So after the holiday break, we have a few projects in store, one that I am excited about and that is the children's theatre for Stella Polaris. We pitched a project idea to the directors and it was accepted to go forward and run for the new season.
I will be working with two others for this and my role will be the artistic director to bring both performances to a final piece which will be shown in April.
The two projects will be for different ages and will work on mask, circus, dance, song and storytelling. We are currently waiting for the final numbers and the project will start mid January, so keep looking and I will update.
We will also be working on our individual artistic work with our director, working with a poem or text or character. This will be a lengthy intense work process over numerous weeks to produce a strong character.
Please look at the website www.stella-polaris.com for photos and videos from the past work in Poland and events coming up.
Happy Christmas......God Jul x
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Christmas Performance
We have been training for 2 months for our Christmas performance, this takes place every year at the centre where the theatre is. We have been training acrobatics, focusing on pair work. Ethnic dances, cappoera, singing, fire skills and circus skills. The skills we chose to focus on what skill we needed to improve on, this for me was double stick, poi and big flags.
We trained intensively as a group and then worked on individual needs. This was a great training period for myself as i learnt many new skills and noticed a significant improvement with certain areas of my work especially the pair acrobatics.
The performance is a part of a christmas market and the lighting of the christmas tree, the show takes place outside on the circus stage. The essence of the performance comes from many inspirations, from tribal dances to trapeze each element celebrates the life of christmas.
Throughout this training I was also working on practical aspects, costume making and props. The show was a great success, with a few hundred people as audience and the snow came at the end to finish off the successful day.
From this training and performance schedule I have gained on my skills and pushed myself further as a performer and physically to keep up the energy needed for this theatre work. I look forward to the next work, as I have now developed a routine to work on training both creatively and professionally.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Residential exchange of Theatres with Gardzienice in Poland
"The project idea is based on the long term cooperation of two experimental theatres: Poland's Centre for Theatre Practices 'Gardzienice' and Norway's 'Stella Polaris'. Both of them search for artistic inspiration in archaic and traditional cultures as well as in natural environment. For both cultural education in the field of arts is an important element. Thanks to that both centres play a significant role in creation and shaping the theatre milieu in their countries"
We headed to Poland at the beginning of October, where we packed 1 bus and 2 van full of equipment and travelled from Norway-Denmark-Germany-Poland. We arrived in Gardzienice which is just outside Lublin 2 days later. The programme for the month was to hold workshops with the students from the Gardzienice academy and perform two shows with them and then the final show would be from Stella Polaris to finish off the two month project.
As this is a collaboration project, Stella Polaris officially opened with a performance called 'Celebration of Life'. Followed by speeches then more entertainment in gallery of Gardzienice Theatre.
WORKSHOPS:
The workshops covered acrobatics, juggling, stilts, dancing, singing, stick-work and character work. I experienced all areas of this workshop as a participant as I am still learning with Stella Polaris.
PERFORMANCES:
DREAM OF SHAMAN- This a performance about Nordic mythology, the world of magical skills with shamans and priestesses. Transforming into different animals in order to heal themselves and others around them. This was a performance that i have been in before, working with the big masks. Here in Poland I played a norn, one of the priestesses. Here I sang, danced, performed with fire poi and fire sticks. This was a great experience for me, as I fully experienced the fast paced performance quality of Stella Polaris.
SHIP OF FOOLS- A story about a mysterious ship which sailed from harbour to harbour and collected the insane, the outcasts, those who didn't belong anywhere. This was a process in which I enjoyed very much, a lot of workshops in character work to find your inner fool. We worked intensively with our individual character training and working with characters out in the Forrest using acrobatics as a tool for development. This was a great experience to work with Polish performers, to experience working with other languages. This performance took place outdoors on various heights of scaffold to create the picture of a ship.
MAGIC EVENING- A show involving juggling, slackrope and Magic, flying acrobatics and fiery flamenco. The language of the performance is poetic, the music is intense, vibrant, winning. All is united by one, common goal: to keep the dream alive.
This was the final show of the project, and evening of entertainment, a show I thought i wasn't going to do, but a character called Hortensia was needed and I created her into a hard Scottish lassie!
These two shows and Gardzienice's Ifigenia and Metamorphosis where part of Cosmos. Gardzienice would play first on the Friday then a performance from Stella Polaris followed by a tarditional polish meal of Perogi. The Saturday included the same with a performance from Gardzienice then to a banquet meal of traditional Norwegian food in the palace with entertainment from Stella Polaris with 'Magic Evening'.
This Month was a great learning experience for me, both with learning and developing skills, technical work in building scenery and props. Working with European professionals in a workshop setting. Living and working alongside another renowed theatre and developing strong partnerships that I will hopefully work with in the future.
As this is a collaboration project, Stella Polaris officially opened with a performance called 'Celebration of Life'. Followed by speeches then more entertainment in gallery of Gardzienice Theatre.
WORKSHOPS:
The workshops covered acrobatics, juggling, stilts, dancing, singing, stick-work and character work. I experienced all areas of this workshop as a participant as I am still learning with Stella Polaris.
PERFORMANCES:
DREAM OF SHAMAN- This a performance about Nordic mythology, the world of magical skills with shamans and priestesses. Transforming into different animals in order to heal themselves and others around them. This was a performance that i have been in before, working with the big masks. Here in Poland I played a norn, one of the priestesses. Here I sang, danced, performed with fire poi and fire sticks. This was a great experience for me, as I fully experienced the fast paced performance quality of Stella Polaris.
SHIP OF FOOLS- A story about a mysterious ship which sailed from harbour to harbour and collected the insane, the outcasts, those who didn't belong anywhere. This was a process in which I enjoyed very much, a lot of workshops in character work to find your inner fool. We worked intensively with our individual character training and working with characters out in the Forrest using acrobatics as a tool for development. This was a great experience to work with Polish performers, to experience working with other languages. This performance took place outdoors on various heights of scaffold to create the picture of a ship.
MAGIC EVENING- A show involving juggling, slackrope and Magic, flying acrobatics and fiery flamenco. The language of the performance is poetic, the music is intense, vibrant, winning. All is united by one, common goal: to keep the dream alive.
This was the final show of the project, and evening of entertainment, a show I thought i wasn't going to do, but a character called Hortensia was needed and I created her into a hard Scottish lassie!
These two shows and Gardzienice's Ifigenia and Metamorphosis where part of Cosmos. Gardzienice would play first on the Friday then a performance from Stella Polaris followed by a tarditional polish meal of Perogi. The Saturday included the same with a performance from Gardzienice then to a banquet meal of traditional Norwegian food in the palace with entertainment from Stella Polaris with 'Magic Evening'.
This Month was a great learning experience for me, both with learning and developing skills, technical work in building scenery and props. Working with European professionals in a workshop setting. Living and working alongside another renowed theatre and developing strong partnerships that I will hopefully work with in the future.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
'When the dead awakes' Project
The first project with Stella Polaris was the same project I participated in last year, only this year it was to be extended. Please follow the link below to find out more about the project and the story behind it.
http://www.stella-polaris.com/en/performances/when-the-dead-awakes
The project invloves a group of european volunteers who come on an exchange programme for a month and work towards a performance at the end. The volunteers come from many countries and bring with them specialized skills.
We train in acrobatics, fire performance, juggling, singing, European dances, stick and swords, mask work and character acting. The training takes place outdoors in the forrest, various locations surrounding the theatre.
The whole group work together as a team in all areas, from working in the kitchen to building scenery and costumes for the performance. We share songs, dances and skills from the home countries and we put these experiences into our characters and performance.
The project ended with two performances on the viking burial sites which invited the audience to travel with us in bring the dead to life once again.
http://www.stella-polaris.com/en/performances/when-the-dead-awakes
The project invloves a group of european volunteers who come on an exchange programme for a month and work towards a performance at the end. The volunteers come from many countries and bring with them specialized skills.
We train in acrobatics, fire performance, juggling, singing, European dances, stick and swords, mask work and character acting. The training takes place outdoors in the forrest, various locations surrounding the theatre.
The whole group work together as a team in all areas, from working in the kitchen to building scenery and costumes for the performance. We share songs, dances and skills from the home countries and we put these experiences into our characters and performance.
The project ended with two performances on the viking burial sites which invited the audience to travel with us in bring the dead to life once again.
Funding
I have been working in America at a children's summer camp for the summer. I have been working with this camp for five summer's starting a counselor teaching drama to join the management team as Head Of Girls camp. This is a great experience for me, working within a different country with many international staff and holding a position that requires much responsibility, flexibility and patience.
I returned this year to once again experience the amazing summer I have every year but also to raise money to aid my stay with Stella Polaris.
Stella Polaris is a non-profit Theatre company and to spend a year with the company I have to find the finance to fund my stay in Norway.
I applied to many arts organisations to fund my placement here but unfortuantely I wasn't able to raise the full amount requested, so I proceeded to work with the summer camp for an intensive three month programme in order to raise enough funds.
I am still applying for various small funds that will enable me to attend certain workshops and attend further training programmes here in Norway throughout my stay.
I returned this year to once again experience the amazing summer I have every year but also to raise money to aid my stay with Stella Polaris.
Stella Polaris is a non-profit Theatre company and to spend a year with the company I have to find the finance to fund my stay in Norway.
I applied to many arts organisations to fund my placement here but unfortuantely I wasn't able to raise the full amount requested, so I proceeded to work with the summer camp for an intensive three month programme in order to raise enough funds.
I am still applying for various small funds that will enable me to attend certain workshops and attend further training programmes here in Norway throughout my stay.
Start Of the Process
Welcome to my blog which will follow me on my year work with Stella Polaris Theatre company in Norway.
I am a physical Theatre Performer from Fife Scotland, I have trained in Liverpool Hope University studying Crreaive and Performing Arts and then Physical Theatre with The Adam smith College in Fife Scotland.
During the Past two years following my studies I have been working as a Youth Theatre practitioner specializing in Physical Theatre practice working withing Fife in Local communities and with established youth Theatre group Dundee reportory Theatre. I have also been working as an actress in both Childrens Theatre and street arts.
Also during this time and have been attending specialized skills workshops for my professional development and also travelling to Norway for a month project on a volunteer exchange programme in June 2008.
After spending a month with Stella Polaris Theatre company I learned many new skills including Fire poi, Acrobatics, Juggling, Mask, clowning and many other circus and street arts skills. On my return to Scotland I was very keen to share and develop my skills and also start work on producing my own street arts performance.
I focused on my performance and approached the CONFLUX project in Glasgow with a proposal of masterclasses and a development programme towards a performance with other professionals. During this time I was in disscussions with Stella Polaris Theatre Company to join the project once again and extend to a year long stay with the company.
So this now leads me to Norway where I am currently at the beginning of my stay developing the skills and working professionally with this company in all areas of Theatre, from performing, touring, workshops, practical, costumes and Technical works. This is all in preparation for me to take all I have learn't and appply this to the CONFLUX proposal.
This blog will include photos and videos of the work I am doing and my developments. It is for both for professional artists to look at the work I will be doing and raise interest in joining a similar project in Scotland and also for a general interest in my enjoyable experience out here in Norway.
I am a physical Theatre Performer from Fife Scotland, I have trained in Liverpool Hope University studying Crreaive and Performing Arts and then Physical Theatre with The Adam smith College in Fife Scotland.
During the Past two years following my studies I have been working as a Youth Theatre practitioner specializing in Physical Theatre practice working withing Fife in Local communities and with established youth Theatre group Dundee reportory Theatre. I have also been working as an actress in both Childrens Theatre and street arts.
Also during this time and have been attending specialized skills workshops for my professional development and also travelling to Norway for a month project on a volunteer exchange programme in June 2008.
After spending a month with Stella Polaris Theatre company I learned many new skills including Fire poi, Acrobatics, Juggling, Mask, clowning and many other circus and street arts skills. On my return to Scotland I was very keen to share and develop my skills and also start work on producing my own street arts performance.
I focused on my performance and approached the CONFLUX project in Glasgow with a proposal of masterclasses and a development programme towards a performance with other professionals. During this time I was in disscussions with Stella Polaris Theatre Company to join the project once again and extend to a year long stay with the company.
So this now leads me to Norway where I am currently at the beginning of my stay developing the skills and working professionally with this company in all areas of Theatre, from performing, touring, workshops, practical, costumes and Technical works. This is all in preparation for me to take all I have learn't and appply this to the CONFLUX proposal.
This blog will include photos and videos of the work I am doing and my developments. It is for both for professional artists to look at the work I will be doing and raise interest in joining a similar project in Scotland and also for a general interest in my enjoyable experience out here in Norway.
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