So I think there were 7 of us there plus Sian. She led us through a beautiful stretchy warm-up and through throwing hoops in straight lines and then across the circle which we were actually really good at and didn't drop them very much at all. Maybe its just an easier task for the brain to stay in sync when there are fewer brains... Which is why we must keep making theatre with live people not just manipulatable technology. Surely the brain evolves when made to do the harder things.

And then we threw hoops for 5 minutes with co-ordinated breath which I noticed compared with 6 months ago felt like not 5 minutes at all - another funny time trick. And hardly any drops.

Then we did the coolest thing which was in and outy labyrinthy walks but with holding hoops which looked beautiful - the first one where the leader curls the line up into a knot and then the 2nd person turns away and they sort of pull the 3rd plus the line through the arch they make. The second where the 1st person goes under the arch of the 2nd and 3rd people and pull everyone through, which was really wild, you can go really fast, and as someone that's never actually been on a roller coaster this was a pretty close. And looked really cool too, especially you can use the hoops to expand your wingspan so it feels like you have huge wings but that are attached to everyone else. We got very excited.

Then we recapped the stick sequence and are getting some cool details in now, like, like catching the stick upwards on 'loo (tropon) after the twirl all at the same time, and foot down on 'ethron' at the end. We did twirling the sticks as well which seemed as much as anything to be a matter of getting to know the balance of your particular stick as each one is slightly different and might require being held in a slightly different spot. Anyway Sian pointed out that the main cool thing is the contrast between the focus of the holder being very constant, with the movement of the stick, which creates the illusion of the stick moving all by itself.

The we did singing, and Steph led us brilliantly through sing, sing sing with Come into my bed over the top, and then through Dreaming you are still alive, 3 part harmonies on both, and there is recorded evidence, and oh my did we jump for joy at making something sound nice which I think even half an hour earlier we thought impossible.

It is possible, possible, possible. It must
Be possible.
(See Notes on a Supreme Hamlet by TC)

Maddy x