Please click on the images above to see the different events within Plethu.
Caring Dances / Dawnsiau Gofalgar
Participants attending our daylong event Caring Dances in June 2019 in Aberych Village Hall were warm & curious.
Contributions from 3 movement practitioners, Miranda Tufnell, Katherine Hall, & Susan Schell, flowed through the day bringing people together to share experiencing of dance as a medium of care for ourselves and each other.
A grounding and invigorating workshop with Miranda, was followed by excerpts of Katherine’s powerful solo performance You Sit There and a moving reading from her book Movements of Care. Katherine then lead us through a process of abstracting the caring movements from our own lives & then collaborating with others to make a short performative offering for the group. This was both touching and humorous.
Nourishing, delicious shared lunch, provided by Jemma Vickers, allowed time for connection, relaxation and viewing of 2 films – Lovely as a Tree, by Eeva-Maria Mutka in collaboration with 104 year old Mary, and a film by Cai Tomos which captures moments of Louise Klarnett’s Acorn project, a dance residency at a nursery school for children with special educational needs & disabilities.
In the final offering of the day Susan Schell spoke about her experiences as a hospice chaplain, with her lifelong dance improvisation practice as foundational to her presence with people who are close to dying. Questions and stories awoke in response from participants and a heartfelt sharing ended the day. One of my lasting memories is landing with Susan’s expression “be always immensely grateful for & loving of your body”.
Some participant feedback:
“The banks are what defines the way the river moves. The banks help us see the movement of energy. Just as our bodies are vessels for this energy that never dies.”
“Letting go. Bringing in.”
“Reflect on Care as an act of joyful movement.”
“Notice those who look like they’re on the outside. They want to be included into the inside… help them.”
“Thank you for making this meeting happen. Marvellous context for understanding, communication and healing.”
“Needing other(s) vs fearing/avoiding others >> reconciling conflicting needs in self care/care for others.”
“Letting the life I’ve lived speak for me.”
