"Instead of this monstrous process of identity I would prefer, god help me, a dark whisper, or a little mud on the streets”. (James Thurber.)
Over the years like many folk I've done a bunch of stuff...
Left school at 16. Went to the Isle of Man to live/work with sculptor David Gilbert and family.Turned out I was rubbish at sculpture, but it still seemed the life of an artist might be pretty damn cool if possible to somehow achieve!
In teens did a lot of building work, especially plastering,
At 18 did a 1 year Theatre/Dance training at college.
Ran a "making" arts workshop in Sussex for 18 months with disturbed kids.
At 21 went to rebuild an old farmhouse into a community in the Alpes de Haute Provence. Helped farm goats, and built a prize-winning goat-stable!
Weeded millions of lavender plants at 5 centimes a plant on Plateau Valensole
Did some street theatre training and performance stuff in Provence. Helped with the annual "Ateliers D'Aout" street theatre festival.
Moved to London awhile, lived in squats and tried to be a musician. Failed. Repaired hippy buses for "Top Deck travel"
Went to Hong Kong and trained in Tai Chi on Cheung Chau island in the Chinese New Territories for many months.
Went back to Provence, saw folk rolling around on each other, and moving with a quality that echoed, in some ways, how Tai Chi informed movement. Asked the folk what they were doing and was told it was a workshop in this newish thing called "Le Contact Improvistation". Joined in. Enjoyed it. Wondered where this way of moving was taught more.....
Helped rebuild another old farmhouse, this time in the Tarn region. (A kind-of hot Scotland!)
Got a place at Dartington College of Arts.
Moved back from France and spent a year plastering to make some money.
Went to Dartington College of Arts.
When there mostly was drawn to the dance/movement studies created by Mary O'Donnel Fulkerson, and the trainings of the many fab guest dance artists and teachers. Mary's Anatomical Release training and her approach to making and moving was essential, as was lots of training and dancing with Steve Paxton, including all the initial Touchdown Dance workshops.
Got a BA(Hons)in Theater Studies.
Was Dance Artist in Residence in Dumfries and Galloway for 2 years, then same in Glasgow's City of Culture year.
Ran "Moving Issues" dance and social issues project for 3 years throughout Scotland.
Went to Accapella Motion in USA, Breitenbush Contact intensive, The West Coast Jam etc..
Performed at the Oregon Dance Festival.
Went to the Orinoco delta to work with the Warau people, and made work and taught in Caracus with the Ecoperformia project.
Taught at the Conservatoire of Art, Caracus.
Began making and directing more work in Europe, and teaching at EDDC Arnhem.
Made a series of pieces at Venue 9 in San Francisco. Ran many workshops, and spent a lot of time in San Francisco for a few years.
Continued taking many workshops and trainings with great folk in the US.
Made a bunch of work and taught a lot in Montana and Montreal.
Over many years did series of pieces at Studio 303 in Montreal with Guillaume Choinard.
Became Associate Artist at Tobacco Factory in Bristol. Made series of pieces there.
Taught for many years at EDDC and ArtEZ Arnhem, Dartington College of Arts, Falmouth University.
Taught at San Francisco International Dance Festival.
Went to S Korea and Argentina a number of times to teach and mentor at Korean National Univerisity of the Arts, LEM in Buenos Aires. YAC Seoul, Daejon University.
Have taught at EDDC/ArtEZ for over 25 years now, and still run the ArtEZ annual Choreo/Composers intensive.
Worked with Silke Z / Resistdance for 22 years I think, as a performer, teacher and collaborator
Did a series of impro shows with Andrew Morrish in Cologne.
Became Acting Head of Choreography and Creative Studies at Northern School of Contemporary Dance for 6 months, then was a full-time lecturer for 2 years.
Left after attacks of Bells Palsy melted my head (and being useless at the asssessment processes that judged students creativity through pre-arranged criteria)
in 60's went back to more improvising and performing and less teaching. Continued performing with Silke Z's work based in Koln, running the odd workshop here and there like Forum Danca in Lisbon with Maria Ramos, and Ludwigsburg for the fab gang running the Tanz & Theatrewerkstatt.
All-in-all I've made around 85 pieces in Europe, USA, Canada, Argentina, Venezuala, S Korea etc...
Here's some other folk I've also worked with or for... Silke Z / Resistdance (Germany) Industrial and Domestic Theatre Contractors (UK) Stuart Laing / Untitled productions (Scotland) Ecoperformia (Venezuela) Compagnie Jano Cook (Canada) Les Moitsutoitsus (Canada) Scott Wells Dance Co (USA) Clarinda MacLow and Co (USA) Claire Russ Ensemble (UK) Alex Howard Co (UK) Women Are More Waterproof Than Men (UK) Company Of Angels (Scotland) Theaterworks (Scotland) Major Road (UK) Guillaume Choinard (Canada) Mind The Gap (UK) Le Temps Du Corps (France) Angela Praed (UK) Greet De Maurisse (Belgium) Canvas Arts (Netherlands) YAC /Jung Artvision. (S Korea)
Now, there's still mud on the streets, and more dark whispers than ever....