As a member of Wolfshead and Vixen (in training), I did rather go overboard with photos of them – specially Vixen dancing ‘Vixen’s Revenge’ since that’s the one dance I know!
Category: Festivals
Photo Gallery: Rochester Sweeps Festival 2013
Photoblog: The Sweeps Festival 2013
Brilliant photos by Obi, just had to be shared – mine will follow later!
Wakey wakey Jack!
A grand old English tradition played out today, on a cold and grey misty morning at the summit of one of North Kent’s most beautiful spots, Blue Bell Hill.
The Jack in the Green awakening ceremony happens at dawn on May Day, when Morris dancers and Sweeps bring Jack back to life as part of the heralding of spring fertility. It also marks the beginning of Rochester’s famous Sweeps Festival over the bank holiday weekend, now in its 33rd year of entertaining the masses with folk song and dance.
A full programme will be available in Rochester over the weekend, but you can book tickets for some performers on the Visit Medway website here.
As part of Morris side Wolfshead and Vixen (current Green Shield holders) I was there to support them (they’re the ones all in black). Since I only know one dance at the moment, my debut is some time away but I did nab some piccies, which you can view below. I somehow failed to notice the ITV cameraman wandering around entirely – see their video here. I look forward to seeing you all there next year 😀
Gallery: Chinese New Year Parade, Chatham
Another of Medway’s diverse cultural events saw Chatham’s high street packed yesterday afternoon, for an explosion of colour and sound as the Chinese community let us share in celebrating the Year of the Snake.
You should be dancing!
So sang the Bee Gees, and who are we to argue?
I seem to have been immersed in dance recently, with a visit to Mid Kent College for a Dance Careers Event, an article in Medway’s finest publication, and a Gothic workout.
Hosted by Luci Napleton, from Dance Development of Medway’s Arts Development Team, the Dance Careers Event allowed me to cast my shoes off and take part in a Contemporary half hour workshop, surrounded by students – I thought I held my own – and a Musical Theatre workshop. I managed to not trip myself up, although I was left facing the wrong way on occasion and hitch kicking when I should have been pivoting, but hey, it’s been a while, ok?
The Mayor, Cllr. Vaughan Hewett was on hand with praise and encouragement for the students of Mid Kent College and the Medway Youth Dance Theatre, following their excellent performances, while the awesome Loop Dance Company reprised the Joss Arnott choreographed ‘Current Being’, their commission for last year’s Big Dance 2012. It’s an inspiring company, led by Nina Atkinson, who began it twenty years ago upon realising there were very few chances for aspiring and professional dancers in Medway. Go see them!
Loop Dance Company: (Top) Anna, Nina, Natalie.(Bottom) Claire, Emmy, Marie
The February issue of Wow Magazine is a dance special spectacular, an interview with the Ballet Boyz being the highlight. And I finally made my debut for Emma Dewhurst’s classy must-read mag, interviewing Craig Bartley of local dance studio, Starquest. You’ll find that on page 14 in the magazine here. On the opposite page, there are a selection of dance classes and groups in our region. For Sarah, who I met at Mid Kent College, here’s a link to Jade Street Dancers – I expect you’ve already found them by now, but just in case!
My other debut, in practise at any rate, was for Wolfshead and Vixen – I’m sure I’ve mentioned them before. The premier Morris side from Rochester have been auditioning for new members and somehow ended up with me. It’s much harder than you think – I was more tired after twenty minutes of Vixens than after an hour at the Dance Careers Event. I’m hoping I’ll have learned enough to be ready for the Sweeps Festival (although, I’m not so sure about dancing at dawn on May Day!) If you fancy trying out for us, there’s a workshop being held at the Beacon Court Tavern, Gillingham, on Sunday, March 3rd, from 1pm.
In national news, Let’s Dance for Comic Relief is back with us again from this Saturday, persuading comedian Tim Vine and others to set aside their modesty and don leotards and leggings. Read all about it here. Time permitting, I’ll cover it on The Rhythm of Life.
“Exceptional dancers in my experience are also exceptional people. People with an attitude towards life, a kind of quest and an eternal quality. They know who they are and they show this to you willingly.” Mikhail Baryshnikov.
Exploring the culture and heritage of Sheppey
The Isle of Sheppey has been wronged. Outsiders believe this corner of Kent to be both a cultural and physical waste ground, with maritime industries long since left and people fending for themselves with regard to their heritage and culture.
This perception is unjust. On spending just a few hours over the bridge, I found four real gems for both the resident community and visitors alike to take pride in and become involved with, to learn and evolve from.
Originally an old school building on the site of Queenborough Castle, the Castle Connections Community Centre was home last weekend to the 365 Exhibition, the photographic record taken by the community of one year in the life of Sheppey. Due to its popularity this has now been extended for a further month.
Castle Connections, Queenborough
Chrissie Williams is the manager and she took me on a tour of the building.
“Local people formed a company, the Queenborough Town Community Centre Ltd, and set about making this building what it is. It took time and money but we’re almost self-sufficient now – we’ve a dance school based here, leisure and hobby classes, a cafe and more. And we’ve 28 volunteers, all trained in either food hygiene or first aid.”
There are two beautifully restored rooms for hire with a sympathetically restored stairwell leading to them. It’s decorated with original school photos lending it an authentic air – it actually reminded me of my old primary school, which was probably from the same era; it even smelt the same (in a good way!)
Bringing Queenborough Back to Life was a recent project and this includes getting local artists involved as well as the community at large. Chrissie continued: “We have wall space for artists in the cafe at no charge, as we want to help local artists be seen; it’s really nice for local people to have art at their fingertips.”
Castle Connections believe that encouraging art, culture and history, local people will develop an appreciation of their heritage for generations to come.
Much more than a heritage centre: Blue Town’s Jewel
The only cinema on Sheppey; tourist information; history tours; music hall; museum; cafe and, coming soon-ish, a replica deck of the HMS Victory, complete with cannon!
Blue Town Heritage Centre
The Blue Town Heritage Centre, although now a registered charity, is owned and run by Ian and Jenny Hurkett, on their pensions and the kindness of volunteers and regular visitors.
It’s an awesome place, like an historic T.A.R.D.I.S – from the outside you can’t believe how huge it is on the inside. Begun with just a couple of old cameras on a shelf, it’s now a tangible, physical history lesson.
Jenny says: “We just want people to view Sheppey for our heritage and culture; our unique selling point, there’s so much of it. The community has got behind what we’re trying to do here and it’s evolved because of them. The key is to get our young people to take a pride of place and interest in the heritage – not just ours but others off the island, so we can dispel the negative connotations.”
The heritage centre houses the only cinema on Sheppey, in the Criterion Music Hall, which was reopened specially for a one off film about Blue Town – but when a hundred people turned up, Jenny and Ian realised there was a desire that needed to be sated. Says Jenny: “We bought the place originally as a bathroom showroom business but ill health put paid to that. But the turnout for the film was so amazing it gave us a whole new direction. Word is getting around now, so if anyone is having a clear out, we’re their port of call with anything we might be able to use.”
The heritage centre buzzes with individuals and groups: a job seeker seminar in the music hall, a business meeting in the Aviation Room, a workshop in the Dockyard room and mid morning coffee breakers in the cafe. Wednesday is Tea and Flicks, where the audience watch a film of their own choosing. Next year, a six week season begins in earnest.
Barton’s Point Coastal Park is a gorgeous 40 acres of adventure space, just waiting to be invaded.
Barton’s Point Water Sports
Mandy Shade has been there for just 18 months and it’s so much more than just a business. She told me: “We’ve a beautiful lake, a cafe which I’m hoping to turn into a proper bistro, camping, events, venue hire, water sports, murder mystery evenings and at Halloween, we’ll be working with the miniature steam railway to bring a Ghost Train to life!”
Another local catalyst, Mandy is determined that future generations of islanders learn to appreciate everything they have. She’s keen to expand her work with schools, a key area in which to invest a sense of place in the local population. Making the facilities affordable and plentiful at Barton’s Point is just the start.
Fishing for people
Collaborating with all three venues for the Sheppey Promenade, Chris Reed of Big Fish Arts said: “It has been really amazing. I’ve been involved in three big festivals before but this one was a bunch of really busy people who managed to have short, concise meetings that got jobs done – it was the best collaborative festival I’ve been involved with.”
Chris Reed of Big Fish Arts
Normally a “people thing” rather than a “place thing”, Big Fish Arts have actually taken up residence in Sheerness High Street now and are looking forward to running more workshops. Chris continued: “We take the history of the island and turn it into drama, plays, stories, ghost walks and tours. We’ve recently been commissioned to produce the Milton Creek Memories project and our popular Lantern Parade will be taking place again, probably in early December. Now we’ve got this space the lantern making can really get underway and we’ll hope to involve as many in the local community as possible.”
It’s clear from speaking with these community doers that they share the same passion and aims for their island. With the focus on education, participation, engagement and community involvement, they seek to ensure that residents and outsiders alike understand and appreciate the culture and heritage of Sheppey.
Due to the nature of each of these projects, they aren’t open all day, every day – please check their individual websites for opening hours and take time to visit them, you won’t be disappointed. Other community and heritage centres are dotted around, see them in the photo gallery below:
Sheppey Promenade 2012: What the Dickens!
The Isle of Sheppey steps back in time this weekend, with their Dickens themed Promenade.
365 A Year in the Life of Sheppey, the photographic exhibition made up of photos taken by the local community, will be showing at Castle Connections in Queenborough daily from 10am to 5pm. The project was designed to bring the residents together and encourage participation in civic life, as well as help them take pride in where they live.
People from all sections of the community have been submitting their photos taken across the region and one from every day of the year (2011) was selected for inclusion. The photos create a diary for today and a record for the future; capturing hidden scenes and everyday life.
Other workshops and exhibitions are installed, including readings and talks, plays and film. The Minster Gatehouse, Bluetown Heritage Centre and Sheppey Little Theatre are all major locations, as is Bartons Point, the venue for a Victorian Family Fun Day on Sunday between 10am and 4pm. The lovely Litter Angels will also be weaving their recycled magic with various workshops.
For a full schedule, please see the Promenade website here.
Jaye Nolan 