Motionfest for the UK?

[ben woodling]

Hey,
does anyone know of somthing like motion fest that is run in the UK?
cheers,
Ben

[Rich Potter]

Come on over in November. Baltimore has an international airport, a quaint site for the conference, and the crappiest truck stop food on the planet.

(Well, unless you get in a car and go for Greek food...)

--Rich

[le pire]

The Circus Space in London did something like motionfest a couple of years ago-- although it cost four times more and offered 1/3 the the workshops/discussions.

There is a mime/physical theatre symposium in France every year. It's all in French (duh) but I doubt that would be of any use...

Motionfest is unique.


etienne

[Cybele]

And if you have some sort of weird aversion to Baltimore in particular, check out MotionFest West, going on in Reno this February.

Cybele

[le pire]

Maybe you guys don't get the point of his question:

Is there a Motionfest-like conference less than 4000 miles from his home?


Stupid yanks.

etienne

[em]

I'm gonna stab in the dark here and suggest that no there isn't. There are street conferences but often designed for funders and bookers and very waffely. In terms of SUPPORT hahahahah yes that word again SUPPORT, we kindof advise each other or struggle along.

I know nothing about motion fest, is it for street people or a larger population involving all performing arts??

x

[ben woodling]

ok....maybe try a different angle.
is any one willing to help out with orgainising summit similar? or mabye just have a huge street performers meet where everyone can just share i deas and relax?
hmmmmmmm......?

[Rex Boyd]

Well I would be interested in coming to such an event and joining in with giving as well as receiving advice. I don't know who might be good at organizing such a thing. ( not me )

Rex

[le pire]

Em,

Although some street people attend motionfest, it is not "for" street people, but for performing artists. The teachers are all top working professionals in their field and come from a variety of disciplines, but the focus is physical theatre.

There have been:

mime / corporeal theatre (Tony Montanaro, Karen Hurll, Dody Disanto, Don Reider, Fred Garbo, Bob Berky, Daniel Stein)
Dance (Deborah Brown, Karl Bauman)
jugglers (Michael Menes, Dan Holzman, Steve Ragatz)
Magic (Gene Anderson, and some guy who's name I forget)
Clown (Steve Smith, Kenny Raskin, Barry Lubin, Dick Monday, Tom Dougherty, Laura Hertz, Avner Eisenberg, Jeff Raz)
Stand up Comedy (Scott Meltzer)
Street (Robert Nelson)
Puppetry (Liebe Wetzel)
Drama (Tom Casciero)
Music (Livingston Taylor)
Mask / Commedia (Julie Goelle, Joan Schirle)

This list is by no means complete. Chances are most of these names don't mean anything to you in the UK, but some of them are pretty big over here.

This is what makes motionfest different from others festivals like it: the teachers are all TOP. When motionfest started EVERYONE in the local area wanted to teach-- street performers, birthday clowns, art school grads, etc. The organizers said "no" and with very good reason. They wanted the festival to have international appeal and be able to withstand critisms from even the most cynical stiltwalking mimes. [img]smile.gif[/img] It's very rare that an attendee walks out of a workshop and thinks "I could have taught that... and better!"

Organizing such an event is a HUGE undertaking, and Mike Rosman deserves all the praise and then some. He works year-round to coordinate the whole thing and the week of the event he's running around in panic mode making certain everything is flowing smoothly and according to plan.

It would be fantastic to have something like this in the UK. There is SO much great talent and creativity in Britain. Personally, I would absolutely love to have Dave Gorman (are YOU Dave Gorman?) give a workshop. Hmmmm.... If motionfest continues maybe we could have him come to the USA next year?

etienne

[AJJames]

I appologise for only just seeing this post.
I have been thinking of organising a UK street performers conference for some time now, ever since I moved here to the lakes.
I wouldn't call it a uk motion fest and i wouldn't invite any Americans (noteable exceptions being rex, sham and the spirit of dave wolf), because I could do with out the obligatory " in the states we got a much bigger one"
Essentially it would be a conference not a seminar, eg instead of workshops with an emphasis on creative development, it would be a few days bullshit, bravado, bragging and bitching with an emphasis on self congratulation.
It would be for circle acts only, strictly for the hard core.
Any one wishing to attend or conduct work shops entitled " develop your character" or "perception- make it work for you" can fuck off and do a course with Desmond Jones, Jonathan Kay , Keith Johnstone et al
It wouldn't be ALL debauchery and dysfunction we could have legitimate discussions , possibly entitled "who's line is it anyway"
, "who's doing whos show" ,
"how to saboutage a pan-pipe band's sound system",
"how many unicycles does it take to flood a street arts festival"
"How to get from Nick Nicholas's London flat to the tube station without getting stabbed or shot"

I welcome input on this forum from possible delegates.
suggestions for the titles and mission statements are welcome, here's mine;
"Comotionfest", (Once you've performed your craft, come to comotionfest and and get wasted with your mates)

[ 02-03-2003: Message edited by: AJJames ]</p>

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Oops!I slipped!Just scrubbed my post out!
Crikey!I have to pop myself back into the weasel....or goose section!
Perhaps i should start up a soft-core pixie-fairy conference....where only fair-dinkum weasels may apply? [img]rolleyes.gif[/img]

[ 02-03-2003: Message edited by: Rumpelstiltskin ]</p>

[AJJames]

Auzzie performers are welcome ,after all... the bar bill has to be paid!

[Prof Willie B]

Hey, if you UK performers can't even make enough to pay your own bar bills, you really do need some sort of workshop to help you out. Even the guy that nicks flowers out of Kew Gardens to sell in the subway can pay for his own drinks.

PS aussie is spelt with two S's unless, of course, you are Nick Nickolas

[ 02-03-2003: Message edited by: Prof Willie B ]</p>

[nick nickolas]

Hey....
It's not getting to my flat from the tube station without getting stabbed....
It's getting on a tube ride that only takes 20mins in 20 mins without crashes, poison smoke inhalation and dirty stares thats the problem....
Oh yeh and surviving a fire when the firemen are on strike.....
Oh jolly ol' England.......
I'm in for the party/conferance AJ ...will it be anything like last time we saw each other.....????

Nick

[Prof Willie B]

Hey, if you UK performers can't even make enough to pay your own bar bills, you really do need some sort of workshop to help you out. Even the guy that nicks flowers out of Kew Gardens to sell in the subway can pay for his own drinks.

PS aussie is spelt with two S's unless, of course, you are Nick Nickolas, then it's O not au.
Bloody Pomize.

[ 02-03-2003: Message edited by: Prof Willie B ]</p>