participate at bristol old vic...
An invitation - How can we make things better for dance in Bristol?
I arrived in Bristol after a personal journey that had taken me away from dance for a couple of years. On arriving in the city, the first thing I did was to seek out where the dance was happening. I made a connection with the Dance Centre and then successfully interviewed for a role with Bristol Area Dance Agency. During this time I was lucky enough to get my first Arts Council award to develop my own practice. Later I began to make dance for camera. It was to be a well-supported pathway that has continued to sustain me creatively. In more recent years, I have worked alongside Dance Bristol and Dance South West. This year I was selected as a Dance Associate with Picture This.
During my time in Bristol I've always managed to create and sustain solid relationships with other artists and those trying to support Dance in the city. I have often struggled with a divide between working as part of an arts organisation and being a creative practitioner. Generally the way I have dealt with this has been to continually seek out a creative space for my dance. In many ways I've been fortunate in that search.
This journey spanning the last 10 years has not been easy. In fact, it's been exhausting. And now I find myself weary.
I love dancing, I always have, it is a big part of my life and despite a near constant pressure to re-train I don't want to. I'll never be able to stop dancing, it's in my heart and my soul.
I love Bristol. It's an extraordinary city and I want to stay here.
These two loves seem forever to struggle against one another.
For me the heart of dance in Bristol is in its dancers. But does that heart have a place in Bristol? A home? Value? Space? Time? Resources? Can it thrive and grow?
Can dance belong in Bristol?
It is crazy to think that after all this time I still ask that question. I believe that dance can belong in Bristol. What I really want to understand is how?
If any of what I have said touches you, if you recognise my frustrations as your own, if you don't recognise any of it but you think you have a way to make Bristol's dance scene thrive then I'd like to invite you, and anyone who has ever had an interest in dance in Bristol, to join me at an Open Space event to talk about how we might make things better for dance in Bristol.
I know that for many dance in Bristol is a sensitive and knotty issue that it can feel difficult to talk about. Although Open Space may be new to you, it has been used all over the world to deal with hugely complex, difficult and sensitive things with positive results. It is an interactive and inclusive way of structuring a meeting that allows you, the participant, to set the agenda. You will not be talked at or asked to talk about things you don't want to. And by the end of the event the following will have occurred:
- Every issue of concern to anyone will have been raised, if they took responsibility for doing that.
- All issues will have been discussed to the fullest possible extent.
- A full record of issues and discussions will be published online in a format where people can carry on the discussion even after the event.
- And YOU will have taken part in making it happen.
I'd encourage anyone to dance. I'd encourage anyone to live in Bristol. But I desperately want to be able to encourage people to be dancers in Bristol. A strength of Open Space is its ability to unite groups of enormous diversity. This is a chance for us to work together - to think imaginatively about a better future for dance. If you have anything to contribute to this discussion then come.
The event is free, and we'll provide good food and make sure you're well looked after. All that we ask is that you tell us that you're coming. To let us know you're coming just click here.
This invitation is open to everyone, so please pass it on to anyone you think might be interested. I hope to see you there.
With best wishes,
Lisa
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Lisa May Thomas is a dancer, choreographer and film maker.
The event will take place on Saturday 14th November from 10am - 6pm at Circomedia, Portland Square, Bristol, BS2 8SJ (lunch will be provided).
If you require further information please contact Jan Winter, Circomedia, janwinter@circomedia.com
This event was made possible through the Dance Associate Scheme. The Dance Associate Scheme was initiated by Bristol Dance Development in order to encourage a city-wide vision for dance programming and to improve communication between the city's artists and venues.
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