Hidden Faces
On 29 November there was a program entitled Hidden Faces at Belconnen Arts Centre
as part of the celebrations around International Day of People with Disability. The material presented in the program was the end product of visual arts and theatre training for
people living with disability including with lived experience of mental illness.
The fruits of the IGNITE Alternative arts Academy program the conducted during the
year were an exhibition of artworks and costumes and a number of theatrical performances, some of which featured the costumes. There were also performances by Canberra Dance Theatre’s CDTeens, the BAC Dance for People with Parkinsons and a
Canberra-based singer songwriter Ruth O’Brien (who is a current recipient of the Australia Council’s Artist with a Disability Program grant).
The dancing by the young people involved with CDTeens celebrated an African style of
moving and rhythm, whilst that by the older People with Parkinsons demonstrated their
multiple approaches to exercise and confidence building.
St Margaret’s member, Joel Swadling, was involved in the program. Joel was a “slightly
over the top” MC a fashion parade in which other participants modelled the aforementioned costumes. He also performed a “rehearsed reading” of “The defenestration of
citizen candidate X” by Adam Le Fevre, an American monologue play. Joel’s excellent
performance was very well received by the audience.
Photos by Brian Rope
St Margaret’s News
3
December 2015