to begin with the facts august 8th 2011
So my website is now an archive. I am at the beginning of something new.
How do I begin a blog that could have begun so long ago? Here and now I guess.
I am in Taipei. it is hot, hot, hot, humid hot and raining. I am at the TNUA, Taipei National University of the Arts. I am working as a writer/observer on the Artscross project, a collaboration between Beijing Dance Academy, TNUA and Rescen. I am observing choregoraphers work and writing what I see/hear on the Artscross blog. This is also a meeting of academics and choreographers across China, Taiwan and UK. There is a theme of uncertainty and waiting. We are all writing on the Artscross blog:
Before this I was at Esalen, on the Big Sur in California, participating in an Embodied Relational Gestalt workshop. Mountains and ocean and organic vegetables. I was reminded of being a hippie, when i was 19, travelling across Canada, visiting what was the beginning of communes. here are still some hippies at Esalen.
Before that I was in Auckland University of Technology – examining Mark Harvey’s PhD, performance and thesis. I also ran a choreographic workshop for independent artists and students and took part in a conference. It was inspiring to spend time with performer/choreographer/academic Dr. Carol Brown.
So this is busy summer.
Earlier in the year I was working in Beirut and Cyprus. I go to Beirut again in September towork with Omar Rajeh at Maqamat Dance Theatre
<info@maqamat.org>
So what is happening in my life when I am not travelling the world?
My day job is at University College Falmouth. I am professor of choreography. However this past year I have also set up, directed and led the new courses in dance and choreography, since the merger between Dartington and Falmouth. The sea is close, the light is good, the Performance Centre is impressive – if already too small with the multitude of new students coming to join the courses. I commute to Cornwall from london on a weekly basis.
Alongside the day job I have almost completed an MSc in Gestalt Psychotherapy. Just the viva to go in december. Five year training. Gestalt/existential psychology practice has influenced my teaching and will hopefully bring me back to performance making from a different perspective. After qualifying, I will be looking to set up a body orientated psychotherapy practice – to bring my two professions together in different ways.
Emilyn Claid 