very reflective due to the fact I would be co-leading on the project with Ray Jacobs.Ray was my mentor at Blue Eyed Soul in the early years.

The participants came from Merestone and Forset Oak Special School and Smithswood Secondary School housed next door to the other two schools.

We chose to follow the theme of the Olympic games and its values and ethos. Its funny how that ethos was present throughout the process with the integration aspect working smothly without it being made into a major issue. The level of understanding of what the group nedded from staff was amazing which in tern really helped Ray and I focuss on delivering enjoyable sessions, and creating a beautiful performance piece. I felt that this residency allowed me to explore creative ideas and get them across into the piece and I noticed a new confidence in myself throughout the week. This initially was a concern for me as the project was my first residency after being off Ill for 7 months.To say i felt a bit rusty was an understatement. However once inside the 'bubble' of the week things seemed to really flow for me.

Reflection on 'Ignite'

2011-06-17T08:58:00.000-07:00

Ignite built upon the success of a pilot disabled artists’ training course run by Gloucestershire Dance in spring 2010. The 2011 programme took place in the inspiring, fully accessible rural setting of the National Star College, near Cheltenham and its continued development runs in tandem with Blue Eyed Soul’s own Dance Transformations programme.

Ignite included a 4-day course and a day of debate and sharing. Participants were able to choose a particular area of interest to follow in the Choreographic Labs: dance for camera, issue based work, or work for non-traditional spaces.

Rachel Freeman led the work for non-traditional spaces lab with four emerging choreographers and eight dancers. The choreographers were supported in creating original material that was shown at the Seminar. Along side the aesthetic journey was an exercise in project management which the artists took on board with enthusiasm and growing understanding. Gaps in knowledge were quickly identified and addressed by the team of artists, leaders, mentors and facilitators.
Perhaps the most fundamental lesson learnt was the need to reflect upon the process and product, to become a discerning artist, to make choices and assert your own creative vision. The inclusive dance sector has a times in been danger of settling into an all embracing, positive, supportive, come what may, cosy nest but Ignite ‘got real’ and in search of artistic integrity pursued honest, constructive critical reflection.

The residency was intense, complex, invigorating and inspiring. Working with a broad range of artists and making very individual choices. Blue Eyed Soul Dance is looking to nurture the links between agencies, organisations and artists all committed to and passionate about inclusive dance and the professional development opportunities for disabled artists.

LIKE Youth Dance - Perform at Telford Culture Fest 23 July

2011-06-17T06:52:00.001-07:00

LIKE Youth Dance, a set on Flickr.

Busy selecting more images for our gallery on the main website. If you would like to perform at Telford Culture Fest, the LIKE Youth Dance Envision Dance Group are holding workshops in Telford on Sundays.

Find out more here:
http://www.blueeyedsouldance.com/calendar-of-events/

Residency with Merstone, Forest Oak and Smithswood Schools

2011-06-16T01:29:00.000-07:00

It was great to return to Merstone School for our fifth yearly residency, meeting up with old friends and making new ones. We have been working with 24 energetic and creative young people working towards a sharing on Friday afternoon. We followed the schools current theme of the Olympic games, exploring what they meant to us and how its values are echoed within the workshop environment.
The young people from the three schools have integrated excellently, sharing skills and supporting one another. During our lunch break we learnt to play dodge ball, and now keep a safe distance!
Areas that we have been focusing on with the group include: different qualities of physical contact, performance skills, moving with strength and confidence, and finding a good balance between play, exploration and focus.
We are looking forward to sharing our work on Friday and celebrating the achievements of all in the group.

Marc Brew Workshop

2011-06-15T02:09:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday I was invited to attend a workshop held at Birmingham's DanceXchange. Run by Marc Brew. The day was run as part of the Dance Transformations Trainning Programme for emerging Choreographers. I feel that Marc facilitated the day rally well. He set up a very useful discussion about preparation for making work, shared some of his own work on DVD and led a really fun workshop in the afternoon. I had meet Marc a few years ago on a CandoCo summer School and attended a class he did but hadn't realised until now what an amazing role model for emerging Disabled Choreographers he truly is. I hope I can work with him again and gain some more valuable knowledge from him.

Ignite

2011-06-10T05:56:00.000-07:00

Last weeks residency was intense, complex, invigorating and inspiring. Working with a broad range of artists and making very individual choices. Challenging a culture of well meant positiveness and indiscriminate acceptance to make discerning and specific decisions on the creative process.
Along side the aesthetic journey was an exercise in project management which the artists took on board with enthusiasm and growing understanding.

Leila, DJ, Louise and Lisa

Ignite your imagination

2011-05-31T14:31:00.001-07:00

Day one of the Ignite residency, organised by Gloucestershire Dance and held at the National Star Centre. Dancers are brimming with energy, choreographers eager to explore. A shared sense of newness and openness. The accommodation will keep us grounded!

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Call for West Midlands Dancers

2011-05-18T06:30:00.000-07:00

Dance Transformations is looking for 9 committed and vibrant dancers for a fantastic opportunity to perform works by emerging disabled and non-disabled choreographers.

Dance Transformations provides a unique programme which supports a group of emerging artists with a physical disability and/or sensory impairment and non-disabled dance artists to investigate dance making.

Recruited dancers will have the opportunity to work with two artists on the Dance Transformations programme in the beautiful DanceXchange studios, in Birmingham.

You will experience different approaches developed by disabled and non-disabled artists, and have the opportunity to perform to a wide audience at a symposium event at Coventry University attended by people from across the dance sector.

Want to get involved? Read more on our website http://www.blueeyedsouldance.com/dance-transformations/call-for-dancers/

Join in the conversation on our Dance Transformations social network: http://dancetransformations.ning.com/

Follow the hashtag on Twitter #DanceT.

Tea with the Queen

2011-05-09T13:29:00.001-07:00

What a fun evening. Much shaking of hands, royal, talented and famous. Nice chandeliers and carpets and enough wealth to keep a whole national inclusive dance programme going for 20 years.

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The Company may close but the dance will continue…..

2011-05-03T06:54:00.000-07:00

The staff and trustees of Blue Eyed Soul Dance Company have spent the past few weeks looking at the future of the Company’s work in light of the loss of secure funding from Arts Council England from 2012. Whilst acknowledging the restrictions this imposes, we view this as an opportunity for positive change.

Demand for inclusive dance work remains high, and we are really committed to continuing the work that has been so successful over the last 16 years.

Blue Eyed Soul Dance Company will continue to exist until March 2012.

Rachel Freeman, Rachel Liggitt and Sally Edwards will then continue delivering different aspects of the work as independent artists.

Artistic Director Rachel Freeman will concentrate on aerial dance and community performance.
Rachel Liggitt will continue her focus on project based education and training work.
Founder Company member Sally Edwards will continue delivering alongside both artists on a project basis.
Company Manager Moya Malekin is taking this opportunity to relocate and develop her career.

We’d like to thank people for all their support and encouragement, and we look forward to working with you and our other many national and international partners in the coming years.

The Company may close but the dance will continue…..

Dance Transformations

2011-04-27T12:48:00.001-07:00

Dance Transformations, a set on Flickr.

A brand new set of photographs from Dance Transformations, our three year training programme 2010-2012, supporting a group of emerging disabled and non-disabled dance artists based in the West Midlands.

This is an artist led project working together to explore original choreographic ideas and processes in an inclusive context with mentor guidance.

You find out more and join in the conversations by joining our social network, www.dancetransformations.ning.com

lovely feedback

2011-04-11T08:12:00.000-07:00

Thanks for all the lovely feedback - it's really heart warming to hear individual stories of how our work has supported and inspired you.

I've been asked to post this comment - thanks Maria.

"I am so saddened and appalled by this decision. It is incomprehensible that your fine company has lost funding. The work you have done over the years has been of the highest standard, inclusive and never lost sight of the ‘art’ part of the work. The Art, has always had a capital A. The processes have been integrated and inspiring, the work produced was moving and exciting. The arts in this country are losing an irreplaceable jewel and our culture will be the poorer as a result."

Maria Hayes

Do keep them coming by whichever method you prefer.
If anyone is having trouble posting on this blog do email admin@besdance.com - it should however accept your comments but send through to us for publishing approval first.

Many thanks, Moya

Future dancing

2011-04-06T06:16:00.000-07:00

Dear friends and lovely dancers, you might have heard about the Arts Council funding cuts and that Blue Eyed Soul will not be getting the same funding in 2012.
We will be doing everything we can in the next 12 months to make sure that we still have opportunities to dance together in the future.
Meanwhile we would really appreciate if you told us what Blue Eyed Soul means to you, we can use these comments in our press releases, in our discussions with the Arts Council and in applying for alternative funds.
For more information please look at www.besdance.com

Where do we go from here?

2011-03-31T02:08:00.000-07:00

The news is out...
This month has been a time of contrasts, a series of fantastic workshops that leave me buzzing with energy and inspiration, an invitation to tea with the Queen at Buckingham Palace in recognition of all that Blue Eyed Soul has done for young people. Then the news that the Company's short breaks funding from Shropshire has been cut for next year and yesterday the Arts Council axe came down on our heads.
We have 12 months to find a way out of this fix so that we can continue to dance with everybody.
I remain incurably optimistic but a little daunted by this next challenge.

miriam's last week!! boooooooo hoooooooo!!!

2011-03-30T10:30:00.000-07:00

I have been dancing, facilitating and choreographing for seventeen years  now and the large majority of my projects are with people new to dance,  or at least most of the members of the group are new to dance. This is  often a result of the trials of funding exploratory dance projects,  alongside other beautiful art projects.

I have been blessed these last three months with the gift of  working with dancers, where the majority have danced with, performed  with, and some have even taught with Blue Eyed Soul Dance Company for at  least ten years- I am not even sure how many! It might even be longer  than I have been working for myself!!!

Below is a beautiful film of what happens when dancers are supported to work with each other over a prolonged period of time!!

This dance was improvised, an exploration during the Contact Group. As you will see... they communicate with each other in a split second. They choreograph instantaneously communicating without words, negotiating without votes.

Yes it's been a precious gift, and I am happy to share it with you....

The next video is the Contact Group's live per-formative evaluation of the ten week term just gone...... (starting off with our one week only special guest!! the group is just for adults really!)

Thankyou for having me! I hope to come back again soon :-)

sunshine and funtime

2011-03-22T13:21:00.000-07:00

The sun streams through the window and The Bridge Youth Dance Company begin devising their performance for the BRJ dance festival at the end of May. Misha flies around the room like an inspired sculptor, picking movement tasks from the term that have most excited the group, and the dance picture comes to its most colourful, beautiful, energetic life. Here's a lovely pic of one of the sculptures they are making in their performance....

And then onto Contact. A humorous hysteria is starting to creep into the group as we all realise that we have only next week left. These sessions really have been so very magical, and last night we reached a new height where we had 3 new people, all who felt by the end of the night as if they had been coming for the whole term. Anna led a fabulous creative task around defining the space with masking tape, this led to a lovely section where members started to lead their favourite movement tasks- trees wrapping round each other from Mervyn, and a Paper, Scissors, Stone task from Nick.

Haughton was another absolute treat- we have two new members, Aysha and Aaron and they are fitting in beautifully. We started working towards some actual dance technique today, looked at rhythms and counting, we're working towards a short film for next week- watch this space!!! I just wanna end by giving a special big up to the whole group this week- they danced their socks off and engaged with all their being! Here's a few pics....

flying fun.

2011-03-20T11:30:00.001-07:00

We had great fun swinging, turning and twisting. Fantastic balances and lots of smiles!

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Severndale day at the circus

2011-03-18T06:13:00.001-07:00

Various circus skills were tried end explored, tight rope walking, juggling, hula hooping, but as the pictures show the acrobatic flying and balancing proved very popular even amongst the staff!

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technology

2011-03-15T15:14:00.001-07:00

wow! sounds of sheer amazement and delight bombard my neighbours as i open the blue eyed soul blogs and see the pictures from the bridge youth dance company have made their way onto it. amazing! i took these pics during misha's fantastically creative and sensory session yesterday. i took them on the new company mobile phone and sent them straight from the phone to the blog! and here they are! amazing! (yes, i am over 30!)

in the light of the horrendous tsunami and potential leakage from the fukushima nuclear plant, it goes without saying that i can't help thinking about technology and its place in our lives, are we in control of it? are we safe? where is it all heading? do we really understand what we are playing with?

so i am now going to attempt to use more technology i do not understand and put some video on this blog from my own, also new, camera. it is from the contact group- i took loads last week and then realised it was all in svhs so my laptop can't open it. frustrating, yes. fatal, no.

hopefully this week i have worked out a different format. the footage is of a trio by mervyn, becky and wray, and i felt seriously honoured to have witnessed it. such is the beauty of a trio of improvisers who have a ten year dancing relationship. funders take note- longevity- this is my concept of the moment! oh no!! i haven't cracked that technology yet! some photos will have to suffice, the first is from anna's awesome 'warm up into creative task';

the second i have to thank diane amans for! i went to a training session with her recently, funded by derbyshire dance artists network, about leading dance with people over 50. it was fantastic and i have been playing with paper plates ever since!

sal came to watch for the last half hour and it was fantastic to see her out and about again. the group smothered her with hugs and kisses!

haughton school today was excellent. really focussed and creative. we learnt a travelling sequence- the group's concentration was intense and they all demonstrated an excellent awareness of rhythm and coordination. we then explored stillness and travelling and putting it all together performed for each other. a very satisfying session.

the bridge school youth Dance company

2011-03-15T07:15:00.001-07:00

Pathway of charcoal feet

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2011-03-14T09:41:00.001-07:00

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50 ways to lead a workshop

2011-03-14T01:59:00.001-07:00

A sunny Sunday in Ludlow dancing and learning with practitioners from throughout the West Midlands. The possibility of an inclusive dance network seems real.

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dancing in Telford

2011-03-11T16:12:00.001-08:00

Daisy, Delphine and Elizabeth danced beautifully at the Telford Dance Festival tonight.

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the Who Club

2011-03-09T14:11:00.001-08:00

Dance Anim team in Bridgnorth

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Spring is here!

2011-03-04T10:08:00.001-08:00

Well Spring is definitely here and all the dance sessions this week have truly reflected the high energy that brings!

Here is a picture of the Bridge Youth Dance Company who have really bonded since the half term workshops. So much fun!!!

In the week of half term I got to dance with a choreographer called Rong Tao, from Yuwudance in China. I had an incredibly beautiful and inspiring week and I took some of his exercises back for the Contact group. We had an incredibly communicative time where we truly celebrated the wide potential of the non verbal landscape.

Finally, Haughton show us their fab wall balances and poses.....

I'm not about next week so I'm really looking forward to hearing back from Misha and Rachel about what they get up to.

I'm loving the ariel posts from Rachel Freeman- looks amazing. Can't beat seeing the world uspide down eh!!!!!

Adios dancing amigos!!

last day de-rig

2011-02-23T14:58:00.001-08:00

After a fantastically lively and creative day, Lauren and Amy help with the de-rigging.

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Daisy defies gravity

2011-02-22T05:35:00.001-08:00

Upside-down and loving a new view of the world.

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Aerial dance day one

2011-02-21T05:38:00.001-08:00

Off to a great start with lots of energy and good listening. Made island duets with balanced stops.

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stepping between worlds

2011-02-18T05:35:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking a lot this week about the practise of dance, how i view dance, how i assume the mainstream of society views dance, shows such as Britain's Got Talent and Gotta Dance.... and subsequently my presumed expectations from the class of what they think they will receive in a dance session.

Accessing worlds.

We might do the same explorations through our dance, yet if we play more current chart music in the background the engagement is higher. is it as focused? I am not sure. But some people are evidently more engaged with the explorations and therefore join in with the group.

not rocket science, although admittedly, it did take a gentle nudge from the support staff as a reminder of another way to enter each others' worlds with respect and honour.

Here is the Bridge Youth Dance Company exploring the same task as the week before, this time to chart music.... it was a joy to behold.... we went from these little balls in duet.....

to one huge ball as a group......

Fun fun fun.

Contact had a very Valentine's theme. We explored witnessing and reflecting our partner's movements, exploring empathy, and stepping into another's movement world through our dancing.

Haughton was wild and very exciting. Independent dancing, break-dancing, and ballet! All in one fantastic group explosion!

As always the sessions have all been magical, sheer expressive delight.

This is a moment where I pinch myself.... I love my job!

Dance Transformations studio time

2011-02-10T01:28:00.001-08:00

Here at dx studios for the second day of studio creative time. Lovely to be back with the group again. I've really enjoyed getting out of the office and being closer to the practical work. It reminds me what all the management is for! Photographer Tim Cross joins us to capture their work. It's very gentle and absorbing at the moment. I'm interested to see what he comes up with and will share it later.
Also getting to grips with our new android phone which I shall be sending out with the team for more live updates. Lots of fun to be had...
Moya - company manager

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come hail or high water

2011-02-08T01:44:00.000-08:00

Look how high the river was in Shrewsbury last night!!!

People arrived for Contact wondering if their cars would still be in the Gateway car park afterwards!

They were and we were all safe.... and managed to let it all stay safely outdoors as our worries washed away and we sank into some beautiful contact improvisation work.

Between Your Dance and My Dance there exists the Dance,
alive as an entity with an identity all of its own.

We explored similar principles in The Bridge Youth Dance Company, only with this group we are using a ball as our point of contact. The exercise begins as a game, the challenge: to keep the ball off the floor without using our hands. We also managed to explore this whilst traveling through the space, moving the ball between us as we traveled, creating a trio of 2 bodies and a ball. We might one day take the ball away and dance this as a duet.... watch this space.......

Strictly..... All Saints and Haiku!!

2011-02-02T06:14:00.000-08:00

The Bridge Youth Dance Company
We made a dance to the All Saints song, Never Ever yesterday, using the groups' enjoyment of making strong shapes. It began with stillnesses contributed from each dancer, and built up to a crescendo of flowing group improvisation. It was really lovely and we enjoyed observing a gentle blossoming of the group's dancing.

Contact
I've just noticed how the two groups planning has been structured directly opposite to each each other! Not intentional I assure you! In Contact we started exploring ways we could make contact with the floor- especially using parts of our bodies that don't usually touch the floor! And shifting up and down the vertical plane. We explored being low but feeling very light, and being high but feeling very heavy, and vice versa. It was so funny how every time we went low whilst feeling high we all sped up!

We then used some Haiku to create duets which led to quartets. They were so satisfying to watch and had 2 completely different feels- one very seabased and windswept; one very animalistic, warm and controlled.

Haughton School:
If I hear "Can we vote now?" one more time! Ha ha ha. Haughton are obsessed with Strictly Come Dancing!! So we have compromised and have been exploring partner dancing through counterbalances. With yesterday being their first exploration of giving weight to their partner they did incredibly well. Everybody made a travelling duet with 3 counterbalances in 3 different places in the space. It was a lot of fun!

New Year... New Fun!!

2011-01-25T04:58:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody.... I'm so excited to be dancing this year with 3 very different projects with Blue Eyed Soul Dance Company...

They are weekly and I am going to post every week this year, so you will be able to really build up a picture of our group developments and growth!

Fun eh!

The 3 groups are

The Bridge School Youth Dance Company, LIKE Youth Dance, 12-19 years old

Haughton School 'Wake Up, Shake Up' after school club, LIKE Youth Dance, 5-11 years old

The Contact Group - Adult Inclusive Dance group

We are in our second week and having a blast!

Yesterday at the Bridge we discovered how strong and creative the dancers are. So far their favourite things are making really strong balances and shapes low to the floor. We explored rolling and had a great time setting each other off across the floor. I co-deliver with Misha for this group and I am really enjoying the energy and enthusiasm she brings to the group. She has such a flair for explaining movements and noticing what people are really brilliant at.

Last night in Contact we looked at our breath being the initiator of our movement. It brought a sense of suspension and release into our dancing that we all found beautiful to watch and perform. We explored this in solo, duet and trio forms. I for one felt very lucky to be a witness to the delicious performances.

I will be at Haughton School shortly. Last week I got to watch Rachel Liggitt deliver a session and I found it truly inspiring and thoroughly enjoyable. In that session the group worked on creating performance with either very flowing movements, or very strong movements. Today we will create performances using very stretchy and elastic movements.

Yes, even with the driving, I find it is absolutely the best way to start the week!

luminous soul residency belfast

2010-11-12T10:29:00.000-08:00

I have just received a Michael Franti CD from Victoria through the post.
Victoria was one of the many participants on the project who illuminated our souls...
...and now my speakers! Thankyou :-)

This is a video that I have compiled of shots taken over our whole week at Open Arts.
The poem was written & performed by Julia Dean- Richards.
It can be seen written further along the blogs.

This is a video of the groups final pieces of choreography devised during the week.
The music is by Iron and Wine

Sevendale School after school dance club

2010-11-11T06:03:00.000-08:00

We are well and truly into our second term delivering the dance club at Sevendale.

We have been exploring some very exciting themes such as travelling to space, air travel, exploring the jungle Halloween and Bonfire Night.

This dance club will continue after Christmas and we hope that we may get some new participants for it from school.

EPiC Arts

2010-11-05T09:02:00.001-07:00

In August this year EPiC Arts from Cambodia visited Blue Eyed Soul in Shropshire for two days of exchange, research and fun. We spent time on the ropes, a new experience for EPiC dancers one of whom had been waiting for the opportunity since seeing BESDC perform in Hong Kong in 2006. We also shared stories and experiences as dance artists working in an inclusive context.

At the core of the group were four young men in their early 20's, two wheelchair users and 2 deaf who were the most enthusiastic, daring and responsive dancers you could wish for. Having climbed trees at home since childhood they approached the aerial work without fear and with invention and creativity. When the harnesses proved uncomfortable they swapped to the cocoon but used it in a completely new way, wrapping and twisting their legs and bodies into the fabric allowing dynamic and exciting movement.

I was so struck with the group that I made a sure to see them perform at Liberty Festival in London and was not disappointed. Their level of technical skill, performance charisma and professionalism was obvious to see and left me hoping two things; firstly that there might be young disabled dancers in the UK with such strong desire to reach a similar potential and secondly that BESDC might continue to work with EPiC in the future.

A dialogue is continuing with many creative possibilities. As BESDC pursue their R&D in China with a quest to seek out and support the inclusive dance community it fortuitously turns out that EPiC Arts are planning to open a centre in south China in the future. A collaborative approach makes infinite sense in a country that is very protective over their disabled community and will need a gentle and careful development of trust. With a shared belief and incurable optimism for the future the international dance community will continue to grow and flourish.

Epic Arts image by Kathryn O'Connor

Mighty forearms

2010-11-05T06:53:00.000-07:00

Professional development is important to Blue Eyed Soul and so the Company has always encouraged its staff to seek out training opportunities that support their practice. With this in mind I signed up for a course to deepen my knowledge and understanding of the aerial dance work that we have been developing for the past ten years. There is no training available that matches exactly what we are doing but I did fund an Industrial Rope Access course that seemed to fit the bill.
Day one of a five day course... large warehouse building fitted out with a multitude of ropes, down, around, in, out and over various steel girders, ladders and barriers, very high and very cold! Me and five off shore riggers with skills in welding, lagging, fixing and assembling. We were led through a whole range of rigging tasks to move safely around the ropes and structures.
Day five and a fault free assessment means I get my level 1 irata qualification. It was an incredibly difficult week both physically and mentally, every move mechanically precise and physically challenging but it was also huge fun with a lot of laughing.
Image - teaching aerial at Bishops Castle, photographer Kathryn O'Connor

First Contact – Luminous Soul Dance Residential 2010 By Julia Dean-Richards

2010-10-31T08:36:00.000-07:00

First contact, Helen Lewis[1] studio

from the Crescent window, Belfast

above the cafe: carrot soup and raspberry tea

we looked out upon a green, open space.

Ten o’clock, with Helen Lewis

imprisoned, shy, our senses shifting

our first electric morning

as we began to move

we saw our luminous souls uplifting.

At twelve we came to lie still

in the kindness

of soft, dancing bellies.

Soon we were styling it out

beginning to sing our colours.

Where did the quick time dance to?

Trusting in our new confidence

My ‘slow’ counterbalanced your ‘dynamo’.

Adapting, we travelled together

wheeling and leaning.

‘learning I’ asked you to show me how to speak with you.

By one o’clock

Helen Lewis is liberated

she joined us in our melting.

Tell me, hold you, bend me

know the way each of our bodies

may stretch and change

when we express our intentions.

Slide past and jam for a while

then settle here with us

to examine a newly discovered gift

turning our bodies this way and that

so the light catches, shines

on this powerful thing we do.

[1] Helen Lewis survived the Nazi concentration camp of Stutthof by directing and performing dance for her SS captors and fellow prisoners. She also survived Auschwitz. After the war she settled in Belfast and introduced modern dance to Northern Ireland.

Luminous Soul Residency in Belfast- Thursday

2010-10-21T14:07:00.000-07:00

As I sit here writing this blog my mind and body is full of memories from our fantastic week in Belfast. I've had a very powerful reminder as to why I am a dance artist and why I love this work so much. Today it was so obvious how much everyone's confidence has grown and how much of a connection there is between the group.

We began to look today at what material we will show at the sharing tomorrow. The whole atmosphere of being on a residential week is so powerful. I really enjoyed last night as we all sat downstairs in the hotel Lobby singing songs and playing guitar... I loved every minute of it. I cant believe we are on the final day tomorrow I really hope the group continue to develop and that maybe one day I can re-visit them.

I have loved working with Miriam again and having Julia here as my Support Worker has been so valuable... thank you both for all the laughs, support, interesting conversations, the singing and just simply for being you!!! Can't wait to post some images in future blogs.x

Open Arts Residency in Belfast- Tuesday

2010-10-20T03:05:00.000-07:00

As I sit in my hotel room, the rest of the group in high spirits in the downstairs foyer, I reflect on the fullness of today. Is it really only Day Two?

Each day so much happens- so many connections

Through the body, newly discovered… Or is it more accurate to say Re-discovered? Re-found? Re-forged? Re-opened?

Between thought and physicality, self-belief, self-image, internal dialogue; voiced explicitly through spoken words, explored amongst the group and acknowledged; or voiced implicitly through the body’s opening pathways

Between past learning and present understanding, ‘light bulb moments’

Between people- meeting for the first time, or discovering newness in old friendships

Between people- in response to seeing how participants with visual impairments take in and express our verbal instructions of exercises, phrases and movements, we have noticed how much detail we miss out in our verbal instructions, just how inaccurate we can be, and this is deepening connections for our own understanding as dancers, as facilitators and as communicators. The gratitude I feel for this is truly noted.

Between past and present- the presence of Helen Lewis, a holocaust survivor who literally danced her way out of the concentration camps. Helen went on to develop vast amounts of dance in Belfast, she died last year and the studio we are working in all week is named after her

Connections from the wider dance world into our own little Luminous Soul bubble- we have all just returned from the Waterfront Studio where we watched AfterLight by The Russel Maliphant Dance Company: the energy is high in the group, the curiosity lit. One participant’s connection: “I get what Sally and Miriam have been asking us to do now, why they have been suggesting we copy other people in our improvisations, pick up on their movements and explore stillness and space as well as moving all the time.”

I can hardly wait to get back in the dance studio.

Open Arts Residency in Belfast

2010-10-18T08:48:00.000-07:00

Sally Miriam and Julia have really enjoyed day one of the residency with Luminous Soul in Belfast. We are staying in a very comfortable Hotel. We all sat down together for dinner with the group of about 20 people from all over Northern Ireland on Sunday and got to know each other....lovely evening!

Today we focused on get to know you games and a selection of improvisation tasks. The group already look like they have been working together for months. One of the participants said that this approach to dance was less what dance looks like and more like saying "here's me"... Lucky that because we had already decided to follow that very same theme. In preparation for the week Sally and Miriam have choreographed their own solos based around this theme. The day ended with the group learning Miriam's and it was a brilliantly unifying high point to a fantastic day.

2010-09-21T13:00:00.000-07:00

What a week! Dance Transformations now feels real....thanks to a wonderful day at Birmingham DanceXchange with project partners, associate artists, and West Midlands based emerging artists. Introducing the programme and discussing general ethos reinforced further the significance of DT and working in partnership with regional organisations to make it happen. Ok..........time in a beautiful studio, mentor support, a bit of cash, pure exploration, conversation, a supportive network of like minded people...........what could be a better way to spend your time?

'Spice of Life' tomorrow 2.30/7.30 - get there! Merv & Nick blew me away, exceptionally focused and committed to being the best they can possibly be, exceptional human beings - fully realising a performance - content devised by them. Their duet sits alongside live drumming, a samba band, Arty Party, a magician and much more. Loved being in the theatre, loved singing 'Something In Side So Strong' at the top of my voice, loved being amongst friends without having to manage, produce or organise a cast of 35 on stage. Thanks Rob (Spice of Life director) it was fantastic to sit back and enjoy......and laugh.......and sing............and watch Nick & Merv with pride and total respect.

This week I have worked in the office, been to London and back in one day, led a training day for 18 people, launched Dance Transformations, rehearsed a duet, spent a day in the theatre, constructed a powerpoint, had many phone conversations, cuddled my boy, danced in the kitchen, been way to tired to function, drank to much coffee BUT as this period of craziness comes to end it has been very satisfying, BES has achieved a lot and so have I.

Independance workshops in Glasgow

2010-09-17T07:59:00.000-07:00

Rachel Liggitt and I spent two days teaching in Glasgow. Indepen-Dance are an inclusive dance company based there. One day was a workshop held for company members. This session had an exciting beginning due to the fire alarm going off and everyone needing to evacuate...in the rain... Unfortunately, or fortunately depending how you want to look at it, I was asked to stay upstairs, outside near an assembly point at the top of the stairs!!!! luckily it was a false alarm...Phew!

Indepen-Dance are a lively group of experienced adults who have a range of physical and learning disabilities. I had a wonderful day seeing the dancers really working hard and having fun. We gave them quite a lot of tasks to do and they produced some beautiful work.

Our second day was to deliver a '50 ways' professional training course. This was fully booked which clearly demonstrates the demand for such training. Dance artists and teachers from all over Scotland attended the day including one teacher from Ireland. There was a great sense of willingness to share experiences, ask questions and create debate around inclusive practise. Rachel and I had a wonderful day and I hope we can work with Indepen-Dance again in the near future.

summer aerial workshops

2010-09-08T04:58:00.000-07:00

I hitched up the caravan and moved to Bishops Castle for ten days in August, combining the aerial workshops with a holiday in the beautiful Shropshire hills.
Based at the wonderful community venue, SPaRc, four separate groups met to learn the basics of aerial work and develop their creative dance ideas.
Daily session for local children and teenagers plus an evening session for adults were all enthusiastically received. We played with gravity, stretched our bodies and imaginations, made work together and separately and finally invited friends and family to come and see what we’d achieved.
“Never seen him so comfortable in movement” “you all looked stunning”
“Jess came home with inner confidence” audience feedback

In the second week a group of disabled artists from Epic Arts based in Cambodia joined with Blue Eyed Soul for an exchange of ideas and an inspiring and fearless two days on the ropes.

lots of lovely photos to come...

Feet on the ground

2010-08-08T05:08:00.000-07:00

The view from my 29th floor hotel room, the longest swimming pool in the world!.
Back home and finally landing, realising that my feet have not touched the earth since I left the UK, two weeks of concrete... how can this be?
Last few days in Shanghai and Hong Kong were packed full of meetings and gatherings including an unscheduled day at the 'drama therapy in psychiatric services symposium' that turned out to be surprisingly relevant to BESDC with fascinating speakers expressing many shared objectives and outcomes.
The reunion with Symbiotic Dance was lovely, it felt like only a moment since our last visit. Tids and Arnim were missed, hopes and ideas for the future were expressed and dinner was shared.
Then a third meeting with British Council, previous ones being held in Guangzhou and Shanghai to discuss recent impressions and future plans.
I'm grateful for the opportunity to visit China and Hong Kong thanks to Connections through Culture and feel that this is only the beginning...

Aquatic dance

2010-08-01T22:37:00.000-07:00

Back to Shanghai and 41.2° so I'm melting...

Led a workshop this afternoon for members of the Grass Stage, a theatre organisation known for its radical and often disapproved-of work with non-professional artists. Lots of stimulating discussion over dinner then a symposium to discuss the work of BESDC; they asked loads of great questions which made the evening fly by.

Too busy to take any photos of the workshop but I do like these fish at the hotel!

Day off

2010-07-31T22:58:00.000-07:00

Took a day off to visit my brother and his family who have been living in Suzhou for the past 2½ years.

They took me to 'the fourth' most famous rock garden (an illusion of space and perspective) , a silk factory (fascinatingly low tech and so beautiful to the touch), an old canal-side street (very, very hot) and then back to the hotel for a game of 'underwater guess-the-fish charades' with my niece and nephew.

Felt truly spoilt and rested.

Night Train to Shanghai...

2010-07-29T09:04:00.000-07:00

Writing this on the night train to Shanghai: it's packed with people who were herded together through the station system, security check, waiting area and onto the train, which actually makes sense when you arrive at your destination the platforms are empty allowing everyone to alight with ease. A 16 hour journey, I can smell cigarette smoke, beef noodles and hot feet. My travel buddies are Carmen, Irene (both in food sales!) and Tiger (11 years old going on 40) they are all delightful and teach me to play poker through scribbling on notebooks and overseeing my hand!

But to reflect on Guangzhou. I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the people I've met, workshops and performances I've taken in over the past 5 days. It's been very different from anything I have ever experienced in the UK, similar broad range of quality and experience not necessarily equated, but there are huge cultural differences.... of course what did I expect? But what's the mindset of a country emerging from communist control? The government controlled organisations, agencies and activities operating in one world and the underground cultural scene thriving as an alternative.

Guangzhou Modern Dance Festival

2010-07-29T08:32:00.001-07:00

The Guangzhou Modern Dance Festival daily programme was broad and varied: studio performances by young dancers that showed such skill and confidence, endearingly naïve in content and some a bit sickly sweet BUT most with an individuality and confidence that I rarely see in the UK Youth Dance Scene. Afternoon Springboard performances by emerging artists from what I could interpret shared a common thread and explored the relationship each artist has with China. They were somewhat mixed in quality.

At the other end of the scale the BIG professional performances in main house theatres have been disappointing, extremely body beautiful, monotonously technically brilliant and soul-less. What's going on with the choreographers? In the post show discussion a director was asked why he had placed a tea party (complete with table and tea service) in the middle of the piece described as 'a poem about mother nature' (complete with heavy metal tree), his answer was that he just felt like it because one day he had seen the dancers having tea together and thought it was beautiful!

Meanwhile the inclusive workshop muddled on with energy and enthusiasm from all involved, After three sessions we said our goodbyes and made plans for the teachers and local artists to meet together again soon for some mutual support and ideas sharing. There is a real eagerness to develop the work so I hope this is a beginning for us all.

Guangzhou

2010-07-26T02:26:00.000-07:00

So much for my daily blogging plans...
I'm not sure if it's specific to the Company blog as I can view other blogs or it might be the writing rather than the reading or as someone suggested it could be the 'Blue' in the title is reason enough for the authorities to doubt its suitability!
The past few days have been a fascinating and confusing time, the Symposium has been looking at the position of contemporary dance in China and I've been trying to piece together a picture of how inclusive dance might fit into that...or not.
Disabled people seen so far? One. Context? Begging on the street. I'm told that I will not see disabled people here as they are hidden, only to be wheeled out when deemed appropriate.
I'm hearing about control and restriction but also about support and pride. We met a group of young independent dancers to discuss their perspective which included working on gay rights issues and providing opportunities for disabled people to dance.
Saw two performances yesterday, one an inspiring solo performed by a dancer, well respected in the modern dance community, I thought it a bit clichéd but beautiful and thoughtful. The second performance was at the extraordinary brand spanking new sci-fi opera house performed by the City Contemporary Dance Company and it was dull, really dull, so dull I fell asleep.

BUT I've just come out of a Youth Dance Showcase that was extraordinary, my breath has been taken away... will write more tomorrow.

Hong kong

2010-07-23T22:22:00.000-07:00

24 hours, 2 flights, 4 films, numerous meals and some nice chats later... Feeling disorientated which is probably a good place to begin...

Setting off in the dark

2010-07-21T20:51:00.001-07:00

4 am might be too early to write anything very meaningful. Feeling tired of traveling in advance but confident that it'll be ok. Armed with loads of Blue Eyed Soul dvd's and looking forward to meeting new people and 'connecting through culture'.

Packing for China (Connections through Culture)

2010-07-21T03:02:00.000-07:00

Packing for China and wondering what clothes to take, something suitable for the heat? Ru has offered her red summer dress... so I google 'the colour red and china'... 'Like life-giving flowing blood and the brilliant morning glow, the red of China pulsates endlessly, radiating with a passionate fire-like heat. Red is alive, inspiring, a dream-like passion that affects all aspects of Chinese life. Colour is essential to beauty, and beauty is essential to any culture’s aesthetic'. I'll take the dress.
Very excited at the programme, something every day... a week in Guangzhou https://mail-us.gmx.com/dereferrer/?target=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gdfestival.cn a few days in Shanghai and a reunion in Hong Kong.

Competitive Me in rehearsal

2010-06-23T12:09:00.000-07:00

Merv and Nick working their socks of and sweating it out.

2010-06-23T12:02:00.000-07:00

On reflection.............

2010-06-23T11:23:00.000-07:00

Following Monday's night performance of 'Competitive Me' I was left with one of the most restless nights sleep since the first few weeks following my son's birth! On reflection my bad sleep was because I was very,very,very excited. Something magic happened. On first meeting Merv & Nick (over 4 years ago) I had witnessed the competitive nature of their relationship........what could be more blindingly obvious, massively attractive and 'juicy' as putting these two men together in a studio, in a gym setting, drop in a few seeds to get the process going and off they go - making a dance piece about the desire to take center stage and be the 'best you could possibly be'. Community dance always refers to the dancer 'owning their work' - 'owning the dance'. I genuinely feel they 'owned it' all the way...............................every studio process is unique, distinct, particular but this pushed all three of us in a new direction and we all said it felt great.

From washing line to Washington

2010-06-16T11:40:00.000-07:00

It’s probably an aerial cliché but it feels as though I am only just coming back to earth after an amazing time in the US performing TAKE and Sugar at the truly American-ly ENORMOUS Kennedy Center as part of the VSA festival. Echoing the comments made by Sal and Rachel below, it was such a huge buzz and, after overcoming the technical hitches and glitches in the run-up to going, we were truly rewarded with plain sailing (flying?) Stateside. Had a really good, easy-going time travelling and room sharing with Sal (who has possibly the most-admired shoulder bag in the world). Have a few striking memories of the performace day – the life-size photo of the eminent Mark Morris glaring at us from the wall of the Kennedy Center staff canteen a little intimidating pre-performance; a surreal moment on our initial slow descent, looking up the long and high-ceilinged, red-carpeted concourse of the Kennedy center with the chandeliers looming higher than us; a million miles away from the more familiar scene in the Worcestershire barn, with the pigs snuffling curiously outside. I enjoyed the gasp and exclamation of surprise from someone in the front row when I jumped off the stage over their head, one of the new perks of performing on a high stage. Likewise the duet with Rose, hanging off the edge of the stage, balancing precariously (not always successfully!) on one foot. Finally, the amazing shadow backstage (that the audience couldn’t see) of Sal swinging in and out of sight, high up in her chair at the end of Sugar, raising her arms.

Now the bloomers are back on the washing line, ready for Cardiff…. It will be both good and strange to be back on the rig… the two versions (with and without rig) have quite a different flavour for us, so we’re dredging our movement memories to restore the other version… Excited about performing again, but as always, don’t want it to end. In the meantime, I’ll be savouring the anticipation…

last moments in USA

2010-06-16T08:35:00.000-07:00

Sally and I on the way home...
looking forward to...
our beds and...
sharing our experiences with friends and family...
celebrating...
and the next performance in Cardiff on the 28th June.

VSA conference

2010-06-16T07:40:00.000-07:00

Friday morning at the very Grand Hyatt Hotel
10th floor room
basement conference
we gave a presentation on Dance Transformation
international audience
positive responses, keen interest

VSA Festival performance

2010-06-16T07:18:00.000-07:00

after an epic month of preparation
a terrible time working our way through the bureaucracy of US immigration
pack and repacking all the kit
we made it...
a fantastic time
such a warm reception from all the VSA staff
a technical crew to die for at the Kennedy Centre
hard work
huge buzz

week 2

2010-05-26T11:47:00.000-07:00

Big change of plans, back in the barn all week instead of the theatre. Hope it stays warm for us.

Just got over the stress of the American embassy, queue tastic and very frustrating.

Jess smacked her head on the floor rehearsing new pulley system with Aldous today, and now has a big egg.

But, apart from the above all is going really well, we seem to have Take back under our belts, the flying is feeling really good again and am slowly getting stronger.

Enjoying the company at Longlands.

re-working Take

2010-05-22T06:40:00.000-07:00

Great first week of rehearsals for Washington. A lot of re-working, improving. Brain and body hurting! Lovely being all together again. A bit disconcerting working without the rig at first but our new set up seems pretty good now, new possibilities too.

Blue Eyed Soul = Sun, Sun, Sun! Barn on the farm was super warm, a great place to be working, alongside our pig "friends" (bit scary)

Material all there, week 2 to refine.

All the music is on a loop in my head today, it's that kind of sunny, idyllic day, as it has been all week.

Excited to get in the theatre and looking forward to VSA.

Day 2 dancers on site

2010-05-19T12:21:00.000-07:00

Rose Eleni and Jess
reunited "seems like only moments ago..."
Tim delivers straw bales
Cherry brings us covers for them
working out the dimensions of the rigging to correspond with the Kennedy Centre

Preparation for TAKE a Dance in the Park

2010-05-19T11:43:00.000-07:00

Day 1 of rehearsals
rigging and laying a floor
hiring a ladder
meeting the sheep dogs
occupying the space...

Post Project Reflections

2010-05-05T06:39:00.000-07:00

Phew...the project is now over!!

Over the course of the weekend I have had time to sit back and reflect on the project at Merstone School. It was so lovely to witness the buzz of excitment and sense of achievment from all the pupils and staff involved. I see the project as if Miriam and I were the stones gently dropped into the pond and starting a gentle but awe inspiring ripple effect which reached all three schools.

Even though I have probably reached doubled figures in the amount of schools residencies I have co-led on, the hand on head/what shall we do challenges still face us. It ALWAYS seems worth it in the end as we sit back fighting tears of joy as the participants perform so beautifully.

Talking to support staff throughout the week we were constantly told how much participants are gainning from the week and how much the staff wish they could continue to work in this way on a regular basis.

As I sat looking through photographs of the project all the memories came flooding back. It is quite overwhelming to consider the magnitude of achievment for people.

I really hope we can visit again very soon. This project will stay with me for a long time.

50 Ways- Northampton- Leading with Eyes

2010-05-04T08:47:00.000-07:00

Hello again... I just can't leave this wonderful work alone can I? Looking through more of my footage I realised that Sally and I never posted this fabulous edit of the 50 Ways Workshop we led for the Investment in Professionals programme at Northants Dance in March this year. I remember the participants on the day made a specific request to have it posted.

It is an exercise where anybody can lead a solo, duet, trio... or entire group of dancers merely by moving their eyes. It is a particularly useful exercise for people whose primary method of communication is through the movement of their eyes.

Dance About... And All the Trimmings!!!

2010-05-04T08:32:00.000-07:00

As I sit in my garden in Nottingham, no longer officially in post with Blue Eyed Soul, I cannot resist one last look at the fantastic Dance About performance by the Contact Group in March. Clearly I got carried away and created this short edited version of the live piece. The group were so much fun to work with, adding their creative ideas to the mix, really committed, energetic and focused. A true team. After the 5 shows we invited the audience to come and learn some of the choreography and creative tasks we had used to develop it and all the performers were a great support through that process also. I feel honoured to have been given the time to create with them. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Merstone School Residency

2010-04-27T07:40:00.000-07:00

It is now the end of day two at the Merstone School Residency. We are working with three schools with varying needs and abilities, Merstone, our hosts, is a school for children with profound and complex needs, Forest Wood is a school for children with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour and Smith's Wood College is a mainstream school. We are all working together with their staff to create a dance performance this Friday. The participants are boys and girls between 12 and 16 years old.

The residency started yesterday morning literally with the 3 schools in separate corners of the room. By the end of today it was hard to tell who was from each school as they played together in the break. The students are all bonding so beautifully. They play with each other at lunchtime and are learning some very specific things about how each other communicates and behaves.

So far we have made a group warm up sequence which we revisit at the beginning of each session exploring different qualities- tired and elastic/ 'yawny'; funky; heavy limbed; energetic etc.; explored each other's range of movement through massage and manipulation tasks; created travelling duets; created duets through different ways of touching; and begun a process of watching, feeding back and selecting material. We have been working in very close pairs and are currently looking at ways in which pairs can be swapped more so that more friendships are created.

The staff at all schools have been particularly sensitive,knowledgeable and supportive of the students, the choreographic process and our needs as well. Whilst exhausted, we are also absolutely thrilled and inspired to be here.

LIKE Youth Dance Workshop

2010-02-24T02:41:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday Misha and I delivered four short workshops as part of an activities day set up by Telford Council. The day was held at Sundorne Sports Village in Shrewsbury. We were assisted by Vinnie a freelance dance artist who works in the Telford Area. We worked with young people from the age of 8 to 15/16 with physical and learning disabilities. We had originally planned to teach a session based on super heroes but very quickly decided to change the plan to something more physically dynamic and shorter as our 45 minute sessions were condenced to 20 minutes. It was lovely for me to see one or two young people I had previously worked with. We had lots of interest from the young people and their familiies about other activities they could do with us. We have taken details from lots of people for our mailing lists and future LIKE activities. Despite being unwell with a raging ear ache on the day I had a wonderful time and feel that I rose to the challenge of changing the original workshop plan at the last minute.