Joanna Young & James Williams
Here are some images and audience responses from Joanna and James’ residency this October. Works on Penrhiw was shown on 19th October at a wooded river site above Fynonne waterfall and then to the same audience in the intimacy of 2 Penrhiw Cottage. 10 days later the material was reworked for Aberych Village hall and shown during the biannual Twmpath. Joanna’s reflections follow also beneath the images.
“It was enchanting- the simplicity drew me into the minute magic that you weaved. A beautiful still breath in a busy world.” Manda, audience member
“As I come inside from outside I have space inside from outside.
And so I can be close. I like being close. It’s warm inside.
A gesture of opening, in the inglenook, after close detailed hand movements… hand and heart and I wonder is her heart opening. I am aware of the soft skin under her chin, soft open neck.
Outside where do the gestures stop, how do we reach the edges. Inside there are many edges and she reaches them sooner.
I wonder is that reassuring after all that space, all that possibility.
Expanse, open possibilities.
Close familiar.
Both… how we inhabit a place… grateful for the weather and the shelter both.” Audience member
Joanna’s reflections:
“2 Penrhiw is an enchanting space to work and be. It seemed to work on us as much as we worked in it, leaving us with a sense of calmness and openness, which were essential to tune into our surroundings. We began our residency with the instructions to ‘observe and respond’ and to ‘rely on instinctive choices to lead us through each day.’
We became fascinated with the juxtaposition of working both outside and inside. We would find a space outside to quietly study and respond to and then noticing areas in the house where the material could also resonate. The sites created the material and informed each other and we noticed how each time we performed the material we were affected by the memory of its opposite space, outside or inside.
Our observations of the 2 Penrhiw and its surrounding area, especially within the woods and above the Fynonne waterfall aroused an interest in ‘the borders between movement and stillness’, ‘change that happened so slowly that it felt sudden’, ‘memories & imaginings’ and ‘family, folklore & ritual’. Threads of these interests weaved into the sound and movements and resulted in a presentation of our work at the end of our residency, performed outside and inside.
There was something about the timeless quality of the cottage and the expanse of nature surrounding it that led us away from using technology… Instead of filming the dance and recording the sound we chose instead to document our experience in free writing and then directly into music scores and movement scores, which at the end of the residency were presented live, solely existing in those who experienced them, or on paper that offers a freeness in interpretation.
The residency was a unique opportunity to work in such a beautiful and inspiring place with the gift of time to explore our practice and follow our interest without judgment or pressure. James and I are keen to continue to explore the work we began at 2 Penrhiw, finding new ways to explore and show the work created.
We would like to offer thanks to Stirling, Simon, Nora & Beti for the opportunity and their generosity, openness and inspiring presence during our time at 2 Penrhiw. We look forward to keeping in touch and hearing about future artist experiences and continuing the work we began at 2 Penrhiw.”