Saturday, November 24, 2012

D.A.C.A.C. - Disability Arts and Culture Association of Canada




The national BeyondAccess 2012 gathering in Canmore, Alberta was amazing! A week with professional colleagues with disabilities working across a range of artistic disciplines. Bliss! Lots of hard work. Learnt a lot. Great connections. The gathering was convened and facilitated by Stage-Left Artistic Director Michele Decottignies, along with Alan Shain. (Stage Left commissioned my solo interdisciplinary spoken word show That's so gay! in 2009).

In the mornings we talked about the 40 year history of disability arts and culture practice in Canada, worked towards establishing common ground, and aesthetics.

In the afternoons, one or two people or groups each took turns to present our visual, media, dance, or theatre work. Our artistic decision making processes, and where possible practical workshops, like integrated dance. I presented on media with filmmaker and academic Danielle Peers.

The other participant from the province of BC was Dr. Kirsty Johnston who wrote the groundbreaking book Stage Turns - Canadian Disability Theatre. How Canadian theatre artists are challenging traditional theatre practices and re-imagining disability on stage.

You can see the list of participants online here. Along with the purpose of the event.


On Thursday night we each screened 10 minutes of work, or excerpts from our work in film, dance or theatre. That was a highlight for me to see the stunning professional solo and collaborative work we all do. I went back to my roots and operated as the projectionist as we sourced work from the web, DVD’s and our laptop computers. 

In the evenings, we often shared a meal in one of the lovely hotel suites we were accommodated in, got to know one another, networked and discussed possible future collaborations.

At the conclusion of the gathering we resolved to form D.A.C.A.C. - Disability Arts and Culture Association of Canada. Which will be launched publicly with an online presence in the spring of 2013.

I realized what a rare experience it was for me to have my knowledge, skills, and artistic practice in disability arts valued. Although of course I also work in the arts community generally. Having at times worked in mainstream media organizations as the lone ‘disability voice’ can be a very wearing and at times combative experience when working for policy change to be inclusive of artists with disabilities.

We talked about the importance of sharing our knowledge and skills as senior artists in our local, national, and international communities. To that end upon my return I joined the Board if Kickstart Disability Arts and Culture - who have been trying to entice me to join for some time. I worked for Kickstart 2009- 2010 on their festivals, workshops, Audio Description Program, (Vocal Eye formerly EarSighted) and BC Regional Inclusive Arts Network (BRIAN). Joining the Kickstart Board continues my commitment to a vibrant inclusive arts community in BC and providing professional development opportunities to artists.

Congratulations to Alan Shain who post conference was appointed to the position of Disability Arts Officer with the Canada Council for the Arts, in Ottawa.

We spent a few hours one afternoon in an improvisational dance workshop outside interacting with a standing stone sculpture by local artist Lucie Bause. I volunteered to document the gathering as much as possible in photographs and video, so you can see photos of dance, the gathering participants, and beautiful Canmore on my Integrial Media facebook page. I was particularly impressed by the collaborative dance work and choreography IDANCE, Propeller Dance, and Frank Hull are doing. You can see a short improvised dance playing with the Albertan wind on the BeyondAccess2012 Youtube channel.


With the rare free time we had I made the most of the great paved bike paths and zoomed along in my chairiot enjoying the fresh air, mountain and river views. 

The location of Canmore was stunning, with mountains all around us. We were treated to great hospitality, snow, rain, sunshine -  and the northern lights to welcome us on our first night.


I survived the long intense work days by the knowledge that come 10pm I could go to the hot tub and soak away the aches and pains of sitting all day, and quiet the whirling mind.

I wrote this poem while I was there which sums up the experience for me.

BeyondAccess

we scan the room
ensuring
everyone has
what they need
to be present
adjustments are made

smiles
across the table
eager to meet
know
share food
belong

disrobing
in the hotel
hot pool
to skin
and bone

bikini clad
spa patrons
chat
amongst themselves
  avert their eyes

in my dreams
we take over
the empty at night
kids water fountain
play area
behind the blue tiled wall

dancing
swirling circles
around one another
splashing
filming
laughing.

Friday, November 23, 2012

Poetry is Dead Magazine - Queer Issue November 2012




I was humbled and honoured to have my poem 'close encounters' included in the great Queer Issue of Poetry is Dead Magazine, guest edited by the wonderful Alex Leslie, who blogs about the issue. It has great art work by Alexandra Sebag, and Sarah Leavitt in a poetic collaboration with Jen Currin, which Sarah Leavitt Blogs about.

All in all it was a great experience!  I represented Poetry is Dead at a Magscene on Main reading in August ‘Write the body with Adrienne Gruber and others.

Gave an online interview on the Poetry is Dead website in September, along with many of the other contributors to the Queer Issue, on the topic of failure as success. Queers Fail Better: ‘In her book ‘The Queer Art of Failure’ Judith Halberstam offers alternative ways of knowing and becoming. Instead of valuing the conventional paths of belonging, achievement and completion, she thinks about and champions the ways of “failure”: losing your way, giving in, being excluded, forgetting, awkwardness, coming apart. Not just rejecting the “normal,” Halberstam shows alternatives to success as paths that have always been there, moving away from mastery and coherence. In this series of Q&A’s with contributors to our upcoming Queer issue, we play with these ideas. When we aren’t trying to finish first (or finish anything) where do we end up?’

The Queer Issue of Poetry is Dead Magazine launch and reading November 14th 2012 at Project Space Gallery went really well! An appreciative crowd packed the space for a lively multimedia presentation! Check out the photos I took of the event here, or the photos Rachel Bauman took here.

I decided to make people laugh more than cry for my reading, so turned to some older work, and took a stroll through the misunderstandings that can happen on androgyny lane. Got some great feedback besides the laughter. Fellow contributor Amber Dawn said I have perfect timing. It’s true I do like to really look at the audience and play with the energy in the room, hold them in the palm of your hand, and then release them. Fellow writer Adrienne Gruber said her partner is not always fond of poetry readings but is still raving about my performance at the Magscene on Main event. Good to know! I do like to think I can make anyone like poetry! I really enjoyed the other contributors readings too! It was a great night to be a part of.

or at Chapters or other bookstores