Hej from Stockholm, city of islands, where I have been representing CWBSA on an info tour with two Swedish clowns and two Rwandan acrobats. Read more about my short but sweet time by clicking here!
0 Comments
As I prepare for my first ever solo clown and storytelling performance (more details coming soon!) I stumbled upon this piece of writing by Jan Phillips, dedicated to the artist within us all. It came at the perfect time, just when I needed to hear these words. So here it is, for whenever you may need it.
The Artist's Creed I believe I am worth the time it takes to create whatever I feel called to create. I believe that my work is worthy of its own space, which is worthy of the name Sacred. I believe that, when I enter this space, I have the right to work in silence, uninterrupted, for as long as I choose. I believe that the moment I open myself to the gifts of the Muse, I open myself to the Source of All Creation and become One with the Mother of Life Itself. I believe that my work is joyful, useful, and constantly changing, flowing through me like a river with no beginning and no end. I believe that what it is I am called to do will make itself known when I have made myself ready. I believe that the time I spend creating my art is as precious as the time I spend giving to others. I believe that what truly matters in the making of art is not what the final piece looks like or sounds like, not what it is worth or not worth, but what newness gets added to the universe in the process of the piece itself becoming. I believe that I am not alone in my attempts to create, and that once I begin the work, settle into the strangeness, the words will take shape, the form find life, and the spirit take flight. I believe that as the Muse gives to me, so does she deserve from me faith, mindfulness, and enduring commitment. by Jan Phillips Click here to read all about the latest Creative Beans project with Clowns Without Borders South Africa - creating a brand, spanking new clown show for a tour of communities in crisis in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa.
SoulCollage® is such a fun and accessible way for anyone to be creative! That is why I am so excited about the possibilities of using it in communities affected by crisis here in Southern Africa.
After an inspiring 5 weeks in Cape Town with the International School of Storytelling, I was blessed with the opportunity to put my new craft into practice. CWBSA partnered with Ikamva Lebantu to run workshops with senior clubs (for the elderly) in the Cape Town communities, using storytelling and play. To read more about my experience, click here.
Please join CBWSA's Circle of Laughter by making a monthly donation today so that we may continue to bring laughter and emotional relief to where it is needed most. To donate, click here The theme for this year's World Storytelling Day was trees. So for the last week, Creative Beans classes at the International Montessori pre-school in Mbabane have been working with a story from the Himalayas that I adapted to take place in Swaziland. The story is called, Themba and the Trees.
It is a beautiful story about a young girl who learns to love the forest and the trees as her brothers and sisters. So when some men from the city threaten to chop them down, she gathers her village to stop them with an act of non-violence: tree-hugging! The children explored the world of trees in different ways: by being the monkeys that play in the trees, the fruit that grows in the tree, even the men that want to chop the trees down. Through drama, music and movement we explored the world of the story and the lessons it can teach us.Together we even discovered new parts of the story (especially about the forest party that happened once the humans had fallen asleep!). I believe that children understand the world through story and play, and that is why Creative Beans classes and workshops are packed full of both. And not just children, but adults too. Watch this space for more info about workshops for adults using story and creative arts! Like a butterfly emerges from a cocoon, I feel I am slowly emerging from a powerful journey of personal transformation. For the last 5 weeks I have been in Cape Town doing in a course entitled 'Storyteller in the Community', run by the International School of Storytelling - learning the tools and craft of the storyteller and the skills for using stories in your community. For over a month, I have been immersed in the magical world of stories; from folk tales and creation myths, to personal and autobiographical stories. What a journey it has been!
Watch this space for upcoming Creative Beans storytelling workshops for children and adults in Southern Africa! For more information on the International School of Storytelling and their myriad of storytelling courses, czech out www.schoolofstorytelling.com. What a journey it has been to bring together Clowns Without Borders South Africa and Clowns Sans Frontieres France! Imagine ten clowns coming together to create a show in three days, most of us never having met before, and some not even speaking the same language! Imagine creating a brass band with a bunch of clowns and only two professional musicians! It was a great challenge to overcome these borders and try to find the meeting point between these two chapters of Clowns Without Borders, but one that we have overcome with laughter and patience. For the first couple of days we just played together and focused on building the sense of play and trust. The two French musicians had fun and accessible ways to introduce us to our instruments and to the art of making music together. This was a very liberating way to work and created a feeling of ensemble within the group. The show was then born out of that play, rather than the other way around. This spirit of play has overflowed into the performances and as a result, the show is continually evolving. It is a delicate balancing act to keep the integrity and original intention of the show when there is so much freedom to make new propositions during the performance. I have observed this as similar to the dance of life, where you take two steps forward and one step back. Fortunately in this case, the steps forward are always more than the steps back! And just as the clown world is full of paradoxes, I now feel that we have something very solid yet fluid. Although it was a very different way of working to what we are used to with CWBSA, and the French took us on a very different route, I feel the paths between the two chapters have finally crossed. I say that because I finally recognize the landscape – a smiling, laughing audience of mixed age, race and culture who walk away having experienced something new and hopefully uplifting together. Une collaboration vraiment spectaculaire’!
Having worked for CWBSA in Botswana last week, I officially feel like a clown without a border...
The Sibikwa 'Stories Without Borders' storytelling festival invited CWBSA back this week to perform 'Mpela and the Lost Penguin' - an interactive, spontaneous and playful storytelling show by two clowns (Annabel Morgan and Nadia Woodward) about a little boy who finds a penguin at his door. The boy and the penguin travel far and wide searching for home, only to find it within each other. It's a story of an unusual and delightful friendship!
This time we are joined by Mr Fish, whose cheeky grin and crazy skills have been dazzling those little faces! He juggles balls, boxes, clubs, hats and apples, and enthralls audiences of all ages with his clowning and magic tricks. He is a non-verbal storyteller of giant proportions! CWBSA will be performing at the Sibikwa Arts Centre in Benoni, Johannesburg on Weds 2nd and Thurs 3rd November for children from the surrounding communities. Check out www.sibikwa.co.za to find out more about this active arts centre. And keep your eyes peeled for footage of CWBSA from the shows: SABC1, 6.30 - 7 am, on either Thurs 3rd or Fri 4th November! |
AuthorAnnabel is a clown, storyteller, facilitating artist and juggler of creative projects Archives
February 2018
Categories
All
Links
|