We came to Salzburg with EDge to dance. And, I found some unexpedted things of surprising beauty: Arriving at the airport and the first thing you see is mountains with hugging ribbon clouds. Standing by the key hole of the heavy door to the chapel listening to the Franciscan choir practice; hearing their soaring operatic notes swing high. The smell of the old churches creeping out of a door that is held ajar by an old book. Hearing someone on the 4th floor in a palazzo apartment practicing their piano whilst they unknowingly hold an audience below in the square. Purposely getting lost in the old town and using the cathedral dome to find your way back around the old cobbled streets. Being invited by Susan to SEAD (Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance) - an amazing ... read more

It's two years since I've been to an English Coastal town, so I got pretty excited at going to Totnes. Totnes is cute but much to my disappointment - I found it's not by the sea and it hasn't got a beach and I thought I knew Devon and Cornwall. But it did have endless quaint shops, houses going up hills and around corners, tea houses, cake shops, organic places, pubs and a plant market where I bought a Chinese Bamboo for the performance. And, I really enjoyed just being in an old English seasideish quaint town - though of course let's not forget it - it's not by the sea. And, EDge's first performance in our UK leg of the tour went really well. I was very proud. To see a small clip of Jamila ... read more

why is it that for the past four nights I have been woken by a dream of Shanghai and the sound of clinking cutlery? why is the woman in the yellow shawl alone? walking down the steps in Parliament Square? Why is it so easy to give away my dream to a daughter who deserves the chance? and, why was it so easy for the boy with blue skin to fill the vessel of trust with lies and deceipt? laying down the ghost around the corner? when, trust would have been the key to my heart? and being powerless is a two way thing. and why do some people live by lies and some by love and honour? now I have made a home in a yard in old Suzhou, in the kennel of a dog, ... read more

If you know anything about China, you will know that there are professional photo shops everywhere for bridal couples to have pre wedding photos. Chinese girls also like to have their own set of professional photos too - for no reason. It's cheap, it's funny and it's totally fake. here is what patti and I did today. 3 changes of clothes, 3 hair styles, full make up and 3 photo shoots - 2 outside and 1 in with full entourage, cameraman, hair dresser / make up artist, cardigan carrier, accessory carrier and me - oh, and many people staring. Within 1 week, 1 professional photograph album and 2 large framed photgraphs. 588rmb. by the way, these are my photos - not theirs. Their's will go to nana and grandads. ... read more

I have received some very special letters in my life time. I remember some beautiful words type written on old newspaper images, medium format photographs overprinted with text, a box with a brooch and a photograph and an encouragement, a card with a message of hidden love, a note from a provost, a thank you from a duchess, a card from my mother, a letter from my daughter after I had left her when she was 9 years old but today, I received a letter beyond comparison to anything else I have ever received. It came from a man who lives in a one roomed house in China, in the old lanes of Suzhou, who grows plants up plastic twine to make a shade in a yard in the searing heat of the Chinese summers. It ... read more