A lot has moved on since my last blog update. One exciting piece of news is, Dianne’s documentary “Nothing but bones in the way” had its first Premier Screening in Hobart at the Moonah Arts Centre, September 1, 2018.   I can not help but feel incredibly proud of this journey and the way the documentary has come tell the story as it is. About our collaboration and relationship with each other, that has pushed boundaries and shifted pathways to find alternate ways, to celebrate our bodies capabilities and explore new possibilities, beyond the norm or stereotyped. The 35 minute documentary is still to be release for general viewing – but hopefully that’s not too far away.

c Damien Hinds

c Damien Hinds

 Inclusive Performance Workshop

Sometimes the word “Inclusive” bothers me – what does it all mean, Inclusive? I believe in just Being, but I hovel around what it feel like to have inclusion…My one word short 1 moment solo, is PLAY…  My body is cold and my movements are at risk against my wonderful playful imagination… A huge box of amazing dresses, hats and paper flowers, and a  gorgeous game of hide n seek.  I want to laugh with this room full of artists with disabilities.

Sand
move my senses
create a world,
I can feel
each grain
run through
the shape of my heart
the letters of my name
this is how i relate to sand
and the moving earth
under my knees…

I have been MOVED by Jordan Scotney’s music for a few years now – and have used a number of tracks in performances with Dianne Reid (her work Dance Interrogations). When I “accidentally” bumped into Jordan early this year at a music event in the Ranges, I was able to simply say that, “I am inspired by your music to dance.” Jordan’s response was not to say, oh that’s nice and keep walking – he was keen to know, which tracks i liked and why they worked for me and so went the conversation. I took a bold step then and suggested that could meet in a space some day and try some collaboration.

Four months later – it happened last Thursday afternoon, on my 56th Birthday. I found the space and invited Jordan, and a small crew of song makers and sound creators to join me.

I certainly found myself totally absorb in my creative experience of movement. The connection was there from the first note to the last. I was comfortable to explore, move without any hesitation, listening closely to the piano and the African drums. I was in my zone of images, moving in and out and around the space.

Emotions.
my happy place
is alive and well.
Just Being
Doing my thing,

Yes… I pushed temptation to try my hands on the drums. Percussions on my wrists and taking the sounds from my voice, to echo into the sound of other voices in the space. There were moments and more moments, creative moments as well as safe and no need to try too hard moments. Libby and i have a very professionally driven relationship to write papers for conferences. Today we explore other areas. Wonderful.

I am.
feeling the movement,
of drums,
heart beats
of travelling places,
mountain
beaches
hills
valleys of running water,
talking with elephants,
big cats and little cats,
why can’t the freedom
stay awhile…

Thanks Jordan, Libby and Jordan’s friend Chantelle

 It was tempting not to get up this Monday morning, as l laid under the covers with my cat, India embracing those few beautiful moments of our own – her purring seemed so magical and delicate – i became lost in the world under the covers, and the duo of breaths. It inspired me to brave the cold, prepare for my morning of shifting my body, from bed to floor – it is too easy for me to hibernate in Winter, as my pain levels rise I need to work harder to get warm and remain warm.  But today I go to Montrose Hall again – to join with Gretel Tayor’s shared practice – we do our own warm up and some solo space time, and then some moments of improvisation, suggestions for body/movement practice, and any thought and reflection. Despite the cold floor – my body is moving in a slow motion of sand – swirls of color offer me a sensation of warmth – I feel like Dancing.  I want to watch Gretel for awhile – our worlds are different, yet the same. Nature. Sensitivity. Respect. Passion for MOVEMENT…
Wonderful morning.
I come home to continue my solo work of ideas…

There is no better way to begin my morning than waking with my cat, moving around the bed. I am in a dozing state of mind, yet fascinated by her paws moving over my legs. There is a world out there, i should be paying attention to but i don’t – instead, I let time be mine and hers. In the next few moments – I listen to her purring. Movement is such a beautiful thing. She comes closer and i hear her louder. We move together now. Play, and wrestle under the covers, before shifting to the floor. I pretend to hide my face, and she thinks i can not see her.  For the next 40 minutes we move to the front room, the room i am moving to be my creative practice space. My yoga mats awaits me. I am not a lover for the cold – it suppresses me and I move my life within. Nevertheless my cat is teaching me to survive, by changing my space I am opening the space for the warmth to enter. My body unfolds and relaxes. I breathe alone. I close my eyes, and hear the world moving in the far distance. Where am i moving to today – my creative craves are there, but my time and energy is so precious, so limiting and so much shared between routines and other people… Nevertheless I move forward, and capture the silent and golden moment, with my gorgeous cat, India. I move, and I move again…