Bristol Family Jam

Update

2010-02-24T15:34:00.004Z

Bristol Family Jam is an ongoing investigation into ways of developing artistic practice amid family life. At the moment our focus is on dance, because of the experience of core participants, but we are interested in developing sessions with musicians, singers, circus artists, performance artists and others - if this is for you, get in touch.

We currently offer a weekly dance and movement training session for parents with some experience of contemporary dance and/or complementary body-based practices. Each session is different, but usually we each bring an idea to work on together - this might take the form of a warm-up exercise, improvisation task, body work etc.. We also bring our pre-school children along and they mostly do their own thing, playing together or joining in in whatever way they choose.

To find out more, email: kyra@thelightfantastic.co.uk

NB: Dancers without kids of their own are welcome to come along too.

Family Jam in 2010

2009-12-21T20:43:00.003Z

The Family Jam will continue a regular programme in 2010. New people, ideas and enthusiasm always welcome: if you would like to get involved, contact Kyra: kyra@thelightfantastic.co.uk

2009-11-24T10:13:00.001Z

"The nature of improvisation is process, on-going investigation and the practice of giving." Katrina McPherson

Links

2009-11-10T16:08:00.004Z

These links (on the right) represent a few of the people and groups that have inspired me to initiate the Family Jam - do check them out.

In particular, at the moment I'm thinking about Farmwork, where "farming is the working metaphor for an approach to art-making that is seasonal, local, sustainable and based in ideas about community and collaboration." This is the sort of approach I'd like to practice.

First block of sessions announced

2009-11-09T15:57:00.003Z

The first four-week block of Family Jam sessions will run from 10 - 11.00 a.m. on the following Fridays: 27th November, 4th, 11th & 18th December 2009. There will be an optional short walk/ tea and talk afterward, so if you can stick around until midday so much the better.

Sessions will take place at the beautiful new Wild Goose Studio space at The Yard, off Mina Road, in St Werburghs. (The Yard is the self-build project, close to St Werburghs City Farm. Enter 'BS2 9YR' into Google Maps for directions.) Rose and I went to look around the space last week and its really great: light, uncluttered, with underfloor heating.

Hope you can make it, its going to be great! Any questions, do contact me:

Kyra
kyra@thelightfantastic.co.uk

An Invitation to the Family Jam

2009-11-03T11:35:00.007Z

I'm starting a new project for dancers, performers, musicians and others with young children. Offering time and space for parents to move, play and generally rediscover our creative practice, this is not about 'facilitating' our babies or kids to move or to sing, but to include them in the space and involve them in what we do. Somehow.

"The line between art and life should be kept as fluid, and perhaps indistinct, as possible." Allan Kaprow

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What will we do?
Each session will be different, depending on who's there and what they want to do, but as a starting point I suggest we might have a short physical warm up, some improvisation scores for the adults, free time to dance/ play/ monkey around one-to-one (or more) with our children and altogether, then cooling down, end.

Initially, I propose we try an hour session, followed by an optional wander over Narroways Hill, if fine, and/ or tea and talk, with a bit of time spent making a plan for the next time. This means we can use the time in the studio in a relatively focused, productive way and still get to be sociable!

Where?
I'm looking at a couple of spaces in St Werburghs, Bristol toward the end of this week - watch this space...

A four-week pilot programme will allow us to try out various different approaches and see where we might go with this. At the moment, my hope is that we can work towards establishing a regular meeting place for interdisciplinary creative training and improvisation, and support each other in sustaining our creative practice in tandem with parenting.

If you are interested in taking part, have experience of similar initiatives you'd like to share, or have any other comments, please do get in touch.

Best wishes,

Kyra
kyra@thelightfantastic.co.uk