Restless Dance Theatre | Artists in Residence

A photographer's point of view

2011-06-09T22:30:00.000-07:00

Heidrun Lohr, you have spent 20 years photographing performance, dance and theatre, but this is the first time you've experienced working with Restless Dance Theatre...how has that been for you?

Just wonderful. But wonderful in the sense of the word....full of wonder.

I think it is the richness, the layeredness, the other worldliness that the performers created in this time in Bundanon, and how the place informed this work...and probably the place also created a certain feel. Sometimes it was quite ancient.

So for me for instance, disability was something that was really in the background, I noticed it of course, visually, but it was very much in the background. I think because it was the material...because the subject and what you're working on is not based on disability, and working through that, but it has a subject matter which is totally different. For example, the habitat comes up again and again. Talking with Dean there was habitat, which was a strong theme, visually. When they sit somewhere and find their place, whether it was in the studio or outside, when they get out of the cocoons, was like the habitat of creatures. So the place of where you have been working is very dominate in the work. Its very beautiful... its stunning.

What I talked about yesterday, is what is quite special about Restless is the sincerity and the focus of the performers, especially Matthew. There is such a dedication and sincerity which is quite profound and in this sense also very moving for the audience.

Were you surprised by anything?
Yeah I think I was by the performances and by the richness of the material and also the many ideas that came together.

You've worked with Dean on a number of occasions, how does this work compare to his work elsewhere?
Usually I come in at a dress rehearsal, but here we spent two days with the company and just to see him working as a choreographer was revealing. I think how he worked with the performers is beautiful. He doesn't want to shy away from disability and he has a desire to learn, to expand and deal with the challenge of working with different artists. I enjoyed his way of observing, his calmness and enthusiasm and tireless energy, also the surprise and curiosity. The curiosity of working with these performers and working in this place Bundanon.

I am a tree

2011-06-08T23:00:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth responds to a task about her experience of a tree in the paddock. Here's what she wrote:

I have the beginnings

I am the start

I have been here since the beginning and I will be here at the end

I can see

I can see all things

I can feel and I can become

I can become

I came from you and you came from me

I will move like you because I see you

I am becoming

I have become

I will be

Solid

Transparent

A reflection

A rock that has been there forever and is ready to move

The end.

He has witnessed many things in his days

John

Is inheritantly wise

Living at his best

Comes naturally to him

He has witnessed many things in his days

Many secrets are stored in his limbs

He leaves the leaves whisper

They whisper to the wind

Shhhhhhh

Listen

Shhhhhhh

Listen

Husshhhhhh hush hush

I will tell you some things if you would listen

I have lullaby for you just for you

I was here before you were born and I will be here after you were gone

I like that you are looking at me

That you all see me

That you have me in your sights

I am John

I am your relative

I am your father

I am your great grandfather

I am your distant uncle

I am your forgotten brother

I am all of you

And you are all of me

A tree

The End.

The wilderness within

2011-06-07T23:09:00.001-07:00

Dean Walsh debriefs today's rehearsal. There have been some very arresting images arising out of the dancer's work. His ideas about where In-habit is heading is becoming clearer. Dean explains where his thoughts are at this final stage of the Bundanon residency.

When I feel the image come on I just like to let it have its space. I don’t want to claim it or own it. I sometimes just work instinctively, that’s why I like setting up parameters so that the performers have their space to perform using their imaginings. Then it comes time for me to say, "We’ve been talking about this device and appendages that inhibits, mutates or adapts the body and how does this group inhabit those inhibitions. How does this group inhabit the inhibition?" So sometimes I'm going, “god there are images coming to me", so I put it in the space other than in my head and often people start to dream with you because of the image you’ve presented, so to claim it as you own straight away inhibits people to dream into something you’ve constructed.

Apart form the straps being used straps for yoga, how do they become binds between us and nature? So Matt’s story about these bindings that inhibited his movements I felt was a really good chance to have a look at being and forcing a particular nature, another nature onto someone else’s nature. We’re force fusing these branches onto Matt, Dana and Elizabeth’s hands which is kind of provocative, which I like but I cant answer why... it’s just striking. There's a blinding conflict which looks like its growing under that image …man vs. wild, and that wilderness is not just outside, its inside ourselves. Its man going wild, so people form these survivor shows and there's approaching conflict…and so it’s like this kind of forced fusion.

Its like a scientific medical experiment gone wrong – were going to fuse our bones to the bones of trees, (an unnatural force) and then put you into the world and see how you feel. It forces adaptation. Mankind is continually increasing a forced adaptation on so many species because we’re encroaching on natural environments and the habitats of species until they are forced to adapt or mutate at a much faster rate than evolution has done before.

What is an adaptation to the wilderness? Not just the wilderness out there, but also the wilderness in each of us. Wilderness is a metaphor for emotional state of interaction, psychological interaction. It’s like the emotional weather between people, the emotional climate between people and the emotional and psychological habitats that we have to adapt all the time and potentially mutate our sense of self in order to fit in.

The Outdoors

2011-06-07T22:30:00.000-07:00

This is a little story by Jianna which she wrote about the outdoors at Bundanon.

Talking bushes
Sense, feel, smell, touch etc... we hear, see feelings, nature. We all relaxed outside. Bushes were here, birds chirping, trees, wind blowing through the leaves. It looks like walking in the dark in the bushes. There were animals in the bushes. Some of them came in the dark with the torch walking through the bushes. There was a talking bushes. I thought sleeping under the stars (a bit like camping). I saw a temple, there were lots of monkeys running around.

The were trees talking, bit like in the forest. It was dark. I couldnt see anything. There were lots of lights in the bushes. I saw houses in the bushes, bit like a haunted house. I thought it was raining and I got a bit wet. There was a shelter. Wind blowing the trees and I brought music to dance to.

Went for a walk in the bushes. I hear nimals far away. Plants, stones, rocks, leaves, trees, bushes, cows, sheep, sky weather, sun, bark from trees, mud, big, huge, small, tiny, plane, jets, clouds and I can smell herbs. I see things. I hear sand and ocean.

Jianna's journal stories.

2011-06-07T22:00:00.000-07:00

Dancer Jianna Georgiou reflects on her daily activities and tasks. She writes notes in her journal after each session and at the end of each day. Below are some of her entries and creative writing tasks set by Dean.

Friday 3rd June
Walking Line
The grass is wet and moist. It makes me itchy. The sun burns me like fire. I hear birds chirping in the trees and it blows me away. I fell like an animal in the farm. It makes me drown in the river. I smelt the river smooth and quiet.

Tree Call
The tree is part of nature - it stays there for a long time. It comes from 1981. The tree has very long legs and arms and spine like a strong trunk. It catches leaves off the grass. The wind blows the leaves off the branch. The tree was dancing in the dark. There's a light around all the trees.

Questions that Dean asked about the tree:
Q: How old is this tree?
A: It came from a very long time.

Q: What year or century did this tree arrive here?
A: A long time ago - ages ago.

Q: If this tree was a person, what sort of person would it be? (what is this tree's personality?)
A: It's not a person. it's a womping willow. It has a long spine, has a hole, and it has a light inside.

Q: What are all the textures?
A: Its very colourful and bright. It shines like a sun. Its like a light bulb.

Q: If I was related to this tree, who would the tree be? (uncle or auntie, grandmother or grandfather, brother or sister?)
A: The tree is related to other trees. It calls. It has a family and friends.

Waterfall
The water felt like ice. It was like leather. My feet feels the sand - the sand feels nice and light. The water feels like a waterfall. My feet feels really hot. The water feels my feet really hot and cold.

Blindfold Game
I felt the grass moving and it tickles me. The wind blows me into the grass. I thought I stepped on poos. It smelt weird and gross. My feet feels the grass peaceful and sound. The trees swaying. I hear voices of clapping. Miranda and Philip are doing duets on the grass. She placed the grass etc...the wind blows the grass on me. Philip, Dana, Matt and Miranda, doing monkey business - they are flocking birds. They are marching like a watchman - it looks like they're pooing. (Jianna is laughing hysterically about this)

We did other tasks then we had lunch outside for a picnic which was really nice. Then we all walked back, then we had dinner and got to bed.

Q: If I was a superhero, who might I be?
A: I would be a thorn lady. There is a slim dress/it's a red dress in the background, there's a green thorn. Karate and the thorn spits.

Running up the hill
The grass was wet. It felt funny, smelt funny. The sense was clear. The sun felt really hot - it makes me shakey. It smelt like different poos. (Jianna cracks herself up again) The sky felt cold and icey. The grass tastes funny. I vomit. It looks like poos makes me vomit. My feet felt the grass wet, the rain was hot - it really burns me. First I looked around and then I stayed. I got wet by the rain. I was an ape and the ape died by eating the animals.

Stories about how I adapted:
When I have Down syndrome I have friends. I have a disability different to normal. Its because its not the same - it's just I want to be normal, to be different and in a good way so I can be polite to people.

Saturday 4th June
I felt my feet floating in the sand. The water looks like sunset. I felt like being an angel on the sand. The sand feels like sunset.

Sunday 5th June
We all slept in and had breaky and I stayed and the other people went to see the whales splashing. Then we had a sandwich for lunch and I spent all day on my laptop. Then we relaxed then the others came back for dinner, then we all went to bed.

Monday 6th June
We all woke up, had breakfast then we went for a walk and we did blindfold dance/animal dance, then came back for lunch and worked with Dean. Then we had a break then we all had dinner plus dessert, then we went to bed.

Tuesday 7th June
We all woke up and did some warm up then we had breakfast, then we worked with Dean. After we had lunch and had an interview with Regina from Bundanon, then we worked in the studio. Then we had a rest in the house. Then we had dinner which was a really nice curry, it was a little bit hot but I liked it. Then we all went to bed after that.

Sensory work

2011-06-05T22:00:00.000-07:00

Life's a beach of a working day. The dancers recall their experience on the pristine Murrays Beach.

Matt Shilcock:
We piled up and spent a few hours at this beautiful secluded beach, which was probably the most beautiful beach I had seen. We did a few activities like imagining we were washed up on the shore and imagined how we would look. We climbed up on a big old dead tree and imagined that the tree was part of our environment and we became part of it. We did some slow walking on slippery rocks which was exciting.

As much as I love climbing rocks, I'm very cautious and over conscious of where I'm putting my feet and I really overthink how I'm walking on rocks coz I'm forever slipping over. It was a really good experience of letting go of that and focusing solely on where I was - my surrounds and things in the distance and getting a sense of the rocks with my feet being the sole input of where and how I was standing.

And after we climbed and explored for a bit - we did a fantastic blindfold exercise where we broke into groups. One member of the group was blindfolded while the others took them on a sensory journey. When I was blindfolded I had a little while to just stand there and get a feel of the air around me and the sand beneath my feet, what sounds I could hear, what smells I could smell.

I started to wonder in this experience who I was, where I was and what I was. I was then led by the hand to a bush and I started to feel this bush and how it felt in my hand. The different textures with the bark and the leaves - I think it was a bottlebrush. And then I was led away from there and whispered into my ears were some strange almost spiritual sounding noise. I was led down to a log which I was leant against and was given a head massage, buried in the sand and given a rock and was told it was the entire world and told to reflect on that.

I began to really experience the weight of the rock and the textures of it and I imagined if this rock really was the world, was it a burden to me in some way or was it something that I enjoyed holding and being with and experiencing. It was the taken away and I was given what felt surprisingly like it was a walking stick and I was told that I was the old salty fisherman. I was led by the stick. The more steps I took the more I began to believe I was the old salty fisherman. I began imaging the life the fisherman lived. All the things he had done and seen, the women he had loved and the ambitions he had still left to fulfill. Then it was time to die and I felt a little bit sad that I would be leaving this fisherman because I felt like I had a lot more left to experience in his life even though he was quite old. I was given 20 cents and then I was buried.

There was a good moment there where I experienced everything around me... the textures the sounds and smells and I reflected on the journey I had been taken on. It was almost overwhelming when I took the blindfold off and returned to the real world. I had become so wrapped up in this fantasy of the fisherman and just really focused on my senses other than sight that when it was returned to me and I was invited to step back into the real world, it was like waking up from a really good dream you're enjoying. I wanted to cling to that fantasy a little bit longer. I had never done anything like this before.

I then joined the rest of the group and caused mischief to our victims.

A day in the life of a dancer's day off

2011-06-05T18:30:00.000-07:00

North-migrating humpback whales were the centre of attention today on Jervis Bay for some of the Restless dancers. Here are some their accounts.

Matt tells about his experience from dusk til dawn.
It was extremely exciting. I got up early this morning about 5am and got myself ready to go for a hike down to the river where we spent Friday. I wanted to watch the sun come up over the river. It was quite exciting on the walk and I took my bamboo stick with me to feel for wombat holes. I took my little torch as well but mostly kept it off and only used it when I needed it. The light was just starting to peak over the hills. It was almost the same sort of light as early evening.

I was walking down the stony dirt path and ticking away with my bamboo stick and I heard a little rustling and thumping next to me on my right. To my left I heard click click click click click. So I stopped where I was and reached into my pocket to turn on my torch and I was standing in the middle of about eight really big kangaroos probably about 1.5m away. I was a bit scared cos they were standing tall upright as well and I heard their voice as well - that's the click click click thing. So I stood there for a second and looked at them and they looked at me and then after a bit they all turned away and jumped through the fence and into the next paddock. They squeeze between the wire.

So I got through the first gate and I totally forgot there was an electric fence there and I put my bamboo stick down on it and because it was wet it gave me a little spark which came out of the electric fence. The rest of the trip down to the river was quite uneventful. I came across a couple of wombat holes, had a look at them and journeyed on. When I got to the river the tide was out til about half way across, at least it was half as wide as I remember it from two days ago. The bank was quite muddy and boggy, so I didn't go too close to the edge. It was dark when I got there but the sun started peaking just over the hills and it was quite beautiful reflecting off the water.

There were some little footprints on the bank next to me. At first I thought it was a child's footprint, but then when I looked closer realised it was a wallaby or something. They sort of started just where I was standing and led a fair way up the bank and into the bush. After about 20 minutes of my standing there, I started to see a lot of fish swimming and breaching the surface and then started jumping as it got lighter. So I stood there and watched and listened to the sounds. When I could see very clearly I started to turn around and head back and on the trek back home I stopped here and there and thought about the things we did on Friday. That was really nice to look back and reflect on those experiences and think about the very new things I'd done. Like the blindfolding and walking barefoot across the prickly paddock.

When I got home I put a load of washing on and then I went to check out Arthur Boyd's homestead with Elizabeth and Miranda. I took some beautiful pictures of the lake which I found out was not a normal occurrence. It's usually just a gully but because of all the rain this year a lake was formed. I had a quick peak around the homestead before it was time to head off with the gang.

We went on a road trip to Huskisson and were privileged to go on a whale watching boat which was very exciting. We saw a pod of about eight whales as well as some dolphins and seals and a big old seabird called a Ganett. That was the first time I had seen whales. We were really close so it was really good bang for our buck. On the way home we saw some beautiful natural formations in the cliffs. It was a magical experience.

http://jervisbaywhaleadventures.com.au/

Coastal Magic

2011-06-04T22:30:00.000-07:00

Dean took us on a magical experience today - adding coastal stimuli to the research for In-habit.

We drove through the Jervis Bay National Park past Huckisson and Vincentia and into the Booderee National Park spotting little wallaby's and kangaroos along the way. With our sketch pads and note books we made our way barefoot down a beach track to explore the rocks and caves and the course pebbly sands of Murrays Beach.

It was a spectacular vista - true paradise. There were big blue bottles freshly washed up onto the beach, pods of dolphins playing in the water the whole time we were there, a shark egg washed up with the seaweed and two beautiful big sea eagles gliding along the treeline of the beach looking for their next catch.

The dancers imagined they were part of the environment and placed themselves in several pictures next to, under and on top of the old tree trunk, the sand dunes with the native flowering plants (Banksia) and coastal grasses and the huge pile of washed up seaweed on the beach at one end. Miranda found a beautiful wig which suited her lovely face. If she had a tail she could have been a mermaid for the day, but the water was a bit cold.

More slow walking together in a line and tuning into the environment, observing the sounds, the smells, the feeling under our feet and the texture and colour of the rocks. We went into a cave at low tide so we could walk on the sandy bottom looking out into the horizon while imagining the wind gently blowing on our bodies. We did blindfold leading again. This time it was guided. The girls split from the boys and went on more a sensory journey. The boys had fun being silly and creating mostly bizarre audio environments for each other and included random tourist participation, deaths and weddings with a lot of sand and props from the nature.

Quote for the day...
This is better than working at Coles, I'd like to do this again. Andrew Pandos

http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/booderee/

Old tree

2011-06-03T18:30:00.001-07:00

Today we ventured outdoors on the Bundanon farm for the whole day accessing the nature to inspire movement for In-habit (working title). One of the activities was to write about our experience of slow walking underneath an old tree.

Below are just some of the responses.

Andrew Pandos:
I reckon the tree could be there a really long time. Too many years before I was born, but exactly the same as my dad.
Our body is the tree - we grow from little seeds, growing slowing to the sky. This tree could be our soul and there could be something living in the tree like an owl. It sleeps all day and makes a hoo hoo at night. Its part of the story.

It could be a spirit tree that talks to you with a face.
Most people can climb a tree.

Twilight - he couldn't sleep. Its a story about animals, plants and trees. Make sense?

This tree could be like a journal and poetry because this tree could make paper. Most people cut trees and make a book just like that.

This tree could be dying when all the leaves fall off. Then it grows again.

It's not the family tree at all, its a big something else. Its the big mystery tree. This morning this tree grows and grows in the evening and it grows at night. There could be another story of this tree. It could be a prickly tree like a hedgehog - it gets stuck in your skin. There could be ants crawling on the tree. Its a really big story.

Its a stump - hard an solid stump. The tree grew out of the stump or it could be a bridge falling down.

Scarey tree - tapping on your window - possums in the trees. There's a short branch and underneath it, there's a wombat tunnel like a cave. It could be bat or bear cave. It could be lots of houses for wombats or cave men. I love caves, its dark in there, no lights at all.

Its really long - it could be alive for a really long time. The roots are really strong - there's really tiny seeds in there.

Wombat Whisperer

2011-06-03T18:00:00.001-07:00

One of the main attractions after sunset at Bundanon is 'wombat spotting' with a torch and is becoming quite a popular past time for some.

Every night I've been searching for wombats and I've been finding some usually every night. They poo everywhere on top of things like rocks and the deck. There's Wally, who I saw one night with Matt. I saw Terry the wombat who was the one near the bar-b-q. He's a big brown wombat and he growls and runs to another wombat and growls. He's friendly to me. He sometimes comes up and sniffs my feet.

Miranda has a Gerald under her bed under the house. I like all the wombats.

Tonight I saw three wombats. One came close and sniffed me so I patted it. It sniffed my purse. His name is Wally. I felt surprised because it was something different for the wombat. It makes me feel like I want to laugh and when I do it's really funny. I keep giggling. I talk to the wombat - I said, "Hi" and then I said, "ok". I had fun with it, watching them eating the grass and wandering around. I wasn't playing with it much. I was going close and away from it sometimes.

I shine a torch on him but I don't shine it in his eyes coz he doesn't like it. He's brown and furry. When I touched it his fur was rough and a bit soft as well. I felt comfortable when I was squatting to pat him. He has short legs, but he hasnt got fur that is too short or too long.

Every night I go wombat watching on my own and sometimes someone comes out with me.
Dana Nance aka The Wombat Whisperer

Dished up and delish

2011-05-31T21:00:00.000-07:00

The Restless crew have had their fair share of rain the last few days here at Bundanon, but that hasn't let their spirits down. Their creative talents in the studio translate perfectly into the community kitchen at the Hymie Sherman Studio and Apartment where we all sit together for lunch and dinner.

Sometimes we're treated to a little impromptu evening performance of traveling cabaret acts (Danielle Baloi - Romania), transgenderedISH burlesque (Andrina Pandoslikova - Greece), and sudden outbreaks of one liners, comebacks, and advertisement jingles. Are we missing the TV...? No we're not.

Here's what's been dished up in the first week (and by who).

Evening
Pumpkin Soup - Jess
Pasta - Matt
Chilli Beans with rice - Philip
Bar-b-q - Philip & Matt (Melanzani fingers - Dean)
Stir Fry - Jess
Roast Chicken & Vegetables
(beetroot and fetta) with a glass of red wine - Philip, Matt, Dean & Elizabeth.
(This is the first night any wine appeared on the table).
Mushroom Risotto - Miranda
Kangaroo Stroganoff & Vegetable Stir Fry
(with a glass of red wine) - Dean & Elizabeth.
Anyone following the pattern here...?

Lunch
Pasta - Jess
Cous Cous with roast pumpkin and fetta - Jess & Philip
Salads
Sandwiches

Second Breakfasts (after 2 - 3 hours of yoga)
Scrambled eggs on toast - Dean & Philip
Vegemite on toast - everyone at some point... although Matt seems to be chained to the toaster much of the time.
Muslie, porridge and fruit
Spirilina and OJ
Garlic, ginger, lemon juice and paprika tea
(guess who gave us the flu?)
Cough mixture and Vitamins

Scoring

2011-05-30T21:00:00.000-07:00

You began working with some of Dean's Foreign Language scoring system today with two new dancers from Sydney. What are your reflections on Dean's process and how do you find working with Elizabeth and Miranda?

Matthew Shilcock:
I was really excited to work with both the scoring systems we worked with today. Having done Dean's Masterclasss last year in Adelaide, I've been excited to work with him ever since. The Rising & Falling and the Paralysis & Carry scoring systems have been exciting for me to explore and also very empowering.

The ground for me for many years has had such a fear factor, because in the past hitting the ground often causes me injuries and broken bones. So its been really empowering to work with the ground and have it as a new tool in my tool belt rather than something to be feared. Its great to feel at home using the ground as an element to create dance.

I've enjoyed working with the Paralysis & Carry score because its been empowering to reflect on instances in the past when I've had injuries yet still needed to move myself in some way - whether it be getting from my bed to the toilet or from the couch to the kitchen table and being able to look back on those experiences and develop something positive from that. I can think back to when I had a broken leg when I was on the ground, I had to crawl in a way that was the safest way I had to get around. I could look back and think, that was really cool and I don't have to think of it as a painful and negative experience. That happened today.

Its great to work with Elizabeth and Miranda. Its always good to work with new people. I look forward to working with them more to see how they move. I think that will be very interesting and a little indulgent as well.

I guess the way they both immersed themselves into this world they were creating in the studio with such confidence, they were so believable. If I've learnt anything I suppose its to let go and to completely and wholly inhabit the world that's being created with absolute confidence. I really enjoyed today the experience of connecting with the other dancers in the group, we each had little turns. I really enjoyed connecting with them almost in an ESP kind of way. When I was doing duets with Miranda, Dean & Andrew, I felt like there was incredible conviction - I wasn't worried about being out of time with them, I felt absolute confidence that whatever we did, we did together and I felt completely in sync with their bodies.

New dancers arrive...

2011-05-30T20:30:00.000-07:00

This is your first time working with Restless and you've been at Bundanon for 24 hours now. How has your experience been so far?

Elizabeth Ryan:
There's some sense of feeling overwhelmed. There's a lot of information to take in, a lot of concepts being floated around and a lot of new people and new experiences to work with. Not only am I experiencing the wonder that is Budnanon for the first time, it has felt a little bit like my first day at school. All that expectancy and trepidation that you feel in a new job has been hovering around.

I feel very at home in some ways. The dancers immediately welcomed me into their space with no hesitation. Everyone is so dedicated to the creative process, but there is also a lot of silliness and laughter which suits me very well.

Miranda Wheen:
Its been a very happy one. Its been a little bit of staying quite, watching and staying present. Its been great to start off in the studio and get to know everyone as moving bodies. Everyone is incredibly friendly, inclusive and hard working and I feel really excited about the next two weeks. The natural environment is beautiful and peaceful - it inspires concentration, creativity and thinking about how the outside environment relates to the studio environment. The social environment is hip, happening and super fun, and the studio environment feels lively, energetic and full of things to come.

In terms of working with the new Touring Company, have your expectations been met today?

Elizabeth Ryan:
Yeah absolutely. I've arrived without too many preconceived ideas, so I haven't brought a lot of expectations with me. I remain open to the experience of what it means to work with Restless. I really didn't know what to expect. I've been doing a lot of observing today rather than jumping into assuming that I might be dealing with things in the right way. It feels more appropriate that I observe for a bit whilst remaining available and supportive. There's a lot to learn by taking a step back and absorbing the different personalities and different approaches to different situations in and out of the studio.

Miranda Wheen:
I guess I didnt have too many expectations. Having not worked with Restless before I didn't know what the process was like, so I wanted to come with a fresh mind. My one expectation was that the project would be interesting and challenging and that I would have a lot to learn from the company and after 24 hours I feel that that expectation will certainly be met. I think I have an important responsibility as a new member of the company to watch and learn. I need to first find out how the ensemble operates practically and creatively and then discover where my role might be within that.

Dean led the company through a series of scores today. How was that for you?

Elizabeth Ryan:
I loved the experienced. Having worked with Dean previously within different workshops settings and creative developments, I was very excited to experience these particular movement scores with the Restless dancers in the amazing Bundanon space. Immediately I found my imagination was triggered through watching and experiencing these scores in relation to the work Dean envisages creating with Restless. The imaginative potential and the freedom I felt in my body in relation to the other dancers I'm working with was very satisfying. It felt good.

Miranda Wheen:
It was really exciting for me, being quite familiar with a lot of Dean's scores, to revisit them in such a different context with a diverse group of dancers and a new group of bodies. It was great to rethink Dean's scores and their incredible possibilities for movement and choreography. What I realised about the scores (Sinking & Rising and Paralysis & Carry) is that they are more about finding possibilities than placing restrictions on movement. This project is about adaption and transformation - transforming not only movement but the way we work together.

These scores are a truely unifying device because every dancer's response is the right one.

Slow walk

2011-05-27T01:40:00.000-07:00

Dean led the group through a slow walking exercise. Each dancer then responded physically to their experience and wrote about it.

Below is Dana's experience.

The first one was 30 minutes but we did it for 17 minutes and the second one was backwards. That was 8 minutes but it was close - it was 7 min 45 sec. and then we went forward and we did it 3 minutes. We waited for 1 minute and we went backwards for 1 minute. We did the forwards in 2:55 min and went back in 1:20 min - we would've got there.

I felt two people close to me. I felt the soft cold dirt under my feet, the soft grass. I heard the whip bird, the sparrows. I saw the trees, the brown bird. I heard the Corella's. I saw the swallows. I saw the fence and I saw the yellow flowers. I saw the clouds and the blue sky. I heard Andrew coughing. I heard Philip breathing. I saw Matt dancing, Jianna dancing, Philip dancing. I danced, Jess and Andrew danced at the same time as well, then looking out to the trees. The brown bird was sitting on the fence.

My dance
I did stuff on the floor. I put my arms up and down. I used my legs. I put my legs in the air. I put my arms across my chest. I blocked my ears. I rubbed my head on the grass. I put my head up to the sky.

Yoga class

2011-05-26T17:56:00.000-07:00

What was the yoga class like with Dean this morning?

Matt Shillcock:
I loved stretching and doing physical things, it was quite challening - there were a lot of things I had trouble doing and so just had to experiment and find the way it works best for me is good - I really like that challenge. I also like doing yoga first thing in the morning without having breakfast almost first thing out of bed. It put me in a good place and made me feel relaxed. I'm really keen to see what the day brings. Doing a really intense yoga session like that made me appreciate that I'm on an real creative and artistic experience. This whole residency thign is not really average, that not many people get to do this and so I appreciate that this is very different from the norm.

Jianna Georgiou:
It's really good - I was thinking we could do that again. The incense and music was really nice. I've been doing yoga for a long time and I've worked hard on listening to Dean. He's going to be an amazing director. I liked doing the shoulder stands, that was my favourite but I liked everything else. It wasn't really hard - it was easy. I've done it before.

Dana Nance:
It was good - it wasn't too hard. I don't have a favourite but I liked all the stuff that Dean did this morning. I learnt how to bend my right leg near my bottom and put my right arm near my right knee and then put it around me and then I put my left hand around and joined them together with my head down. It was good exercise. I did downward dog, and I do a version where I put my left knee on the floor and my right leg out straight and put my arms on the ground. The new one was when I lied down and bent my knees and put my shoulders on the floor and put my hips facing that way to the door. That's what Dean wanted.

Andrew Pandos:
It was fantastic. It was really good. I've fallen in love with yoga and I felt it was something really hard because of my knees. It's interesting hearing the different kind of music - its got Indian music in it and Japan. I feel good inside me and it's really hard to find out how to learn yoga. It was different than yesterday. I loved doing the Om sound. I'd like to learn to do that again with my voice.

Community Workshop experts

2011-05-25T22:00:00.000-07:00

Restless led two workshops for local groups, (Learning Without Barriers, Aging Disability and Home Care, and Greenacres) with more than 20 people attending sessions on both days. Justin Bieber was banned from the workshop, so we relied on a random CD that was left in the stereo from a previous artist in resident. Staff from Bundanon (Tracie & Regina) joined in for part of the session on the second day (which I think was because they heard that one of the Restless dancers might be wearing his tights for this one).

The Restless team (Jianna, Dana, Andrew and Matt) were brilliant with the group. Most of the participants have had little exposure to dance in the past, although there were a couple of Merry Makers and several rising young stars amongst them. Jianna and Andrew both confidently led a warm up and received a big round of applause from everyone in the group. Within 30 minutes, Matt had transitioned from having never been on an education team ever, to leading half the group through a choreographic exercise which they performed in front of the other half. Dana brought all her knowledge and skill gained from working at Restless over the years and was an example of how this transfers into a community setting.

Everyone was fully engaging, focused and contributing in their own way which made a fantastic addition to the program at Bundanon. On all accounts, much fun was had by all, although Tracie and Regina exited early as they had other commitments. The highlight was probably the Thick Shake Monster solo and me finally giving in to Andrew's new Justin Bieber CD for the sake of having just the right atmosphere for the workshop finale - experts (solo dances from participants).

...and yes, Andrew did strip down to his tights and singlet top to knock out some pretty impressive moves. I think he's won a few hearts here in the Shoalhaven district.

Stuff that makes you go..."Eeewwwww...!"

2011-05-25T18:30:00.000-07:00

Dipping your bread in orange juice...

Passing wind at the dinner table... (Do you need to poop?)

More of the pumpkin soup on the oven top than in our bowls...

Workshop participant starts with a bear hug, then works his way down your ear...

Mini bus driver tries to scare us with, "watch out for those snakes"...

Wombat poop everywhere, sitting on top of something...

Peppermint tea with milk...

Andrina Paradisakov gypsie torch song...

Swallowing big chunks of raw garlic after dinner...

Doing a blindfold task and someone backs up into your face and makes wind...

Day 1 at Bundanon

2011-05-24T22:00:00.000-07:00

Artistic Director Philip Channells interviews the dancers over lunch and asks..."How’s your first 24 hours at Bundanon been?"

Matt Shillcock:

I put all my things around the room and I’ve set up my bathroom the way I want it... it feels really homely and peaceful. Walking out the paddock this morning felt pretty unreal seeing the kangaroos, but then again we live in Australia and it’s our native animal.

I’ve got this big studio out the back of my room and I’m thinking, yeah, I’ve got a big studio, but I haven’t actually used it yet. The workshop was good this morning – it was the first time I’ve ever done anything like that so it was a good experience and a lot of fun. Once you get into the swing of it you hardly feel like you’re doing anything at all. Its like you’re working but its not like you’re not working coz you’re having so much fun.

I don’t have any mobile reception or wifi connection, so I feel great about getting away from everything…although there’s a schedule here, it’s different to having to follow the routine and schedule that I always keep up to. Its good to be isolated.

Dana Nance:

It’s been good – I enjoyed the workshop and I did some drawing and played with my phone. I enjoyed seeing the kangaroos and the wombats under the houses thumping, and seeing the birds.

I’m reading books and its nice living up at the Musicians Cottage. I’m sharing with Jess and Jianna and that’s going good. It was a bit cold last night so I asked for a blanket but Jess said there were no blankets so she gave me a hot water bottle instead, and then this morning she found some blankets.

Jess White (Dana's PA):

It’s totally wonderful – it feels like home already. I’m just blown away – its like a visual feast – also the senses as well.

It was a bit scary last night coz we had a wombat under our house ramming the post. It feels like we’re in a real creative, very Australian space that Arthur Boyd and Sydney Nolan spent a lot of time at. I’m very excited to be here with everyone and to see what you guys create. There are so many spaces here to be creative.

Jianna Georgiou:

To die for. I would like to stay here again.

It’s like a farm with animals – there’s wombats, kangaroos with joey’s. It’s a really nice place. The furniture is nice, and the village has a cottage.

It’s a nice place to walk around and take photos…I liked doing the shopping at Woolworths – we had a big fat trolley which was really hard to control. I like the outdoors.

Andrew Pandos:

I had a really good plane trip to Sydney and then we went through Nowra.
Last night I got really scared about the wombat being in our house. I heard howling last night too – it was a fox. I went to walk with Philip and we saw a cow mooing at night.
I like living with Matt and I like playing games with Matt – like the memory game. This morning when I got up I was missing my grandfather and I was crying. The workshop…my experience about the workshop was like taking the photos of Philip, Matt & Jianna. We did a good job.

Nature versus nurture

2011-05-24T14:09:00.000-07:00

A task was set to find 6 things that respond to the theme nature v's nurture. What did you do?

Matt Shillcock:
I had a discussion with Andrew yesterday afternoon and we brain-stormed some words that related to both nature and nurture - like thesaurus definitions and then each one of those words became a topic. If it was nature we had the environment and the weather and we discussed what each meant for us. That took us awhile coz we had a lot to talk about.

Jianna Georgiou:
I took photos of different species and gardens, different colours and lots of different parts of gardens. We went for a walk down to the bushes and fences and we took photos of different places and saw kangaroos and a wombat. It was raining - we were wet and cold and we had to run. There was all kinds of shapes and patterns like autumn - its a bit like windy and it blows the leaves on the ground and makes it easy to see what's around you and what's behind you. I took a photo of a tree as well. We walked in a different direction and saw different kinds of trees, colours on the ground and a stone. There was an old gate and I got my photo taken there resting on it. There were flowers on the ground. The lake was nice too.
Philip made me laugh so much - he was pulling faces. Actually it was his normal face. He made me go down a wombat hole, it was dirty and he made me laugh down there because he was talking to the wombats in a funny voice..."C'mon little wombats, come out to play," he said. That made me laugh and we ran down a hill really fast and scared the kangaroos away. We laughed really hard. He flicks his eyebrows and that makes me laugh. It was really fun - next time I'd like to do a different one for presentation.

Dana Nance:
I did birds, rain, kangaroos, flowers, dead tree bark, nature looking after each other, wombats, my friend Naomi having her baby. Jess filmed me and I talked about all these things. I talked about how they have babies and lay eggs and then I talked about how turkeys look after us by getting killed and we eat the turkey, lambs look after us as well, and pigs get killed by looking after us and we eat their pork.
Jess and I talked about the rain and how God made the rain to fall from the sky and the rain helps the farmers to grow vegetables and so we have rivers and so we don't have droughts.
I talked about kangaroos and they give birth to babies that live in their pouch and when the baby kangaroo grows up, they get independent and it hops around and eats food. Birds live in the nest and when they get older the mother bird feeds them and they leave the nest. God made the birds to fly high in the sky. I drew pictures of this.

Jess White:
I worked with Dana and used my phone and videoed her on her request about a theme that she wanted to talk about. We went for a walk through the forest and as we were walking I filmed Dana talking about different subjects. We also explored the paddock in front of Arthur Boyd's house and took some photographs along the way. A big storm blew in and the light was amazing and then it started to thunder and rain and we got caught in the rain but it was lots of fun. We had a quick peek in the studios at Arthur Boyds and then returned home to warmth and dry clothes.

Andrew Pandos:
Matt's got a book that we're sharing. Winter is changed. Nature is outside - I can see a tree. I think about the earth where we live. Get back to me sooner or later, coz Matt and I worked together, so I need some help. We need to get out there in the nature. I'm thinking about lots of things in my head right now. I need to get my camera.