600 Castles: Tai Chi Film Shoot at Kidwelly Castle

Photographs taken by Mair Watts, Deputy Head at Bigyn Primary

I have written a song for my production called;

600 Castles

There are 600 castles on the coastline of West Wales all in varying states of decay and/or repair.

The main  character  in my production is Dafydd who sets off to find
'The Stillness of Decay'
on his quest and finds himself at Kidwelly Castle.

A group of nearly 50 children & teachers from Bigyn Primary School came to the Castle, all dressed in black, ready to represent the stillness and slowness of decay...

... and Teena Gould kindly and beautifully led the group in a Tai Chi session. The very slow movements representing the almost unnoticed changes made in our architecture before our eyes.

I filmed them as a whole and then took off small groups who used their Tai Chi Inspiration in other settings .. the dungeons, the turrets, the hilltops  

It was really interesting that some of the children that we might have least expected, really connected with the Tai Chi on a deep level embracing an inner sense of calm.

Some children played out characterisations.

This is Jasmine as Princess Gwenllian the Brave who died on the battle fields at Kidwelly.

& off course, castles are also

a great place for a picnic!

I will edit this filmscape along with a series of Coastline Castle photographs kindly being taken by an amazing photographer; Darren Boxer 

 ... so that it becomes a projection backdrop for my song 600 castles, one in a series od song & filmscape as part of

the dragon tree

which is the produciton growing and now moving into bloom from my Fusion Inspire: Journey through the Creative Mind.

Many thanks to the Head, Deputy Head & dedicated teaching staff at Bigyn Primary School for trusting the fusion of inspiration & supporting their children to come and take part.

Warm thanks to Tai Chi Instructor Teena Gould.

Many thanks to Kidwelly Castle and Cadw

And special thanks to The Arts Council of Wales for my Individual Mainline Grant.