Ann Frankham never thought of herself as creative. ‘I didn’t think I had a creative bone in my body,’ she admitted frankly.
But after she broke her leg and suffered from subsequent depression, a mental health service recommended she join Bundanon Trust’s HYPERREAL TALES project, a multi-disciplinary artwork involving film, dance and story.
‘I thought, “I’m in a wheelchair, how can I dance?” But then after a while, I realised what they were on about. They showed me that choreography isn’t just dance, it is movement. And I met a diverse group of people, all with different personalities and all with something to bring to the table.’
The group Frankham joined included people aged 10 to 65, all of whom had found themselves marginalized through their personal circumstances or disabilities.
Ann Frankham and Elizabeth Elder, participants in HYPERREAL TALES
Now she is an ambassador for Bundanon’s new project, 60+ PERFORMANCE, a performance project for older people, which began in August with information sessions and will culminate in a spectacular performance event in May 2019.
The project will be steered by a team of professional and experienced artists: Shoalhaven based classical singer and community arts worker Annette Tesoriero; choreographer and director Philip Channells who resides in the Northern Rivers Region and Sydney based composer Damian Barbeler. It will develop shape as it grows, and draw inspiration from the people involved.
‘Working with HYPERREAL TALES made me more confident, and more aware that even though I’m not a singer or a poet or a writer, we all have some creativity within us,’ she said.
‘I’ve always done some sort of community work, especially since I’ve retired. When you’re involved in something, and see a change in your own life, you want to share it with other people. Since HYPERREAL TALES, I’ve become involved in other projects in the community too, with children and all sorts of people.’
60+PERFORMANCE will involve the local Shoalhaven community as key creators and collaborators on the project. The organisers have met with a range of locals, including a belly dancer, a tuba player, a Scottish dancer and a poet. While the project will culminate in a final and spectacular event, the creative process will involve a number of unique steps along the way all of which will become integrated into or contribute to the final public event; participants will find themselves listening and singing on a river-boat, exploring and recording bush sounds to become part of an orchestrated composition, or take part in water choreography at the local pool.
Participants are able to be involved in a number of different ways – behind the scenes or in the limelight – it will be up to them. The project will be a collaborative effort and will be shaped by everyone who decides to be part of it.
‘I love that there are no rules. We have no idea what the end result will be. Because of the diversity of everyone involved, the composers and directors will glean bits and pieces from listening to people’s stories then go from there,’ said Frankham.
One of the key parts of the project is a focus on creative ageing. Community involvement, regular movement and meeting new people can help reduce the isolation and health issues associated with ageing. Frankham said that being part of Bundanon projects played a part in her recovery from a breakdown. ‘At Bundanon, everyone is included, regardless of their capabilities. They helped me realise that everyone has an ability to make use of your skills and to challenge yourself, to find your niche and realise that that’s just as important as anyone else’s skills.
‘Mental health is still so stigmatised. Most people aren’t aware that even Winston Churchill was bipolar.
‘Bundanon brings the whole community together.’
