First Workshop - Fun, feelings, floor

The Space

We unexpectedly found ourselves moved in studio C in the Performance Centre and at first I was really unsettled and miffed but in the end this was a most delightful occurrence as the Studio C has a wall of windows that let light flood onto the honey coloured sprung wooden floor.  A huge space which five of us plus Adele played in.  For most of the time we were able to open some double doors that open out onto a decked platform and we took a little sun there during a short break.

Who's Coming Out to Play?

Seven of us had paid to attend but in the event a few couldn't be with us.  Had we had our signed up compliment of players there would have been a balance of people who are performers and those who are writers.  It was most interesting to listen to how women who identify with being writers experienced the activities.  Having people from different backgrounds expanded my understanding and appreciation of the work.

Around 20 women have made direct contact and expressed excited interest in the project.  Some of them live in mid Devon and it's just too impractical for them to attend what with time and distance but they have asked to be informed if I take the workshops up their way.

Eighteen women, many active amateur or professional performers intend to come to the workshops at some point but will need to find a space to make it to Tremough.  I had planned to find a performance space in Truro to make the journey just a little easier for those coming long distances but in the end it wasn't possible as the space needed to be suitable and free of charge.  It would have been great to take up Hall for Cornwall's offer of Saturday workshops in their rehearsal room but it just wasn't ideal, as I've already mentioned.

Admin Practicalities

Today being Thursday I was hoping that I could ask Adele to plan the next workshop but thus far only three women (including me) have actually paid for the next session.  I know people have said they want to come, but unless I receive the payment I can't ask Adele to plan her childcare and make a workshop plan.  I hope we can get these practicalities sorted so that I can focus more on the artistic nature of the work rather than these administrative tasks, which are inevitable, but could be a little easier.  I hope by Saturday those who want to come have paid and I can instruct Adele, but that just gives her three full days to prepare.  I'll have to revisit the practical side with the group and with Adele.

What About Fun, Feelings and Floor?

Yes, that was what I longed for and hoped other women would enjoy, and they did.  That's down to Adele's experience and presence, her planning and delivery, the space and our willingness to trust and try.  We woke up our senses, our awareness, let our bodies' impulses lead us, became aware of one another, broke into extraordinary sound making, broke into singing, liberated our playfulness, our inventiveness, were surprised at what appeared in movement, emotion and sound, we LAUGHED.  Ahhh ... that was fun and I was completely shattered after it but such a deeply satisfying tired that I welcome it again.

A Picture Paints .... and all that

I hope to share photos on the blog and some photographers are going to chat with me soon about documenting the workshops.  I'm required to document my Contextual Enquiry Practice (CEP) and will be marked on the documentation and a later presentation of the project.  I decided not to photograph or video the first session, even though I'd borrowed a small flip video camera and tripod from the media centre.  In the event, I thought it more beneficial that we all remain unself-conscious and establish safety and understanding.

Next week I'll take a few photos myself and discuss an approach to photography with the photography undergrads who have offered to help.

Preparation  and Self Care


I've started physical warm up sessions in the morning and now I'll include 15 minutes for authentic movement 6 mins movement, 4 minutes reflection and 5 minutes - that or thereabouts.  So I'll have to change how I manage my day as I usually wake up and get straight on the computer and so far I've spent over two hours on the computer and have forgotten to have breakfast.

Losing Weight and Feet

Due to having to cut out all fat from my diet until the gallbladder is removed I've lost 10lbs in weight and this feels good.  This makes it easier to move around and places less strain on my knees.  I've started to wear my orthotic supports which correct a flat and inwardly rotated foot and this is also helping my feet, knees and low back.  I worked in Bloch dance shoes for the first part of the workshop but removed them as I found the noise they made when I walked across the floor intrusive.

Singing

I have a singing lesson today and I always like to warm up and sing a little in good time before a lesson so that I am more connected in my body and I've revisited the exercises and objectives of the previous lesson.  I'll probably spend 20 more minutes of physical warm up before sound production and then I'll do the usual facial warms ups, following that with the technical exercises recommended by my current teacher.

I sing a few songs that I find engaging, the music and/or the words, as the emotional resonance helps me to remember the affective nature of singing - I feel - and this stops the head clutter of editors and advice that I can allow to jump in at every utterance.  At the moment I'm working with Bist Du Bie Mir (J S Bach) and Ombra Mai Fu (Handel) but there are a host of songs I love to sing.  I'm not working towards any particular performance so am choosing songs for the pleasure of singing them.

I usually record lessons and transcribe the important moments when the teacher identifies something that could change, tells me why it might be a preferable change, gives me the technical fix and then I try it out.  I put the timings of these incidents in my notebook which I keep for singing lessons and workshop notes.  Last week I didn't want the self consciousness of the recording, (for myself or the teacher), so I didn't record it but this week I will.  This is also so that I can become accustomed to hearing myself sing and, once again, learn how to accept what I do.  Even as I write I'm grimacing at the thought of listening to myself sing and yet I know that the best way to improve, for me, is to listen to what I don't like and figure out why it isn't acceptable to my ear.  Then I need to figure out what needs to change in order that, when I sing that word or phrase again, I might like it better.  Self acceptance is exceedingly hard for me.

Time management is going to be very important in getting things done and this will ease my sense of overwhelment where I tend to stare light a rabbit in the headlights.

I really must get on and have breakfast now.

Kim
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