The Talking Place, Nottingham

The Talking Place arrived (on the 20th of August) in Nottingham, in Sneinton Market.  Across the way from the market square, near the clock tower and the Wildlife Trust, opposite a couple of cafes and an easy stroll from Dance4's new home.People passing by, going about their weekends, wandered in and asked:

'What is this place?'

This weekend, it has been a place full of light. A place full of people, a place full of words. For Men. For Girls. For dance. For love, trust, touch, risk, play.And in this place we've heard stories of Sneinton market in the 60's. A social space, where adults from all over would come to meet, to talk, to hang out. Where children would play, watched by neighbours and stall holders, held aloft if they'd gone astray.

'Whose is this one?'

 We've seen, carefully spelt out in chalk, what it is to dance with men. To play with men. Be they fathers, friends, family, neighbours, someone you trust, someone you love.We've heard of climbing up uncles, of being flown by fathers, of how amazing it is to work with dancers.And we've heard about loss. How spaces where people can come together go quiet, then disappear.  How there's a time where you silently stop clambering about on funny family members, how there's a time you seem to learn to forget you can fly.This weekend has been sometimes cloudy, sometimes grey, with occasional rain and a strong breeze. This weekend has been full of sunshine. Full of hope and flight. Floods of light.- Words by Luke Pell.(Originally published on the Men & Girls Dance Talking Place blog - link)