Still (2024)
Still, was performed at the Autum Arts Festival in 2024 it was an interdisciplinary piece made with the Parkinsons Performance Group that Rachel has been working with since 2011. The piece presented live performance with film, questionning the relationship of cueing movement to live projection for people with Parkinson’s through performance.
The work explored themes of stillness, flight, and the beauty of human interaction. Directed and choreographed by Rachel Canavan.
This evaluation film that followed the performance and was created using rehearsal documentation footage, it was a collaboration between Rachel Canavan, Elsa Urmston Phd Jules Maxwell and the participants.
Evaluation - Still (2024)
After performing in the Autumn Festival for Norfolk Dance into the Fall in 2024, we wanted to evidence the significance for participants of the making of the work and the importance of performing for a live audience. We have documented and evaluated that experience by making an evaluative film. In this film, participants reflect on three key themes which captured their experience of dancing:
Being absorbed by dancing here and beyond: participants were wholly absorbed by the activity of dancing and performing, and were able to focus and concentrate on the movement they created. For some dancing transcends their everyday lives.
Feeling competent: participants felt a sense of wonder at their body moving and were inspired by their achievements. They express pride in surpassing their expectations of themselves as well as the expectations of others. Participants explain the power they feel in being seen by others.
Finding a place to belong: the participants felt that dancing together gave them a place to be themselves beyond the conditions they live with. They have permission to join in and a place to confront and expose their vulnerabilities whilst building trust through the social safety that dancing provides. These social and emotional outcomes ripple in and beyond dancing.
Directed and Choreographed by Rachel Canavan
Dance Education Research Elsa Urmston Phd
Sound Jules Maxwell
“In founding Timeless Stories Rachel has created a space for effective, dignified, elegant, subtle, artistic exploration of the demands presented by the ever-changing body across a range of physical conditions. The intertwining of restorative therapeutic dance with improvised, free-flowing, instinctive artistic work weaves a magical tapestry of very desirable performance material which is healing for performers and audiences alike and provides a priority component in the programming of Dance into the Fall 3.0 2025.”
Autumn Festival of Norfolk, 2024
“I loved every second of that glorious, inspirational, life affirming and moving performance. It was a huge privilege to be there. Please pass on my sincere thanks to each and every one of the dancers, as well as the scores of volunteers who make the evening possible in the first place”
The Lady Dannatt MBE - HM Lord- Lieutenant of Norfolk.
“I also wanted to say that I really loved your work on Saturday night Rachel. I loved all the works for very different reasons but yours was my favourite, honestly. Maybe it’s because I appreciate simplicity more and more, but also because their attention and connection to one another and the work and the moment was so tuned. Maybe that comes a little from ’the territory’ of having Parkinson’s - the needing to bring all your attention to what you are doing, but it also comes from your skilful holding of the group, your deep care and strong visual and choreographic eye. Yes, I thought it was beautiful and the projected film too”
Audience member Anon.
“Then things took a dramatic shift! Loud reds and a slower pace. A group of souls in ritual, more static and grounded. One birthing the others into a flower. The use of visual drama and effective video representation of growth with the flower projection was striking. It felt like witnessing a rebirth or a reimagining in the space as the characters within were melding into one another. Giving and receiving an energy that made meaning was a stunning beauty to experience, as we all appreciate the changes in our own lives and our own rituals. Statuesque, the dance kept us focused on every beat and did not disappoint the soul.”
Audience member Anon.
Violet
Violet, An interdisciplinary performance with projection at the Autumn Festival of Norfolk 2023, with ‘Timeless Stories’, a Norwich based Dance and Parkinson’s Perfomance Group established by Rachel Canavan in 2023. Established since 2011, some members have now started to regularly perform.
The Group have performed live in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
