BLINK's 2019 TOP 10

2019 has been a time of festivals, funding applications and firsts…

---

10. SUPERNORMAL FESTIVAL

BLINK were commissioned by My Normal (part of Ark T Oxford) to create a multi-sensory, all age and ability, dance theatre workshop for Supernormal Festival in Oxfordshire. As My Normal support LGBTQI+ young people with disabilities we created a story about a mermaid and a sea God which involved gender play and explored gender roles. The workshop was well attended, the youngest participant was less than a year old (!) and a beautiful mix of diverse and enthusiastic participants.

Photo: Agata Urbiniak

[description] A group of people pose holding pieces of lycra in a circle which is connected in centre.

---

9. SCHOOL SHOWS

This year we have written, directed and designed 4 original school shows in our regular schools; Jack Tizard and Brookfield House. Shows have engaged over 200 students with SEND from early years to sixth form.

Spring and Summer term saw the creation of The Snail and The Whale which involved a huge 3 foot tactile sensory Whale puppet; commissioned and made by artists in Iceland. Other highlights were student solo dances as a magical lit up polar bear, and our LD trainee facilitator Sabir performing as an exploding volcano with a PMLD class.

Winter term saw the creation of The Rabbit and the Hedgehog. Highlights include a dance in the dark with tiny headtorch-lit burrowing hedgehogs, and some dynamic diva dancing to Lizzo’s Good as Hell . Can it get any better?

We were amazingly supported by students from Central School of Speech and Drama and Goldsmith's University as well as our LD trainee facilitators Sabir and Maisa from Yarrow Opening Doors and Mencap

[description] Dan is dressed in a white and pink rabbit onseie and Sabir is dressed in a brown furry Hedgehog onesie including. They are standing back to back pulling funny faces at the camera

---

8: EXCHANGING HISTORIES EVENT

We were invited to take part in the Exchanging Histories event organised by Touretteshero in collaboration with the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design and iHuman at the University of Sheffield. The event brought together disabled artists, academics and activists. Each contributor was invited to share objects, art works and experiences which they felt significant to disability history. These were illustrated in real time by artist Amber Anderson. Here is Francis’s contribution: the wig he wears when he is performing as his Drag alter ego Francesca (which was followed by a live performance extract).

Artist: Amber Anderson

[description] A black and white drawing of Francesca dancing with a big smile wearing her wig.

---

7. BESPOKE SCHOOLS WORKSHOPS

We were invited to do some amazing workshops this year. The ones that really stand out are:

Our first weeklong project in a SEND school, culminating in a sharing. This took place at Brent Knoll School with students with autism and complex communication, interaction and social difficulties including Autism. We worked with school leavers and helped to develop communication, emotional resilience and leadership skills.

A 6 week project and One World workshops at The Village school. The 6 week project was working with hard to reach students with complex needs, mental health conditions and autism. Feedback from one of the HLTA staff from class 28:

‘It was very good, we have a very challenging class with challenging behaviour who do not normally engage in new things but with your class they did not want it to end’.

We also created a sensory workshop in the Summer which told the story of 3 Hawaiian Gods and Goddesses which was adapted for many different groups and abilities.

[description] A close up of Francis, Tanya and Vicki. Francis wears a purple light up tentacle headdress, Tanya has a headdress of Hawaiian flowers, and Vicki wears a fire wig.

---

6: IT’S MY MOVE TOUR

Francis and Delson enjoyed their 4th school’s tour of It's My Move a Theatre in Education show in collaboration with Face Front Inclusive Theatre which took the production to a record number of theatres and SEND schools and colleges across London and beyond. A highlight of the tour was a quote from a teacher who watched the show:

‘Our students are particularly anxious, your play is clear about their options, their rights and how they can communicate their choices’ - Durants School!’.

This work is so important, there are many examples of people with learning disabilities being treated as though they don’t have a voice, and we hope to use this show to inspire future change for young people so they can have the confidence to advocate for themselves.

Photography: Andrew Bradford

[description] Francis is dressed in school uniform and a red hoody. He is caught mid dance in a jump to the side with one leg up and behind and his arms outstretched to the sides.

---

5. UPSKILLING

We attended two very impacting training courses this year: Mental Health First Aid and Story Massage. This is part of our commitment to work on our accessible and practical Mental Health policies and strategies to aid positive Mental Health in our team. We’re gonna level with you, a few of our team have experienced some burn-out and work related mental ill health this year. It’s not always easy working in a small team with each staff member working multiple roles and no core funding. We love our jobs and we want to do what we can to create a work situation which is sustainable. We’ll keep you posted on our journey as we go.

[description] Kat massages Rachel’s back using her whole hands with fingers spread.

---

4. POLLINATE LAUNCH

We were delighted to receive a grant from the Big Lottery Community Fund to launch POLLINATE to deliver bespoke facilitator training for young people with learning disabilities in London. We piloted the project in April at the Lyric Hammersmith with their NEET Alumni participants and young people with learning disabilities from Action on Disability. In 2020 POLLINATE will include happen in East London at Hackney Empire. Stay tuned for more developments early next year.

[description] Vicki and participant John-Mike smile at the camera in their BLINK t shirts

---

3: COMMISSIONED BY THE WELLCOME

We were commissioned by the Wellcome Collection to create 2 site specific works as part of the Festival of Minds and Bodies curated by Touretteshero.

GIRL MEETS BOY: unravelled was performed in the grandeur of the building’s Reading Room and consisted of 3 extracts from our new show where we experimented with audience participation and a fresh live beatbox score from Native the Creative of Battersea Art Centre’s Beatbox Academy and cast member of Fringe First award winning Frankenstein: how to make a monster.

We created an interactive installation called TANGLED which was performed in the Play Well exhibition space and saw 133 audience interactions throughout the weekend of a variety of ages, abilities, confidence and experiences, it was magic.

We hope to continue to develop and perform this site specific work in the future.

Photo: Benjamin Gilbert

[description] Delson, Francis (as Francesca) and Vicki are in fun poses around a large space with Jess Thom and Sophie Wooley. There are mirrors hanging which capture some of their reflections. There are bold turquoise graphic lines as a background.

---

2. GMB R&D

We continued our partnerships with Battersea Arts Centre and Redbridge Drama Centre and held residences at both venues whilst developing our new show GIRL MEETS BOY. We worked with writer Caroline Horton and had dramaturgy support from Polar bear as well as sound design by Bulblet, set and costume design by Roly Carline and drag consultancy from Frieda Slaves

The first R&D was performed at Redbridge on the 5th of March. The second R&D was performed to a sell out audience at Battersea Arts Centre as part of the Festival of Rest and Resistance curated by Touretteshero.

Photo: Adiam Yemane Design: Simon Vince http://simonvinceportfolio.com/

[description] The poster image for GIRL MEETS BOY. The BLINK Co-Directors faces, plus Francesca, are cut and pasted to make one face.

---

1. WE’RE GOING ON TOUR

We were over the moon to receive 60K from Arts Council England to take our new show GIRL MEETS BOY on tour Nationally. The performances will be relaxed and the tour solidifies our commitment to the Relaxed Performance Revolution trailblazed by Touretteshero which will involve us running workshops for venues to support them to become more accessible.

Photography: Charles Oni

[description] L-R Rachel, Vicki, Delson, Kat and Francis (as Francesca) are standing in a line with big smiles. They wear pale blue and pink and shiny gold costumes and statement makeup.

Happy New Year everyone.
We are looking forward to 2020 and all it will bring...stay posted!