To: Lisa Ullmann Travelling Scholarship Fund
(LUTSF)
From: Rachel Gomme
Date: 26th July 2004
I
am pleased to enclose a report on my trip to
Once again, many thanks
Rachel Gomme
Rachel Gomme: Project in collaboration with
Lola Lince,
The initial plan for this project was that I was to travel to
Shortly before I flew to
I was met and welcomed by Lola and her husband Xavier, who were my hosts
for the duration of my stay. They are based in a beautiful house in the hills
above the town of
The project which had been commissioned was a new version of
'L'Après-Midi d'un Faune', to Debussy's music. I saw this as an interesting
challenge, and was prepared to give as much as I could to the devising of the
piece, as well as to performing in it. I also hoped that as it is a short
piece, and was to be performed at the end of May (two weeks before I was due to
leave), we would have time to do some other work too.
Work began almost immediately I arrived, in mid-April, and days were very full.
We would begin with a walk and run in the morning, followed by a long warm-up
and a session of Qi Gong, often outdoors. This session usually lasted about 4
hours. After a break we would move into a further 2-hour session of bodywork
(yoga, Feldenkrais or improvisation). In the evening we would work on the
choreography for 2-3 hours. The days were thus very long, and I found that I
had little time to engage in other activities.
During the first ten days Lola led all sessions, and though I enjoyed
much of the work I was still keen to do some of my own work. In the second week
she invited me to lead some of the bodywork sessions, and I was happy to offer
yoga and lead improvisations based on my work with connection with the earth and
stillness/listening.
I took a week out to visit a live art festival in
When I returned to Guanajuato, work began on the choreography proper
with two other dancers, and a third who arrived later in the month. This opened
out the work somewhat, and it was interesting to share approaches in the
bodywork sessions, using yoga, massage and improvisation. I received good
feedback on the sessions I led. However, since I was still feeling that I
wanted to do some of my own work alongside the rehearsals, Lola and I
eventually talked about the difference between the initial proposal for my stay
and the actual work, and how we could resolve this. We agreed that, except for
the evening rehearsals, I would choose which sessions I participated in, and
take time to do some work on my own. This was not always easy, as I would have
liked to feel my work more integrated with the rest of our activities, but I
took some time to do a little improvisation work in the landscape, and feel
that I can draw on this material for solo work that I am doing here in the
Lola had suggested before I arrived that it might be possible for me to
teach one or two workshops at the university in Guanajuato. After being pointed
in the right direction I made contact and negotiated with the university
administration, and eventually, in my last week, a workshop was organised -
largely through the efforts of the university's deputy exhibitions co-ordinator,
who was extremely helpful. Although it was organised at the last minute, 15
students, from backgrounds ranging from architecture through fine art to dance,
theatre and circus, attended the 3-day workshop, and I received many positive
comments from them on the work, which focused on the sense of presence in body
and in place. This for me was another of
the highlights of my stay, and I hope very much that I will be able to return
to teach there again (the university administrators have also expressed their
interest in this).
The performance of Lola's choreography was postponed until the last week
of my stay, which meant that we continued working on it up to the last minute.
Although I had hoped to collaborate more, I found the choreography itself interesting
enjoyed the performance. The performance took place in Guanajuato's prestigious
Teatro Juárez, and was well received. I enclose a copy of the concert
programme. I left two days afterwards.
Overall, I found myself struggling over much of the two months. I was
really very keen to be collaborating and exploring new territory, both in my
working methods and in the theme to be explored. It was a disappointment not to
be working on the project originally envisaged, and difficult to find a place
for myself when I found myself with little time and
space to engage in my own creative work. However, Lola has plans to work on the
'Feminas del Mundo' project in November/December of
this year, and I feel that the ground has been laid for possible future
collaboration, with the joint sessions and sharing of approaches which we
undertook during these two months. If I return, I hope that it will be within
the context of other work - perhaps teaching and showing work in other cities,
through the contacts I have been able to make - which will give me a broader
base and allow me to feel more present in the work and the place. I was pleased
that I was able to make contacts and negotiate work with them. In terms of
exploring collaboration, one of the main aims of this work for me, I feel that
a very small start has been made, but I had hoped to go much further. However,
this in itself proves interesting in suggesting different ways to approach
other collaborative projects that I am now or will shortly be engaging in.
I am extremely grateful to the Lisa Ullmann Travelling Scholarship Fund
for enabling me to take this opportunity to travel and to explore work in
There are many people in
Lola Lince
Xavier Gomez-Mont
Aurea Martha Bucio Ramos (Curator, Festival Polisensorial, Morelia)
Rodrigo Solís Aguilera (Deputy Exhibitions Organiser,