For a second year running we were at Gostrey Meadow, Farnham for Dance in the Meadow 2018 on Sunday 3 June. In collaboration with Farnham Maltings, The Dance Movement and Stopgap Dance Company this is a free outdoor festival for the local community.
As part of this event Daisy May Kemp and New Adventures dance artist Luke Murphy created a brand new dance piece, based on Matthew Bourne's Cinderella as part of Farnham Maltings' My Shout project. The group of over 55s performed their hearts out to hundreds on what was a gloriously, sunny day. This piece will also be performed at Ignite Festival Farnham (17 June) and as a curtain raiser before Cinderella at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking on 20 June.
Gavin Stride, Director for Farnham Maltings said “My Shout has been about celebrating the positives about growing old. Hopefully we aren’t all going to end up sitting in wing back chairs waiting to die. We have tried to be mischievous and surprise ourselves with stories about what is possible and recognise that 19th century views of being old are woefully outdated. Many of the women in this piece had never danced before, learnt new skills and have created something new of the highest quality.”
Imogen Kinchin, Executive Director for New Adventures said: “It has been a real joy to be involved in the Farnham Maltings My Shout project. The participants have created a piece that is a real testament to the way that New Adventures work. Led by our Resident Artist, Daisy May Kemp, and New Adventures Practitioner, Luke Murphy, the women have done a brilliant job in conveying our signature style.”
Take a look at some pictures of the women in action in our gallery below:
More about My Shout:
My Shout is part of Celebrating Age, a programme funded by Arts Council England and the Baring Foundation to enable arts and cultural spaces to be more open, positive and welcoming places for older people; My Shout is also funded by Waverley Borough Council. The My Shout consortium consists of Farnham Maltings, Waverley Borough Council, New Adventures and Age UK Surrey.
My Shout is a new project to celebrate ageing and encourage vibrant creativity in older people. Part of the Arts & Health programme at Farnham Maltings. Four professional artists will lead the making of different artistic projects: theatre, dance, film and sculpture. Led by these artists, each project is created by different groups of participants all aged 55 or over, from Farnham and the surrounding area.
