Every Body Residency with SiD - March 2018
During their residency here SiD (Shropshire inclusive Dance) spent their time engaged in a number of activities. Both taking the opportunity to re evaluate their teaching practices (they team-taught their workshops here), time to dance together, to walk in the locality and experience the qualities of the place, allowing this to feed their ideas and practices.
The company (consisting of co directors Ray Jacobs and Rachel Liggit and learning disabled dancers Mervyn Bradley and Chloe Shepherd) co-taught three workshops; in Abercych with 20 participants and carers from Clynfyw Care Farm; with 30 participants from Pembrokeshire People First, Haverfordwest and an inclusive family workshop(30 people) in Abercych Village Hall. On the final weekend the award winning films ‘Four solos in the Wild’ made nearby in Tycanol woodland in 2016 and featuring the company dancers, were screened in the rooms of 2 Penrhiw, and were visited by over 75 people from the village and surrounding region. Following the residency, we screened the films at Clynfyw Care Farm in early May to 15 participants who were unable to attend the original film screenings because of transport issues.
We are planning to bring SiD back in 2019 to run inclusive workshops and screen more of their award winning dance films…
‘I loved the opportunity to view Four Solos in the Wilds in the cottage at 2 Penrhiw and then take part in the workshop with Shropshire Inclusive Dance in the village hall afterwards. There was a careful informality to the whole event that opened me up to experiencing what was on offer. The contrast between the dark domestic interior of the cottage and the luminescent greens of Ty Canol woods in each film was simply stunning and the decision to screen the four films in different rooms or nooks in the cottage brought out the individual physicality of each dancer and the narrative of each solo. It enhanced my perception of the detail and artistry in each film. The workshop that followed was marvelous. There were about 30 people with a wide range of ages and experiences, and we were led in a series of simple movement scores that helped us relax, work with each other, and enjoy the sensation of moving together. I particularly enjoyed the opportunity to work palm-to-palm with Mervyn, one of the performers I had watched in Four Solos, and to experience his timing and gravity as a dancer. By the end, Rachel had us moving together as a whole group from one end of the hall to the other, and even the dog joined in! The relaxed programme of viewing the films and dancing together – combined with generous amounts of time to drink tea, eat cake, and talk – made the whole day a very rich experience.’
Dr Andrew Filmer
Aberystwyth University
‘Just wanted to let you know that Friday’s dance work shop was a roaring success, so pleased we went! Everyone enjoyed it, we took quite a big group in the end, and all had a really good time. The hosts were obviously very experienced with presenting and guiding the process, and they took great care of us.
It was really useful for me to learn some new approaches to working with movement, and I will certainly employ some of the things we did in future drama sessions. It was amazing to have the benefit of Chloe and Mervyn to demonstrate and help lead the session, they are clearly very accomplished. A very mind opening experience. Please pass on our thanks to Simon and the team, very inspiring stuff.’
Jackie
Clynfyw Care Farm Team
