This week’s walks couldn’t have been more different; Monday’s sunny, windy walk along the Thames, through an industrial area and into a small green space tucked behind the Thames Barrier contrasts with Thursday’s chilly, fresh and damp walk through Marion Wilson park with paths that meander through the trees and patches of brilliant bluebells. Both walks were with one other person who I have met once before. As I settle into the Stride on Time project1, I have been thinking about my multivariant role as a local dance artist who is planning and delivering dance inspired walking experiences in Woolwich and Charlton.
The role flipflops through different identities of artist, tour guide, pedestrian and lollypop lady. As ‘artist’ I lead a creative activity to tune the body and the senses to the place and play choreographic games with pedestrian movement. On the Thames walk I attempt to offer some poorly patched together historical information, tripping over fragmented memories as I retell stories about The Royal Iris, an eerie, derelict, lop sided, retired party boat from Liverpool that is slowly sinking by Thameside Studios…something about The Beatles, something about Cardiff, something about The Mersey. I’d be a terrible tour guide, I think to myself. Continuing on, I ensure we can safely cross the road together. As our walks come to an end I might be called upon to advise on the nearest bus stop to travel home. I am surprised about how much I do know about getting about in my neighbourhood, which has largely been fuelled by being a dedicated, mindful pedestrian and paying attention to what’s where and what’s what.
Applying choreographic thinking to planning and delivering these walking experiences is, I think, helping to craft meaningful encounters with place.
For example…
In the park walk we take time to notice the nearest and farthest points that we can see; we map a journey from one to the other. We walk to three of these farthest points via a route that I lead since the network of paths and how they connect the selected points are more familiar to me than my walking companion. We talk about Mental Health Awareness week and the theme of nature2, and she tells me about a book her daughter is reading about fungi and how trees and fungi communicate to look after one another. It reminds me of The Care Manifesto: The Politics of Interdependence by The Care Collective3, and the shared vulnerabilities of being human and how we might develop more effective caring networks.
I introduce Steve Paxton’s ‘walk sit stand’ score in Monday’s walk and my companion connects walking backwards to her Chinese culture.4 I use this exercise again on Thursday but instead of ‘sitting’ on the wet grass, we ‘lean’ on trees. Its playful and my walking companion comments on the joy of connecting to childhood as we chat on the way back.
As the third week of leading these new dance inspired walks comes to a close, I am curious about the mindset that I carry into and through the walking experiences. I am finding that a loose and flexible approach is emerging that includes: body/senses tuning in; a journey to a location with time for chatting; a creative exploration of that location; a playful choreographic improvisation or game; a journey back with time to chat and reflect on our shared experience.
The people I walk with are making connections to home, place, nature and family during our time together and its a joy to share these moments with them. Come rain or shine, this local lollypop lady is happy to guide these somewhat unconventional artistic tours and say ‘STOP’, pause here with me for a little while and absorb everything it has to offer you today.
- https://greenwichdance.org.uk/whats-on/filter/classes/
- https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week
- https://www.versobooks.com/books/3706-care-manifesto
- https://woolwichwandering.wordpress.com/2021/05/10/retro-walking/
woolwich wandering 