2 new Special Olympics dance groups : Inner West

Two new dance classes for people with intellectual disabilities are being established in conjunction with Special Olympics Inner West region. Participants must register with Special Olympics to join in the regular program.

Registration is $70 per year and allows you to participate in any Special Olympics Program


1. Haberfield

Wednesdays, 5.15. - 6.30 pm
from 10th March 2010

Mervyn Fletcher Hall, 18 Dalhousie Street
Haberfield

Cost: $5 per session– paid per term

For more information about the program and registration please contact:

The Registrar ph. 0402 154 167, or maryrosewigan@optusnet.com.au



2. Canada Bay (Dorothy Cowie School of Dancing, sponsored by Canada Bay Council)


5.15pm-6.15pm Tuesdays, from Tuesday 9th March
Age is open from 7 years - Jazz/Hip Hop

Canada Bay Civic Hall
1a Marlborough Street Cnr Marlborough and Lyons rd)
Drummoyne
(Parking in Marlborough St and across the road in Franklin’s car park.

Tuition $50 per dancer per school term

For further information, volunteering & registration for Special Olympics contact:
Kathleen Collins , Sports Co coordinator for Special Olympics NSW Sydney Inner West Region , at kath2012@tpg.com.au or Ph 0405 100 753

Library Thursdays: Love is in the air

The Merry Makers documentary(The Music in Me) is a popular DVD in the library and now we have a great companion book to it, Love is in the Air by Sue Williams (ABC Books, 2009.) A more complete history of the dance group is told in the book and then it is followed by profiles of many of the members, guest stars, helpers and groups that have started up after master classes with the Merry Makers. There are photos throughout the book of the performers and their families.
The history is very interesting as are the profiles. After the initial history, the chapters can be read separately as there is a bit of repetition of events being told in different contexts. The story is totally inspirational and makes you wish every person could belong to such a group. Many of the dancers profiled in the book are members of Down Syndrome NSW so you may see many that you recognise. Tonight as part of the International Day of People with Disability, the Merry Makers will perform at the Sydney Theatre in Walsh Bay.

If you'd like to borrow this book or any other library material, please email or phone us.

Merry Makers website

Music in Me website

Dance group links

Access All Areas Film Festival November 16 to December 3

Access All Areas Film Festival visits venues across NSW from November 16 to December 3 2009, featuring free screenings of acclaimed Australian films, which will be made accessible to people with disability.

This unique event is accessible to all with free entry to all screenings and special accessibility services for those who need them. All films will be audio-described for people with a vision impairment where on-screen action is described in between dialogue and transmitted to an individual audio receiver (provided by the festival), captioned for the hearing impaired and wheelchair accessible. Screening intros, panels and Q&A’s will be Auslan interpreted. Bookings essential for access services, please call the Festival office on 02 9281 5608 to make your booking.

Access All Areas Film Festival is a flagship event of the 2009 Don’t DIS my ABILITY campaign to celebrate International Day of People with a Disability. Tickets are available from the box office 30 minutes prior to the start of the screening, subject to availability it is recommended to book in advance by calling the Festival office on 02 9281 5608.

For the full program of events, visit www.accessallareasfilmfestival.com.au.

A gifted musician

Akihito Ochi is a young Japanese man with Down syndrome who is a very talented musician - a composer and pianist. He played his own compositions at the 9th World Down Syndrome Congress in Vancouver in 2006. Four video clips have now been placed on You Tube, of this performance.

Akihito Ochi Live on Stage in Canada - part 1

Akihito Ochi Live on Stage in Canada - part 2

Akihito Ochi Live on Stage in Canada - part 3

Akihito Ochi Live on Stage in Canada - part 4

Thanks to Eiichi Momotani (Board member of Down Syndrome International) for passing on the links.

INTEGRATED DANCE WORKSHOP with Margot Politis

for people aged 18-30 with and without disabilities

TUESDAY 18th AUGUST, 6pm – 9pm
$20 / $15 concession

FRASER STUDIOS
10-14 Kensington Street
Chippendale NSW 2008

15 places only, the majority of which are for those who identify as disabled

RSVP by Friday 7th August to maevis91@hotmail.com or 0403 532 838

Click here for a flyer, with further information about Margot Politis and her work.

Previous post about this project

Photography course: St Marys, September

Karelle Life Enrichment Service is offering a photography course to people with intellectual disability.

Wednesdays from 9.30 - 12.30

Commencing Wednesday 2nd September

Factory Training Centre, Unit 2/86 Glossop St St Marys

Cost: $5 per week to cover printing materials

Optional:

• trip to the Jenolan Caves ($55) on 3/11/2009
• 4 weeks of scrap booking a photo album for those most memorable
  shots ($30)

Selected works from each participant will be mounted and displayed as part of ‘International Day of People with a Disability’ celebrations.

"Karelle prides itself on innovation and creativity in service and program delivery for clients with an intellectual disability and the Photography Course does not skimp in this area at all. Applications are open now so take advantage of this great course!"

For further details and registration, contact

Karelle Life Enrichment Service Inc.
02 9832 1057

Spark Festival - September

There's a lot going on in the arts in the coming weeks, and here is another major event, advertised on the DADHC website today:

Spark Festival - a creative arts festival for people with disabilities, hosted by JunctionWorks

The Tops Conference Centre
Stanwell Tops

9th - 11th September 2009

Workshops

• A Comedy of Bits & Pieces
• African Drumming
• Sing the Spirit of SPARK
• Masquerade Art
• Circus Theatre
• Making a CD
• The Tall & Short of a Story
• Deadly Moves Dance Workshop

Click here for a flier with further details of cost and other arrangements for participants.

RSVP: 7th August 2009

Enquiries: 02 9606 9628

The event is supported by the NSW Government and the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care.

A blog milestone and a talented young woman

Our visitor counter reached 10,000 overnight (that's since the end of November 2008) - thanks for reading!

There is, as always, much good reading in the Accessible Arts July Newsletter, including a short profile, accompanied by a beautiful photo of Rachel Murphy from the Illawarra:

" In October last year, Rachel Murphy played Hermia, a lead role in "A Midsummer Night's Dream," performed by the Altogether Drama Company based in the Illawarra and presented at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre." Click here to read the full piece (you need to scroll down a way).

"There's something happening across WESTERN SYDNEY"

Thanks to Alison Richardson (Creative Programs Coordinator, Western Sydney - Accessible Arts) for alerting us to this handy blog about arts events and opportunities across Western Sydney. You can subscribe via the button at the top right, for email alerts about new entries as they are posted.

There's lots to do, see and participate in.

“Too Many Doctors” – Drama by Company of Actors with Disabilities

Based on Moliere's imaginary invalid, this drama by Harriet Dexter is adapted / directed by Caroline Downs.

Starring: Barry Brodie, Caroline Leafe, David Brazel, Janet Bedford, Jo Rix, Nicholas Lewis, Prashanth Ramasubramanian, Tarryn Taylor, Timothy Harrison,Tim Stephen.

It follows the life of an elderly hypochondriac, his roughish servant, numerous doctors, gold digging wife and loving daughters.

Full of wit and slap stick humour this production is performed by actors with a disability who have attended drama classes since February this year.

Funded & supported by Help St Foundation & Lane Cove Council.

Where:
Lane Cove Senior Citizens Centre, 180 Longueville Road, Lane Cove.

When (all at 7.30pm except Sunday):
Preview Tue 21 July
Premiere Wed 22 July
Performances Thu 23 July & Fri 24 July & Sat 25 July
Closing Night Sun 26 July @ 6pm

Cost:
Preview $10 adults /$5 concession /child
Premiere & Performances $17 adults / $8 concession /child
Ticket price includes lucky door prizes from local services

RSVP:
Bookings are essential so phone Amber Figura of Recreation Rendezvous Inc on 9420 8555

Accessible Cinema at the Sydney Film Festival

Professor Ron McCallum AO, United Nations Special Rapporteur for Disability will launch the Sydney Film Festival's Accessible Cinema stream on Saturday 6 June. The Accessible Cinema stream, a project of the Sydney Film Festival in partnership with Accessible Arts, features a range of movies exploring disability and access issues.

For details of the Accessible Cinema program and the launch event, visit the Accessible Arts website.

Gallery ARTES re-opens in Hornsby

Gallery ARTES, the commercial gallery for artists working with Studio ARTES Northside has moved, and re-opened on the corner of George and Florence Streets in Hornsby (in Sydney's northern suburbs). The new space is larger and more flexible, and closer to the main shopping mall.

The opening night invitation and advertising posters are illustrated with Matthew Calandra's "The Red House", painted in 2008.

Enquiries - contact Studio ARTES.

"There is no such thing as colour coordination": Surry Hills

Blank Space Gallery in Surry Hills is hosting an exhibition next week (12 - 17th March) of work by three artists from Studio ARTES Northside, "There is no such thing as colour coordination". The artists are Alex Ogden, Rachelle Rodriguez, and Nerine Whitehouse. Rachelle Rodriguez, is a young woman with Down syndrome.

Click here for details, and scroll down to "There is no such thing as colour coordination".

Sunday Brunch air date changed

If you took any notice of Saturday's post about Gerard O'Dwyer being the subject of ABC radio's Weekend segment, Sunday Brunch yesterday, you might have also noticed that we were wrong! It was planned for yesterday, but they are going to tie it into a piece later in the year about another film that Gerard is working on ..... more on that later! Thanks to ABC's Simon Marnie for getting back to us so quickly.

Sunday Brunch with Gerard O'Dwyer: ABC Radio, 702

Gerard O'Dwyer, who won the best actor award at Tropfest last weekend for his performance in Be My Brother is having a big week - many congratulations, lots of media, and interest from film festivals and film makers. Tomorrow morning (Sunday 1st March) on ABC Local Radio (702 in Sydney), Simon Marnie will visit Gerard at home for Sunday Brunch, at 11.00 am.

Today's Sydney Morning Herald included a free DVD of all of the Tropfest finalists, and this interview with Gerard and the film's director, Genevieve Clay, by film writer Garry Maddox, on page 2. It is accompanied by a fabulous photo of the famous pair.

Free Tropfest DVD in today's Sydney Morning Herald

Don't forget that the free DVD of Tropfest 2009 finalists comes with today's Sydney Morning Herald, so you can have your own copy of Be My Brother, the 2009 winner of best film , starring Gerard O'Dwyer, winner of the best male actor award!

"Be My Brother" selected for final 16 at Tropfest 2009

News from Accessible Arts NSW:

Be My Brother, a short film made by Genevieve Clay has been selected as one of 16 finalists from over 600 entries at this years Movie Extra Tropfest, Australia’s largest short film competition (22nd February, Sydney).

Be My Brother stars aspiring actor, Gerard O'Dwyer as Richard, a young man whose charm and charisma challenges the prejudices of a stranger waiting at a bus stop. When he impacts on the stranger’s world, he also impacts on the heart and mind of someone else close by.With Gerard O'Dwyer in the leading role, Tracie Sammut as camera assistant, Georgia Cranko as unit manager and Gordon Crane as gaffer, the filmmaking experience of Be My Brother presented an opportunity for creative people with disabilities to experience working on a film set in the capacity of either crew member or performer.

Genevieve met Gerard while filming a documentary for Down Syndrome NSW, as part of the Up, Up and Away Project, and was instantly inspired by his vivacious personality and photographic memory for dialogue. She decided to write a script for him to act as the lead, in order to create a platform to showcase his talent and ability as an actor.

Click here for the full story and screening details from Accessible Arts.

New dance group in Artarmon: Dance Chance

Following the broadcast of the documentary, The Music in Me, about the northern Sydney dance group The Merry Makers in mid 2008, on ABC1, a number of new dance groups have been established in other areas, after consultation with The Merry Makers. Here is the latest one to come to our notice:

A new Dance Group for people with a disability - everyone is welcome, all ages,, boys and girls

Saturday afternoons from 2.30pm to 4.30pm
during school terms

in Artarmon (Sydney)

Classes expected to start by the end of February 2009

For more information please contact: Pam 02 9456 1165

Click here for a flyer you can print and pass on to friends.

Actor Blair Williamson co-stars in an episode of Scrubs, Channel 7

SCRUBS currently screens 10.30 pm Thursdays, 7 Network

Blair Williamson plays Craig a patient of Dr. Cox, actor John C. McGinley (in "My Lawyers in love", Season 8, episode 8). Now that Dr. Cox is Chief of Staff his duties are keeping him from patient care. He promises Craig he will be there for a biopsy of his lymph node, but doesn’t show. Craig is angry, all the while J.D., Zack Braff, is consumed with his own sparse beard.

National Down Syndrome Society (USA), e-Newsletter, February 2009

On US email lists, where the episode has already screened, people have commented that the character Craig having Down syndrome is not actually explicitly stated - it's not what the episode is about. He's a patient, and just happens to have Down syndrome, and it's well done. Of course, with John McGinley being the US patron of Buddy Walk (see this post), that's what you'd expect.

SCRUBS Season 8 began screening this week, so if the schedule remains unchanged, we'd expect it to air on 19th March, but we'll confirm closer to the date.

Click here to see Blair Williamson's IMDB entry.

Creative Leisure Classes in 2009 for people with intellectual disabilities: Rozelle

Rozelle Neighbourhood Centre (in Sydney's inner west) runs a variety of creative leisure classes for people with intellectual disabilities.The programme is open to people with all levels of ability. All classes are tutored by arts professionals and assisted by a trained support worker.

Classes are run in 4 eight week terms per year and cost $60 per 8 week term.

Creative Arts
Monday evenings 6-7.15pm Ages 18+
Colour, tactile experience, art, movement, sound and rhythm.This class is open to people with all levels of ability.

Music
Monday night 7.30-8.45pm Ages 18+
Drumming, singing, improvisation, directing music, group work and solo work.The music class is popular with people with all levels of ability.

Drama
Tuesdays 5-6.30pm
Ever After Theatre Company Workshops Ages 14-25
Drama skills, voice work, movement, character work, play building and performance making. This group is suitable for people who have some experience with drama.

Tuesdays 6.30-8pm Ages 18+
Movement, voice, drama skills exercises, story building, character work and play-making. Absolute beginners to drama welcome.

If you would like to know more about the classes would or join a class in 2009 please contact:

Sue Johnston
Rozelle Neighbourhood Centre
Phone: 9555 8988
E-mail leisure@rnc.ngo.org.au

Leisure Options is funded by the Department of Ageing Disability and Homecare under their Disability Services Program

www.rozellecentre.org.au

www.myspace.com/everaftertheatrecompany