MOTION FESTIVAL - Clonakilty Convention 2009 (25th-27th September)

Now in its 5th year, the “Clonakilty Convention” continues to evolve, pushing beyond the “juggling” boundaries and aims to include all forms of body and object movement and manipulation arts:

- Object manipulation - juggling in all its forms,

- Movement - dance, martial arts (capoiera, tai chi, kung fu, etc) urban arts (breakdance, parkour, etc), etc

- Performance - theater, clowning, improvisation, etc,

- Physical and mental fitness - Alexander technique, yoga, massage, nutritional therapy for you art form etc

- And many related elements such as learning techniques, sound manipulation (beatbox, instrument experimentation and manipulation), etc etc.


Also as we attempt to bring the convention more and more to the people of the town with a public fire show, children’s workshops, gala show and the games in the centre of town. To have such an amazing gathering of talent and skills in one place and for only us to witness it is a great shame. The impact that an event like this can have is not to be underestimated, especially as we plant the seeds for the next generation of jugglers, performers and artists.


We have renamed the convention “Motion Festival” in an attempt to create an event welcoming all types of these skills as well as making it a bit more public friendly, and so that next year while I apply for grants and talk to town councillors I don’t have to struggle with the mouthful of “Clonakilty object manipulation and movement convention”!


This convention aims to be a serious learning experience for the people involved, to push the level of circus and performance arts and skills and to really make this a weekend of reaching for the next level. To make an event to expose people to many different skills and ways, to give people a chance to take that very difficult first step into the unknown (as dance was for me) and to open the door for people so they can leave having tried something new so the next time it will be all the easier. I want people to be able to easily choose between the many beautiful ways, to combine the different art forms together and to create new amazing things…. And also to have some serious shindiggery!!!


Artists include: Aragorn "Bishop" Boulanger (windstyle, dance + movement), Matthias Romir "Pinball Paranoia" (club, ball and experimental juggling and manipulation), Nico (contact juggling, movement and balance), Nicolas Longuechaud (hoop manipulation), Camille (club swinging and manipulation), Cecilia Manfrini and Lukas Wiesner (Acrobatics, Contortion, Juggling), Meg Claire Pike "MCP" (Staff), Darragh McLoughlin (Ball Juggling), Chloe De Buyl Pisco (Dance), Ronan McLoughlin (Poi), Keith Marshall (Poi), Cyrille Humen (Poi), Thomas Johannson (Poi)
See http://www.clonakiltyconvention.com/?title=Artists for more details


This year we are arranging street performance pitches in the centre of Clonakilty – a great way for people to help cover their costs/make some money while at the convention as well as entertainment for the town and a way to let people know what is going on. Send me an email if you or your group would like to sign up! http://www.clonakiltyconvention.com/?title=Contact


We are looking for volunteers to help run everything once again. As the event becomes more and more complex we need more and more help to make sure things run smoothly and I’m not stressed out of my brain. Please contact us if you are up for volunteering, people who volunteer for extended periods of time may be rewarded with food and possibly even free entry. We are looking for people to help set up, decorate, steward people during the public events, teach childrens workshops, etc, etc. please get involved. Send me a message http://www.clonakiltyconvention.com/?title=Contact


For more info on the convention check www.clonakiltyconvention.com


hope to see ye there



Ronan

maybe this year ..would be nice !!

fresh irish air would be good !!

got some new pics from a gig in hamburg just to share

http://www.flickr.com/search/?s=int&q=flambal+olek&m=text

or www.flickr.com search (suchen) flambal olek

ronan are you going to ejc in spain this year ??!1

love

guide

josh

Ahhh Clon!! It was bloody magic last year (^_^)
Will definitely be making it again this year

yes yes yes yes yes!

cya all there

Clonakilty? The home of the best black pudding (and white pudding) in the world?

*ponders*

So what a line up we have for you this year!

Including:
- Aragorn "Bishop" Boulanger (windstyle, dance + movement)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e61M84h09e4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqITbKHA7bg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub6R5tix2Ow&feature=channel

- Matthias Romir "Pinball Paranoia" (club, ball and experimental juggling=manipulation)

-Nico (mexican contact juggling + acrobatics)\

-Nicolas Longuechaud (hoop manipulation)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzDdPd8OoXs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHGtODKKOd0&feature=fvw

-Camille (club swinging and manipulation)

- Cecilia Manfrini and Lukas Wiesner (Acrobatics, Contortion, Juggling)

- Meg Claire Pike "MCP" (Staff)

- Darragh McLoughlin (Ball Juggling)

- Chloe De Buyl Pisco (Dance)

- Ronan McLoughlin (Poi)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh3HWx1ozrY


More to come, stay tuned.

And those flights are very cheap at the moment. The closest airport is Cork, followed by Kerry, Shannon and then Dublin. check www.buseireann.ie for connecting buses to Clonakilty

Hope to see ye there

which camille is that ronan? teeny tiny cute girl, who was also at fayafest last year?

nope : the most famous French club swinger .. not @ last year's Faya

I WAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNA GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

but i won't, cause its the same weekend as the end of bristol

It's the weekend after, I thought?

sadly not - it has been every other year, but not this one.... brissle is always he weekend either side of/including the 21st sept.

Clonakilty has always been the last weekend of September, unfortunate about the clash.

But seriously Rob... you don't want to miss this!

adding to the list of artists coming to teach and perform this year we have...

Thomas Johannson and Cyrille Humen, anyone who's into poi may have heard of them.

Quality

wow,this is gona be a long Gala

So is there gona be 3 poi acts or is cyrille doin contact ball?

Updated the first post.

Any chance of some websites of bus companies that go from shannon to clona? Or like some directions as to how the hell to get there from well there?

Pretty please?

Sorry Meg, this is a journey you must make yourself



www.buseireann.ie search the journey planner

I thought I only had to face the gazebo alone?

Post the same post as I posted in the Ireland thread.....

Hello Ireland....

On my way to Clonakilty and was supposed to make a short visit at a friends place here in Dublin but he decided to go to Berlin so I´m left alone on the street (not really I´m in a hostel here in Dublin).
But hey, if anyone got a couch or some space on the hallway floor available for some nights I could offer free poi lessons and some lame swedish jokes in exchange

You can reach me easiest on "thomas@nevisoul.com"

Crossing my fingers to hear from fellow spinners over here....

Love and laughter

//Thomas

Possible early start to the convention. we may get the hall Thursday night - and that means all day Friday! To be confirmed - keep an eye on the website and here for further details.

convention approaching fast! I can't wait

BREAKING NEWS

We will be beginning the convention Thursday night for any early arrivals - exact time to be confirmed but 10pm at latest. This means we will be able to use the hall all of Friday instead of opening at 4pm. In exchange I have agreed to teach the morning PE classes circus skills. There are 3 one hour classes between 9am and 1pm. This should use up around half of the hall, leaving the rest for everyone else who want to play. If you have experience teaching beginner workshops we would really appreciate anyone who can give up an hour of their time to help.

so that means convention starts tomorrow....

CHHHHhaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggeeee!

You win all the prizes RONANATOR!

ZOMG How good was Motion Fest?

I really enjoyed it, saw some amazing things, learnt lots and was very inspired. All the acts I managed to see in the public show were amazing, the renegade was the most rowdy funniest renegade I've been to in a while, it was all pretty much great. Everybody who helped with the organisation deserves a big cake and some booze.

I loved the dance workshops thou it seemed there was a bit of a lack of organisation surrounding the workshops... that was the only thing that was not great about the festival thou.

Yup, really good convention, even if it was a bunch of stress for me, performing four times, why did I do that?? Hope your happy Ronoptimus Prime, you got your money's worth outta me. I hope you recover from the stress pretty soon, get loads of nice replies which flush with happiest, allowing you to forget the stress and be well up for doing it again next year...

I remember coming out of the public show when it was finished and some of the locals telling me they would donate more money, the show was so good. It was worth more than the entrance fee. That was cool.

Seeing aragorn playing musical statues was absolutely immense. And chatting with Paul as well as forcing him to do a second renegade trick with a wig on was also good times.

Great to see Ed and Sue again, as well as having an Edinburgh contingent to hang out with. Edinburgh CJ'ing will never be the same again I'm pretty sure...

Oh and Mattias's clubbing... hmmmmm, it's good. He's the bomb.

Okay, gotta go practise... good job guys

yeah clon was awesome! opening the hall on thursday night & friday was a great idea. a full extra day of convention...that never happens here! - and one of the best shows ive seen.
the fireshow was lovely too, aragorn's lighting the contact ball was really different and meg & keith, lads that was so cheesy! nice moves but the soundtrack! wow.
aragorns workshop was really fun too, hadnt done anything like that before. reminds me of tai chi in a way tho, the awareness you put into your body.
all in all a good weekend. well done everyone!

Hey guys, bit late now but still, better late than never!
Ronan & Darragh + co. Absolutely well done with Motion Festival.
I went last year and thought it was absolutely amazing. Didn't think that anything could top it; but then this year happened :L

The convention its self was amazing, watching so many people and so many different styles all in one place was the most inspiring thing for me.
The Public show was a fantastic display and I thoroughly enjoyed that.
The Gala was... just immense! All of the artists were just amazing, the Lords of Strut really did an amazing job as well Had me in stitches the whole time!
The renegade show was hilarious as well So well done there too (^_^)
The workshops were a bit over the place I must admit, though I did as many as my poor brain could digest (Sincere thanks to Ed, Aragorn, Chloe) and (Apologies to everyone else who's workshops I didn't make it to)
Many thanks to Ed, Sue, Meg, LJ, Brian (At least I think it was Brian) and Mark for introducing me to Carcassonne, congrats to Meg for the win as well Was hilarious to watch (^_^) I have since purchased this game and am slowly beginning to learn

Finally and most importantly, one thing that would make this event complete for me is if the shows were immortalised on the wonders of DVD. I know that a guy there (Steve I believe) had a big big shiny camera pointed at the shows the entire time!
So I beg you, make a super super super dvd of it! I would pay handsomely for such a thing and I'm sure others would too!

That is all!

-Dae-