The cute one at the back
There is never a dull moment in our neck of the woods, especially in the summer. Geoff, usually to be found with a pencil behind his ear in the workshop with a bit of wood, has branched out into a new career as a dancer. Yes - you couldn't make it up.
We have a dear friend who is a dancer, choreographer and thoroughly all round nice person. Tim. He has put together an amazing dance performance at the English Heritage site at Belsay. Rehearsals have been in full swing for months with several different groups coming together for three performances, the last of which is tonight.
There are professionals from Dance City
dancing in the amazing library room
A group of performing arts students from a local school in the dining room
wearing my kind of colours
Then, in the central pillar hall, columns and stone and cold,dark high walls lit up by a community group of dancers of all abilities - some with learning difficulties, partial sight and professional dancers - amazing piece this one. The audience view this piece from the balcony above. This is such a joy - to look down on the Hall as the dance unfolds, with amazing music to accompany all of these separate performances.
Then, of course, the children, little bits of fizzing energy buzzing around the place in vibrant silk!
They were wonderful. The weather has been crucial for this production and thankfully, the rain has held off for their outside performance. I have been stewarding at this event and have loved shepherding people round the complicated room changes and outside/inside nature of the way Tim has used the space.
Here are the kids in the Quarry Garden completely absorbed in the sequence of their dance. Parents, grandparents, sisters and brothers in the audience catching a glimpse of their own little treasure. Lovely!
Another dance sequence took place with the Hall as the backdrop
Last night, bursting with pride, I whispered to a member of the audience - 'guess which one I am married to?
'The cute one at the back?'
Yes.
