So what's it all about ?

The September meeting moved on to try and narrow down the focus of the project

"Taming the natural force that is water"
"Taming the untamable"
"Tsunami"
"Using not abusing"
"From kettles to river gods"
"Keeping nature repressed"
"Unseen water - the tension of mechanics"

all of which I summarise as "the powers and properties of water, and how we use and abuse them"

And to list the techniques we were considering:

Dance
Choral singing
Digital projecs
Soundscapes
Light
Recorded interviews
Super 8 film
Ice sculpture
True stories
Myths
Facts

(This all sounds very dry. In between each discussion we broke off to do something physical - playing the room, or roughly performing one of the stories - see film for proof !)

Slowly we were edging towards an idea - that as we move through the building, we might encounter water in different properties and that we might physically get closer to actually touching it.

A sequence could be

1. Water from the ground and through pipes, mainly heard, rushing and gurgling - still fresh and connected to our deep fears. Unsettling.

2. Water as steam, now felt but not as water - now harnessed, we feel it but it's in a changed form. It's put to a purpose but it still worries us (like the power of a steam engine or wierdness of a geyser or sauna).

3. Water as tapwater, dribbling. We can touch it, even drink it - it is useful but a bit boring. We've taken the power away. To us in the West, this life giving element is a throwaway item. We have disconnected from it.

4. Water as fun - how we try to re-connect with the elemental nature, how we enjoy it. The enjoyment of rain, puddles, sprinklers and paddling pools (even fishing). Play and dance.

5. Water for reflection - acknowledging, giving thanks. Water caught as ice. Stillness.

6. A reminder of the power and force.