AmbientjamworkingscoreforTavistockInstituteFestival

Theworkingscore-atermusedtocharterthedevisingprocessindanceandtheatre-comprisesemailcorrespondence,notesandsketchesfromtheAmbientjamteam.Theseroughlycompilednotesledtothecreationofthefinalvisualworkingscore(attheendofthisdocument).Itisatestimonytocollaborationandhowideasrovebetweenusall.Entelechyartistsarefree-lanceandsomanyideaswereexchangedviaemail,sketchesdonehastilyinnotebooksonpublictransport,andbriefrecce’s.

Wehavetheextraordinaryprivilegetoworkwithinnon-verbalcommunicationandimprovisation,bothofwhichhavebeenanchored,refined,chiselledandforgedbyourmembersandemergingartistswithcomplexdisabilities.Beingwithinthismediaforsolong,weeasilyforgetthechasmthatexistsinsociety:betweendifferentwaysofcommunicatingourlivedexperience,andconnectingwithandwithoutwords.

TheinvitationtoshareAmbientJamoutintotheopen,intothecentreofthecity,bytheTavistockInstitutefestival,becomesanactofbridgebuilding.

Improvisationdemandsrigourandaconstantevolvingprocess.TheopportunitytomigrateAmbientJamtotheTavistockInstitutefestivalfocussedourquestions,particularlyabouthowthisphenomenacouldexpandtoincludeothers,inapublicsetting.

“It’saboutsharingthespace.Can’tpredictandcan’tjudge.Wearealwaysoutsidersandinsidersatthesametime.”IngunnRimestad,OsloAcademyofDance

“AmbientjamisthesecondtimeI’vewalkedintoanenvironmentandthought,thisismydaughter’sworld.HereLeahisherself;sheisoneofthefacilitators.Music,movement,receptivity,andbeingspontaneous,that’swhatLeahisabout.”GillManvel–motherofAmbientjamleadmember.

Emergingmusicscore

I’veputinafewsuggestedapproximatekeys-allofitcanbemessedwith.

I’vetriedtomakeasymmetrical/circularscorebecausethesessionalwaysfeelslikethattome.Eachsectionlengthwillbejudgedbyusinthemoment.Also,it’sfinetojuststopeverythingandlisten,ifitfeelsright.I’veincludedtwotimeswhenwedothisbuttheremightbemore.ZoeGilmour,musician.

Beginnings = endings - Ouroboros!

This will be the circular form for the musical graphic score. Zoe Gilmour

Happenstance,referencepointsandothertextures:

IpickeduptheShiftingpointbyPeterBrooklastnight,anoldbookfrommystudentdaysatDartingtonCollege,andthinkingoftheTavistockfestivalletitfallbychanceonapage:ItfellonthispagewhichdescribeshisimprovisationensembletouringthroughAfricanvillagesinthe1960’s.“RebeccaSwift,Creativeproducer.

WhilstvisitingJulietScottinherartsstudio-bychanceseeingherartworkonthewalls-camethethreadthatlinkedAmbientJamtotheInstitutesFestivalthroughthearchivesobjectrelationcardsandJuliet’sownprintsinresponsetothosecards:

Julietdescribesthearchiveobjectrelationcardsinherblog:“ThesewerecardsdevelopedasaprojectivetestbyHerbertPhillipsonateithertheTavistockInstituteortheTavistockClinicinthemid1950’sandaresimilarintheirusetotheinkblotoftheRorschachtest.Thatmeanstheimagesonthecardsinvitemultiplereadings,meaningsandinterpretations.”

NoticingwhatwashappeninginourordinaryweeklyAmbientJamsessionswiththefestivalnowinmind:Artistmanager,RainerKnuppemailshisteamonhowtheworkofoneofourmemberscandevelopandenrichentheweeklyimprovisationandtheTavistockevent:”IwouldlikealsotoflaguptocontinuetoworkwithMary’smovementasaloosechoreographydeveloping.Wedothatanyway,couldbegoodtolookatitabitmoreconcretelyonMondaybeforethesessionstartsat2pm.Thiscouldbedevelopedinlittlechoreographymoments,duets,triosetc.alsooutsideoftheredroom.IlovewhenMaryspeaks,oftenwithhergesturesinharmony…itissopoeticandthereissomethingquiteconcreteaboutit.Justthewaysheexpressesherself.” Sculptor, Shane Waltener describes moments in one of the weekly Ambient Jam sessions: Thought I’d relay some of my memorable moments of today. In no real chronological order. Most of these probably happened during today’s session, I’m sure of it… :)

• Hiding stuff under mats to be discovered later during the session• Making mounds of materials with fabric, pillow and paper• Playing the table – tambourines placed on top of the table while dragged

along to produce sounds, accompanying Kit’s playing and Mary’s spatial re-arrangements

• Using chairs as instruments in the same way, with Merlyn playing too• Silk scarves tied together to make a rope and pull furniture along • Mary helping to carry table outside• Kit wandering off with Ben toward the garden and leading the way for us

all• Spinning umbrellas with fairy light attached to the rim (in front of

Richard)• Making paper cones and lighting them from the inside with small lights

(with Richard)• Several of us standing underneath a curtain lit by flashlights• Playing tambourines by kicking them across the floor• Same with the roll of paper• All humming quietly together to the occasional crashing of tables and

chairs in the background• Maria throwing a ball in the bin in a single shot• Throwing balls back and forth to each other• Pillow fight, all of us vs. Richard, laughing• Several of us under the parachute, then Ben in the middle, head poking

through the vent, with lights from the projector shining through the bellowing fabric

• Stretching out the parachute to cover most of the floor space, propping it on chairs and a table (remember to bring clamps or fastening devices to help this process next time)

• Carrying mats across the floor and building an enclosure around Kit • Adding chairs and throwing all most materials from the large bag on top

of this, hiding Richard and Jasmin behind all of this• All of us, arms in the air, walking the long roll of paper in the air• Another long and quiet moment humming with Kit playing

Writing this is helping me think about what materials and objects to bring at the Swiss Church gig, arrangement of these and the ideas for spatial arrangement in the space.Any thoughts about this, so send these.RebeccarepliestoShane

ThislistreadslikethescaffoldingforShakespeare’sTempest:differentscenesunfolding;smallhillsinthespace,createdoutofmixed'debris'asamoment-something hidden inside or underneath. Irememberyousayingsomethingaboutcreatingtheseunevenlargeballsupofdifferentmaterials,withdifferentlayers,includingshreddedpaperandthingshiddenwithin,thatintimewouldbedismantledinthespace.ItremindsmeofthingshiddenundermatsandthemoundsofincongruousdebristhatcameoutofthesessioninspiredbyMary.ItalsoreflectsoneoftheTavistockInstitutefestivaltextureswegentlycanbeaffectedby:http://www.helmsleyarts.co.uk/whats-on/juliet-scott-object-relations-whichisJuliet’swork.Ithinkwealreadydothiswithintheimprovisationandparticularlyinhowyoudescribethingsinthatlist-objectsthatmoveinrelationtoeachother.There is a link to Juliet’s drawings in response to the object relation cards. I feel what she is saying here and her prints reflect Shane’s movement of objects as moving still life in his list in the score.

Re-visitingusefulapproachesfromoldAmbientJamscoresTakenfromanevent–OpenMoves-atORTUSLearningandReadingCentre,June2017:AreminderofAmbientJamskill-basedfootholdswithinimprovisationinpublicspaces:

• torespondasateamtothehereandnow-thisincludesourevolvingsensedperceptionofthisnewspace.

• tobepartofeachother,whilstholdingthegazeofotherswhomightchanceontheimprovisation.

• toallowtheintelligenceofthebodytoleadandprocessthisinformation,withoutknowingwhatisgoingtohappen.

• Sometimesithelpstoaskyourselfinthemiddleofthings:whatstoryisemerginghere?

• Givetimetoletyourselfbeaffectedbyandreceive,thespace,thepeople,theobjects.

• Givetimetoacclimatise,tosettle,letthatbepartofthestory.• Howdoyoulistentoanobject• Sticktoyourguns.• Allowfordifference,whensomeoneisdoingsomethingcountertoyour

ownrhythm.• Resistthetemptationtofulfiltheprojectedexpectationsofothers,or

paradoxicallycreateanactionthatisperformativeandforexternalshow,everynowandthenifthefancytakesyou.

• Softenintotheawkward.• Yieldintoin-breath;releaseoutbreath• Usefulwords:indulge,whimsical,messy.• Canstillbeintouchwiththegroupalsowhenaloneinthepresenceof

others• Takeabreakfromintensitywhenyouneedto.Explorehowyoudothat.• Feelfreetowriteordrawwhateveremergesasyougoalong.• Movebetweenfocusingonthemicroandthemacro–something

minisculeorthewholespace.• Enjoyoppositesiftheynaturallyhappen.• Movebetweenbeingwatchersandlistenersandperformers,helpingto

frameemergingduets,solos,groupmomentsetc.

Letoppositeslikedarkandshadehappeniftheyhappennaturally.Letyourselfgoagainstanygrainsifyouwantto.

Aworkingscoreforour‘audience’:WebegantothinkabouthowweinviteourattendeesatSwisschurchtobepartoftheexpandingimprovisationinwaysthattheycouldchoose,andwhichenrichenedthework. Wecancreatealittlemaporguideforvisitorsabouthowtonavigatetheirwaythroughtheafternoon,fore.g.:‘feelfreetocloseyoureyesandlisten;youcanmovearoundorliedown;somepeoplecommunicatedirectlythroughtouch;allowformomentsthatfeelawkward…..feelfreetomakethings…..’Asensoryobjecttohelptransitionintothespace:

Supporttransitionoverathresholdfromwherewearecomingfromtowherewemightbegoingto–fromtheretohereorheretothere.

Toleavebehind,ortakehome.

Bringattentiontohowasoutsider-amemberfromthegeneralpublic,youcanmakechoicesandaccesstheimprovisation;thennavigateawaythroughasifthroughaterrain.

Howpeoplecantoleratethediscomfortoffeelingontheoutsideofsomethingabouttoenterin.

Howpeoplecangraduallyallowtheirsensoryembodiedintelligencetoleadthem–transitioningfromaChronossenseoftimetomomentsofKairos.

Howtheycanmaketinyincrementalchoicesoftheirown,ontheirownterms.

Aspectsre-usedfromofourMorrison’sSupermarketAmbientJamsensoryteapartyevent,June2017,fortheSwissChurchevent:Everynowandthenaskyourself:whatistheemergingstory?Whatisthe‘space’(andeveryoneinthatspace)tryingtosay?Arrival,Pedestrianmovementandsound-milling:chatting,milling,andmeandering;givingspaceforeveryonetofindtheirplaceinthespace.Musiciansanddancerssupportthisbymovingbetween,ormixingthenaturalpedestrianwaysofrelatingwithsensoryimprovisation.Musiciansgentlyimproviseandreflecttheaurallandscapeofarriving,drawingoutlittlemoments.Spacetodoyourownthing.Spacetorepeatmovingoverthethreshold.Supportingthisarrivalstoryinabackgroundway:notintroducingeverythingatonce,sothatmaybesomeofthematerialsandlightingcanenterlatertosignalalandscapeshift.Keywords,takenfromanoldAJperformancescore,fortheExposurefestivalattheDeptfordAlbany,2004,onBeginningsandArriving:Soundstinkering.Meandering.Movinginandoutofguestslistening,noticingeachotherwaving,asleepsomewhere,doodling,beinginyourownspotunattached,sittingingrouphuddles,shifting–rearranging-gettingcomfortable,suddenspurtsofenergy,centeringeachother,passingby,watching,everydayspokenlanguage…….IntimethebalancemightbegintoshifttowardsSensoryImprovisation.

Etiquettesre-visitedfromtheExposurefestivalscore,DeptfordAlbany,2004:

- Brokerintroductionsbetweenpeoplewhentheyhappen.

- Becomingwatcherswithinthelandscape:Givespaceandtimetoemergingduets,trios,agroupmoment,asolo,ordifferentpieceshappeningsimultaneously.Thesecanbedelicateandmicrointeractionsbetweenafewontheperipheral,ormoreevidentlydramaticandcentralinthespace.Throughstillness,orbackgroundsupport--likenon-verbalGreekchorus,throughlisteningandwatching,webecomearovingspotlightforsomethingthatisarisinginthespace,particularlyworkthatissubtleandonthemarginshelpingtodrawthisout.Youcanmoveinandoutofbeingawatcherinanypartofthespace,closeuporfaraway.Keywords:Attentiveness.Bringfocusto.Recedeorappear–standoutorbeinternal.

- Allowpatterns/rippleeffectsofbeingwatchedwatching;watcherswatchingotherswatchingothers.

- Movebetween,andmixthepedestrianandutilitarianwiththearty:

TillyandBenstartedonthematswithasimplehanddanceunfoldingslowlywithnourgency,thenhalfwaythroughgotupandmatter-of–factly,meandered,realtime(withoutdancing)totheothersideoftheroomanddrewtogetherontheoverheadprojector.

- Keywords:un-precious,precious,messiness,precision,ordinary,dramatic.

- Givespaceandattentivenesstoendings:Aspeopleleave,musiciansstillplaytothepedestriansounds,anddancersfacilitateleaving/endings.

Visiting the Swiss Church: Someofusvisitedthechurchforarecceanditchangedourideas:

Emailsbetweentheteamaftertherecce:

MusicianZoeGilmourrecordedourrecceandthenemailedtherecordingstoeeveryone:I’drecommendhavingalistentothedifferenttracksbecausetheacousticisextraordinarilyreverberantandveryquicklymovesfromsilencetocacophony.

ZoeGilmour,musician

ThanksZoe,Reallygoodtohearthat.Itisverycrucial,alsointermsofmovinginthespaceitisverysimilar,ifyounotlettingmovementresonateandgiveittimeandspaceitisoverpoweringtowatchinthatspace.RainerKnupp,dancer.When the process takes us by surprise it’s a good sign. Zoe made me aware of sound in relation to movement- space being to do with both. This may or may not be important sound wise Zoe: when you left we did sensory listening work at the threshold points, particularly wooden doors to the street: Sounds of bustling London with cigarette smell leaked through those doors. It gave us another thread in the sensory narrative of that space- with inside out and in. Rebecca Swift

Wow, perfect! Yes I think the main thing is to build in active listening and space. The sounds we made were fabulous and like a painting they need a blank wall behind them to show them off. Zoe Gilmour

Lessismore…….?MorethoughtsonhowtheSwissChurchasspaceisinformingus:

Thresholds…..outsidebeforeweenter.

Itwasgoodtorehearsetodayasithascompletelyalteredoursenses.

Thespaceischallengingus–ifwereceiveitandlisten–ratherthanusinputtingorputtingsomethingintoit.

ItwasbrilhavingZoetheretosoquicklyhear,interpretandtranslatehowsoundwasmoving,whatitwasdoing,–anditthreweverythingupintheairbothmusicallyandmovementwise.Justdroppingapenechoeseverywhere–thespacealreadyamplifiesitself.

“JoeBoydtheproducersaysyoucanalwaysaddmaterial,butremember,everythingyouaddinsomewaymaskswhatwasoriginallythere.”Sharedbysoundartist/dancerPeriMackintosh

Wealsofoundtherewasanoppositeto‘lessismore’,whichwastofillthespacewithorchestratedsound.Wedidanorchestratedvocalgroupdronethatheldtheimprovisationoftwosolovoices–thishadanimmensitytoit.

So,isithowwemovebetweenbothcoloursof‘lessismore’andfillingeverything?Theremightbetheoddcrescendo–howeveritfeelslikethismightgrowfromitsoppositeofsilence?...orunexpectedlytheotherwayround!;-)

Italsoneededorchestrationtohelpusdoless,bequiet,makesmallincrementalchoicesintermsofshifting,listen,receive;toleratethismorethanwenormallywoulduntilwebegintonoticethatthefloorisholdingus.Consideringthedensityandintensityoftheworldoutsidethechurchiswaslikeawashinresponsetothis.Wefindithardtotrustthatthisinenough.

Wealsoexploredallthedifferentthresholdsdemarkingdifferentpartsofthespaceasawhole.Therewere2thresholdsduringtherecce;withtheinstallingofthefestivalexhibitioninthemainspace,therewillbe3.Thethresholdswillcreate4differentzonesofspace,whichwehopetointerlink.

Attachedisanimage:

- Groupmovingeyesclosedhavingsunk(lived)inthethresholdofdoorsinthefoyertothemainspace.

Intermsofsimplicitywefoundthatholdingashapeforagesanimatedthenaturalqualitiesofthatspace,fore.g.Gilllaydowninstarshapestaringattheceiling–whichissee-throughsoyouseeclouds-for2mins.

Wespokeabouthowwewillsomehowcreatetracesandtrailsthatlinkallzonesasiftheyareone;andhowweleavetracesoutsideonthestairsintothestreetaftertheeventorbeforethatgetdispersed.MoredetailwillbeintheworkingscorewhichyouwillreceivelaternextweekafterShanesvisit.

Sculptor,ShaneWaltenervisitsthechurchwithRebecca:

Wewereinterestedinthingsseepingunderthemaindoorsofthechurchtoconnecttheoutsidewithinside.

ForthoseofyouonInstagram,havepostedaconkernecklacefollowingShaneintheSwisschurch.

Ireallylovetheideaofamulched(withdifferentmaterials)oddshapedball-onasimilarbutdifferentthemetowhatwehadattheBarbicanArtsworkseventsomeyearsback.Shane’sideaisthattheballstartscontainedandgraduallybreaksapartdispersingitsselfastheimprovisationalsounfolds.Inasensethatis'enough'orallweneedatitsmostsimplest.

Shanewaswonderingabouttwineorwool(whichwecanbreak),justincaseweneedtointerlinkoutsidetoinsidethroughtheexhibitionspace-sothatweweave

thespace,lengthwisemaybetowardstheend.

WehadsomethoughtsaboutakindofHanselandGreteltrailthatweseeseepingoutfromunderthefrontdoorsdownthestepsoftheSwisschurchontothepavementwhenwearrive,thatlinksthespacesorzonesofoutside,foyer,exhibitionspace,andmovementspace.Wewerethinkingofatrailofherbs,ormaskingtape,ormaybealargeballofthinredwoolthatsitsoutsideonthepavementandhaspartiallyunravelledtobeatracethroughallthespaces??

Theclearingupwithbroomswillmakeanamazingsoundinthatspacetoo.

Widerthoughtsaboutthatactuallocation:

TheSwisscommunityhavebeeninthatchurchsince1850,centuriesbeforethattheyhadasmallerchurchinanotherpartofHolborn.ItwasrefugeandalsobusinessfortheFrenchHuguenots,whoweregreatcraftspeople.ThereisaplaquetheretocommemorateSwisssoldierswhodiedfightingfortheBritishinthewarandalsoforaSwissfamilywhopioneeredaschoolforchildrenwithautisminearly1900's

Theyrefurbisheditin2005andrecentlypaintedit.

Oppositethechurchusedtobeaworkhouse-anastyoneapparently;andthenitbecamethemilitaryhospitalduringbothwars.

Thereyougo.Somehistory,butimportanttofeelthewiderelementsaroundthisspace.

Hi all,

Here’s a possible plan for props I'll bring at the Tavi event, with suggested scores, post today’s visit at the Swiss church and discussion with Rebecca.

large ball - mint rolled in shredded paper wrapped in fabric bound with string wrapped in more fabric tied with scarves with Rebecca’s drawings slotted into these interlaced with rope and rolls of masking tape wrapped in a parachute bound with paper strips (with Rebecca’s sentences handwritten on these) and fabric strips over them.

score - unravel over time

chairs

score - Mary knows what to do with these, follow her

brooms

score - use to move things and people around and make space

lanterns - 40 fairy lights in paper bags

score - materials are instruments, just play them or leave them be, they’ll hold their space

conkers cord

score - as above

All this is subject to change, not least on the day. We wouldn’t want to miss out on a surprise now would we!

Shane x

Doodles of our responses to group relation cards – reinterpreted for dance improvisation: alone in relation to the space or objects; duets; group:

These will be little cards to hand out to ‘punters’ like a map for them.

Sketched notes guiding my own process: Rebecca

Emailed:BeginningsandEndingsaregoingtobeverykeyasitalsobringsattentiontohowwetakecareofourparticipants-whoareinfactthistimethepunters(notourmembers).Thereissomuchtoexaminejustinthat.Inthisattachmentitshowspartoftheworkingscorewedidfor'TWELVE',whichwasoneof3performanceswedidwithallourmembersintheAlbanyTheatreover13yearsago.Ithoughtthisoldscorewasstillveryrelevant,andhavefolloweditwithanupdatedonefortheSwisschurch,soyouseethemjuxtaposed.Itrevealshowwekeepcomingbacktosimilarquestionsallthetime....eachtimemakinganincrementalshiftorchanginghowweadapt.Shane,waswondering-asyouweresayingyoucouldbringaloadoffreshmintformyourgarden-whetherwehaveasmellforarriving-themint,thatasritualmaybe10minsin-getsstrewnasapathwayorsomething;andadifferentsmellforleaving/ending-notsurewhat(lavendertriggersepilepsysowecan'tusethat),sothereisaritualofclearingthemintandbringinginadifferentsmell10minutesbeforetheending.Rebecca

Shanehandscrawlsoursayingsonqualitiesandettiquetsforourpunters,whichthenlinksallthedifferentzonesofthespace.

Thiswastakenfrompartoftheoriginalworkingscorefor‘TWELVE’–anAmbientJamhappeningintheAlbanyTheatrein2004

WecomparedittheemergingSwisschurchscorefortheBeginning,2017:

Foyer

Kettle,canmaketeaandcoffee.

DecompressionZone?

Greetourmembers–Carol,George,Maria,Bobby,Lucy.

Greetpunters–givethemasensoryticket.

Makesupportstafffeelathomeanddelegatethemtomaketeas.

Achilloutspace?.....

AJcollectivearrive3.15p.m.togivetimetosettleandwarm–uptogether.

ARRIVING

Givingspacetoitsvibe,itssounds,itsmovem

ent……

Spaceforthestoryofmovingoverathresholdfrom

outsidetohere,fromheretothere.

Musicianstinkertothepedestriansoundsofchatter,clearingchairs,arriving.

(Taviwillsetupam

psinadvance)

SomeofustakeCarolandG

eorgeroundtofeelthespace.

Littleandbigdecisionsgetmadesim

ultaneously:Shouldwedoa5m

ininterventiontobringpuntersin,orintroduceonepersontoCarolor…

…….?

Mariacanhelpustom

ovethechairsfrompreviouslectureintoam

oundor?

Meetingandgreeting‘punters’.Brokeringintroductions-How

dowedothis?

Graduallysomeofusslideintobodyattunem

enttospace….thenextpartofim

provisation.

Whodoesw

hat….?

Differenttidesofpeoplearriving……..w

illalwayshappen…

..

AswithourM

orrison’seventweplayw

iththecollisionbetweenpedestrianandsensorym

odesofbeing.

Altar

Directedinterventionsincasetheyareneededintheimprovisation.Wemayormaynotusethem.Somemightwatchwhilstotherstakepart.Somemightevenhappeninthefoyerearlyonunexpectedly.

- Slowtime:Basedonaseniorsupportworkerandamanwithprofounddementiarememberingtoputhiscoatsleeveoninthemiddleofabusyfastpacedstreet:toslowdowntime–putourcoatsleeveonveryslowlynoticingeachtinymovementanddetail

- Inclusion:Movinginandoutofeachotherconnectingthroughhands,handsonbacks,findingstillnessthenshifting,whisperingnamesandmadeupnames.

- AshortenedversionofBarbara’sworkongoingtothepartofthespacewhereyouarecomfortable–ledbyBarbara?

- Orchestratedsound:Gentlevocalwarmupintoadrone.- FollowHannahwarm–up- IntroducingCarol’stouch:Amusicianinthemiddleplayingahandheld

instrumentlettingCarolleanherhandontheirwrist,ifshewantsto,topickuptherepetitivemovement–weformatightcirclearoundCarolandthemusician.WedidthisattheBarbicanevent.WethenintroduceCarol’sfingertipmovementandwayofcommunicating.

- FollowCarolaroundthespaceasatightgroup- Follow(stalk)Maria,copyorbeaffectedbyherinparticular.- Listeningtothespace:Usingthesignalfingertoourlipsasin‘hush’

orchestratesilence,stillness,shiftingandrearranginguntilcomfortableintogivingintogravity–lettingthespaceholdusordrapingourselvesontooroverthespace;tuningintosilence,soundofMaria’sfootsteps;temperaturesmell.

Emailcorrespondencecontinued:ThanksRebecca,Forkeepingmeintheloop-youmentionedanoverarchingandsimplethemeof'arriving'andthisworkswellforme.I'mfocussingonthiswithmybodymappingworkatthemoment.Inviting,welcoming,andleavingplentyoftimefortheprocessofarriving,noticingwhichpartshavearrivedandwhicharestilltraveling,howIlandandsettle...andbeingawarethattheprocessofarrivinginourbodiescantakealifetime.Soplentyofrichestobeminedjustinthat!VickyThompson,DancerRebrainstorm/Connectingwithourpunters?

Justbeenthinkingaboutthewaybeingnon-verbalandfocussingonothersenses,beforeAmbientJam-asCharles(musican)saidhehasdevelopedaspreference-issuchagoodwayoftransitioningintoAJworld...andbeingreadytoengagewithothersthatwayastheyarrive...Othersarriveintothatenergycreated

Butforpunterschattingclearlyagoodwayofconnecting....

Maybesomeofuschatting...othersmovinggraduallyintonon-verbalmode...graduallyincreasinginnumbers?

UsallbeinginterwovenwithShanematerials?GillMoore,Danceartist

ThisisthefirsttimewehavedoneanAmbientjamrightinthecentreofLondonandnorthoftheriver.Itmadeusinterestedinwhatisbelowus,what

holdsallofLondontogetherbeyondourusualawarenessofspaceandlineardriventime.Luckilywehavethesuperintendentofcrossrailasatrustee–hewasonceamemberofEntelechyandisafanofAmbientJam.DuetohisexpertiseindiggingbelowthesurfaceofLondon,IaskedhimtowritemehisunderstandingoftheLondonbasininwhichweallare‘cradled’despitewhatappearsonthesurface.Tavistockartistinresident,JulietScottisscratchingthesurfaceliterallywithhermetaltoolprints,howcanwebegintoscratchthesurfaceofthisactualspacewithinashortspaceoftime:“Welcome to the Jungle

We have a continental collision and the creation of the Alps to thank for this little patch of land we call England. Before this time, most of the Eastern side as we know it was under water from the Tee’s through to Devon, submerged. Meanwhile, the Atlantic was widening between Scotland and Greenland with volcanic activity compacting and pushing up the chalk from the North. Creating the Scottish Isles and raising the mainland from the North, compacting the chalks forming a foundation for Southern England with a kink and a dip resulting in the little basin we now call London. Sixty million years, Mother Nature’s construction process raised and lowered the sea levels and controlled the climate as it deposited Thanet Sands screeding the south with sediment and forming layers upon layers of London Clay. A labour of love to build each layer and level out the landscape. But London wouldn’t be London without the River Thames. The finishing touches of a truly world class construction project was the relocation of an East-West Midlands river pushed down by glaciers and settling through the centre of the basin by the end of the ice age. An historic project completed on time and within budget. We are currently digging up London and discovering the past. The largest archaeological dig the UK has ever seen. If not the World. Scratch the surface and two metres down we find Edwardians, Victorians and the industrial world they created with their diet of Oysters, clay smoking pipes and stone beer bottles building the first railways and factories, the Tube and the sewer systems. A little deeper we find the Romans and Bedlem Hospital with its graves of those stricken with leprosy preserved in the clay. Continue down and through the ages to Nine, Ten, Eleven metres and we find ourselves in a more tropical climate. Evidence of vegetation found only in a jungle lay under the streets with fragments of bone and a sense that we are no longer in

London or England. We are Fifteen million years under the surface with Fifty Three million years to go before we lay our foundations. Discovering lions, elephants, hippos, birds, insects, seeds and excretions we carefully document and bring to the surface for all to see. But we dig deeper to pre-glacial levels and new discoveries of Mammoth and Orox bones are found. Predecessors of modern day cattle but four times the size. We are heading back to prehistoric times reaching Sixty Four million years and our machinery stops. Everything is silent. No longer in England. Nor Europe. Are we in Pangaea?”

Communal pulse: Even though he can’t be with us for this event, Charles Hayward- Ambient Jam drummer and musician, talks about sound, rhythm and pulse within Ambient Jam:

Language – words – can be a reductive thing. Often we are not inside the language: people find silence so difficult, they just want to fill it up.

Syntax shifts with different people.

Our culture thinks music is about what you hear. It’s not about the ear, it’s about the whole body, extends the ear out across the whole body - people have been cured by playing the drum.

Deep below the culture of music, where it all springs from is PULSE and tonality = the science of music

We need to bring it back down to heartbeat, walking, rates of alpha and beta wave, endocrinal system.

Medical model/social model: This isn’t about mental health or disability. If you bring a rhythm you imply excluding, African music is in 3rds, Western in 2 or 4. – looking at the world through two different paradigms.

9/8 – transition from 4/4 to 9/8 implies including. Molecular structure of culture.

We haven’t changed ourselves to the point that we aren’t medicalising them. Society needs to change.

There are natural rifts between people

It’s about simultaneous joys (not happy) and this involves struggle.

Charles Hayward

…………………………..Tome“space”playsalargepartofthis.Demandscanfillspace.Spacebecomescramped.Thechallengeistoclearawaydemands.Demandsthatsomethingshouldorshouldn’thappen.Loweringdemandopensthesituation,openstherelationship.It’sabreathingspace. Tomeit’saspaceinwhichthehabituallyunrecognised,theunanticipated,canemerge.Tobreathe,moveandhavevoice.Sometimesthisissonorous,vividandrichlytextured.Sometimesitisnot.PeriMackintosh,Dancerandsoundartist. Synergy: the interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects....through that breathing space, lowering the demands and allowing just to be we are allowing something to find its way, its own order and disordered order... We are following that and I suppose disabled or non-disabled we are all embedded in that substance, looking for that to be our creative selves and for expression. Dance artist, Rainer KnuppAnemailfromRainerKnupponstillness:RebeccagaveussomewordstoreadofPeterBrook'sbook'ShiftingPoint'whichhehaswrittenin1987.ItisreallygoodtogobacktothatbookandIwasreallystruckbyhisstoriesinAfrica,wheretheydidaresearchprojectbytravellingthoughthecountriesandimprovisingandexperimentingonmarketplaces,indeserts,nature,villages

etc.Oneoftheirconcernswastoperformwithoutpreparation.Heistalkingalotabouttheinfluenceoftheaudienceontheactors,andwhatwesternisedactorscanlearnfromadifferentculturedandbehaviour-edaudience.OnethingheobservesisthatmostAfricanaudiencesdonotinvestasmuchinwatchingasMediterraneanaudiences(theymusthavebeenworkinginthatareaaswell),butbesidesbringingalotofenergyAfricanaudienceshaveahugecapabilityofstillness.Thepointisthataswesternisedperformerswearesoeasilyunderthepressureandexpectationstoproduce,nottobore,etc...Ifeel.EspeciallyintheSwissChurch,thatstillnessiscrucialandinawayitalwaysisabigelementinAJ.Certainlywearesodependingontheaudienceresponsesandskills,performingisalwaysmutualandwearetakingrisks.ItwouldbegreatifwecouldplaywiththefocusonstillnesstomorrowinAJ2,bemoreawareandexploringhowstillnesscancarryusthroughthesessionmore.InsomewayweareperformersandaudienceinAJ.Stillnessinsideaswellbeingstillexternally...Asanopenscore.Whateverthatmeansforeachofuswillbedifferent,anditmaymeansurprisingthings.Buthowisittoresistthepressuretoproduceandentertain,whatcomesoutofthisanditprobablywillchallengeusarounduncertainty.InsomewaywecansaythatJasmintakestheleadhereforus,becausesheisjustsittingandveryveryquietthesedays.Shejustseemstolisten...Butalsoifwedon'tpushBenheisgettingveryquiet(andmaybesleeping)...allthesethingsarefineordowehaveadutytoentertainoreducateorrelateinacertainway?Seesomeofyoutomorrowandonthe20th!Rainerxx Thanks for this Rainer, and also the suggestion last week, prompted by observations at the last AJ2 session, that we follow each other in succession. The word ’stalking' was used

then, which I like too. To take a lead from Julia to achieve stillness and a relaxed focus, that will hold all of us, audience included, is a great idea. Look forward to the session later today. ShaneThingswereeversoquiet,stillandsmallatAJ2today,andconsequentlymuchspacewasmadeforobservationandreflection.Rainerorchestrating‘stalking’eachotherworkedatreattoo.Thanksforthis. Itfeltlikewewereimprovisinginthesittingroom(Rainer’swords),verycomfortable.IwasremindedofJoeMorantalkingabouthislastshow‘Onthehabitofbeingoneself’,whichwebothsawlastweek,sayinghow'thebodyisalreadychoreographed’.AJsessionscanbethattoo-habitsandpatternsareconstantlyandverynaturallycreated.Consciouslyseekingstillnesstodaybrokesomeofthesehabits,whichIfeltwasveryliberating.ShanexShane'semailremindsmethatthelinebetweenwhomisfacilitatingwhomisnuancedandadelicatelyshiftingboundary(especiallythesedays)-oftenit’sourmembersteachingus,ifweletthemandlisten,ashappenedinAJ2yesterday:Theircontributionback.Rebecca

Entelechy Arts Ltd., The Albany, Douglas Way, London SE8 4AG Tel: 020 8694 9007 Company No: 3360794 Registered Charity No: 1068469 www.entelechyarts.orginfo@entelechyarts.org

Finalvisualscore:TIDESOFBEGINNINGS&ARRIVING:3.15–3.55…..

Givingspacetosounds,vibeandmovementofarrivingPlayfulcollisionofpedestrian,sensory,&ledhappeningsimultaneously:-someslideintosensorymodeswithinthepedestrianlandscapeofarrivingwhilst……-otherschat,arrive;utilitarianlogisticsofsettingupequipment.-othersjoinanorchestratedinterventionofmovingandconnecting.WavingatHannahChatwithourattendees…..guiding….curiosity…..pamphlets……meander

MusicianstinkertopedestriansoundsofarrivingSettling…difference….makingdecisionsandindecisionstransparent

Mariamighthelpusstack(orunstack)thechairs.

Roxana,dancer,CarolandGeorgefeelthespace

Someleavefrompreviousevent,asothersarriveDifferentshoals,differentremitsintersect;washesofcollisionsandconfluencesCongestionbecomeschoreography?

Someartistsarehere,someinthemainspace-howdowekeepconnected.

Shanemakespaperlanterns-anyonecanhelphim

Peoplemovethrough. Greetourattendees. Roxanasettlessupportstaff.3p.m.weputbagsdownstairsAndwarmupinfoyertogether.Threshold mulchball

BallofredwooltrailMAINDOORSWashesofpeoplearriving/leaving

ENDELLST.

Roxanagreetsourmembersfromtheirtaxis.

Tree Tree

FOYER

MAINSPACE

EXHIBTION

Redwoolheldacrossthresholds

Mulchballrolledin

Movinginandoutofeachother

SIMPLICITY;ATTENTIVENESS;CONNECTING;RECEIVING;CENTERING.3.40p.m.onwards.

LISTENINGTOTHESPACE:Silence’s&stillness’s

MAINDOORS

ENDELLST

FOYER

MAINSPACE

EXHIBTION

Waiting‘Makeasoundandgivespacearoundit.’

‘Peoplefindsilencesodifficult;theyjustwanttofillitup.’

Shedding

Hearourmembersvoices&actionsinthequietmoments. Listentothespace;

giveintogravity.

Intricacies

Whenlessismore.

Tree Tree

‘Ourculturethinksmusicisaboutwhatyouhear.It’snotabouttheear,it’saboutthewholebody-extendstheearoutacrossthewholebody.’

CYCLESANDREPETITIONSOFTHEMES.NOORDER,&OTHERUNEXPEXTEDTHINGS.

Beginnings=endings-Ouroboros!

Snakeeatstail:signforinfinity.

Spurtsoffillingthespacewithsound&movement

DEBRISREFORMED:MULCHBALLDISINTERGRATESOVERTIME.BROOMSSHAPELANDSCAPE&MAKESOUND:4.30ish

Conkernecklace

Weavingspace

brooms

4.45–5p.m.:ENDINGSthenDISPERSAL

Gatherforaudiencefeedback

Whatdotakewithyoufromthemound?

Clearupdebrisintobinbagstogether.

Redballofwoolsitsoutside Roxanawithhelpfromdancersguidepeopletotheirtaxis.

Discreetdispersalofchosendebrisinthestreet,onwayhome,athome……

CommunalGood-byes?Focusshiftstothestreet

Somedancesstillresonate.