Testimonials

Thanks to all at the Awakenings Festival
Thanks to all the staff and students at Horsham SDS, St Brigid's College, Horsham North Primary School and Haven Primary School for letting me bring Karaoke and performances to all your schools. You have been great children.
I would also like to thank the general public who saw my performances at Nexus and Roberts Place and a special thanks to the people that attended my songwriting workshop. I’m glad we all came up with a great song. It’s good to see lots of new and different performances each year I attend. Keep up the good work each and every one of you and I hope to c’ya all again in 2008.
From Chalker and Kransky.

Dear Festival Friends, Thank you so much for another exciting Festival. All 22 of our performers had a fantastic time, and our 14 support workers were wowed by it all. Please thank all the regular Festival supporters for us, from the fantastic cookie bakers at the Red Cross (a treat to which everyone looks forward) to the Manager of Dominos pizzeria -- those coupons make a world of difference to our budget.
Thanks also to the fantastic tech staff who work wonders in a matter of minutes. And to the volunteers in the INFO garage who were always gracious.
PJ Rose, Artistic Director, NO Strings Attached Theatre of Disability, South Australia

Thank you so much for your amazing hard work in putting together the Awakenings Festival this year. It was my first visit and I had a great time and was inspired by lots of the things I saw. The five members of our drama group loved it and are keen to come back next year. It really strengthened the group attending the festival together.
Felicity Johnson, Creatability Network, Bendigo

I've been so busy myself Ive hardly had time to hear much of Gerald's story, but as you only get little bits of it at a time it's gradually coming out. I certainly knew right from the day he got home that he had had a WONDERFUL time. Thank you so much for your part in that, and all the help you gave me in getting the trip organised.
Michelle said she's still digesting the experience, but I can see the thought of bringing a bigger group is forming in her mind -- that's what I hoped this exercise might achieve.
Rosemarie Smith, sister of visual artist Gerald Smith (NZ)

Hi Denise, thanks so much to yourself, all your wonderful volunteers and Wimmera Uniting Care for providing us with the opportunity to attend your community’s marvelous awakenings festival. It was a feast for the senses, an outrageous celebration of difference, an affirmation that “anything is possible” in the arts. Beyond the opportunity that is offered to present their work to an public audience, we hope the artists involved realize they are a part of a worldwide cultural movement. We were truly inspired by the local and visiting artists and performers. Maintain the Art Rage.
James Newton and Kim Schnieders, Visual Artist, Tasmania

I was lucky enough to be invited to perform at the awakenings festival this year with dance partner Scott Kenney. I was also lucky enough to be sponsored for this by the Uniting Care Fund...Having never been to this festival before I would like to respond by giving my heartfelt thanks and to tell a little of the impact of this funding for myself.
Two of our performances were done in schools alongside the musical entertainment of Funky Turtles and Phil and Kransky Karaoke As I am trained in Primary Education and have also worked within High Schools as a Health Educator I was heartened to see the reactions of both Primary School children and High School students to the dances that we presented and to the musical entertainment that was given by other artists from the Awakenings festival. The feedback given to us from students, teachers and parents were that the performance afternoons brought a sense of fun, inclusion, encouragement and for some students with disabilities the opening to possibilities for music and/ or dance expression.
I feel deep respect and appreciation for the community of Horsham for hosting this festival and for the Festival organisers that obviously do great work and with such enthusiasm and hospitality. All of our events and trip details were well organised l and we were given a warm welcome to the festival. I loved the atmosphere of inclusiveness and celebration.
As I have a dance/ theatre background I excited to perform the dance that Scott and I have choreographed ourselves, an expressive ballet piece performed to KD Laing’s Hallelujah plus the Jive dance performed to “We love to Boogie” which was choreographed for us. I also able to enjoy events presented by the Awakenings festival in dance, theatre and music. I particularly enjoyed “the Different Light” theatre group with their production of ‘Ship of Fools” and found this production to be innovative, creative, insightful and inclusive. The piece commented on physical and mental disabilities and the difficulties that differences and labels can present. I was inspired by this group for future creative possibilities in movement and physical theatre.
At the Awakenings ball I was able to see in action the great sense of celebration of all people regardless of abilities of disabilities. I was moved to see whole families together at an event which is inclusive of all and which provided an opportunity for some people who do not usually have many chances to enjoy music and the arts.
I was appreciative of the power of dance as audience members approached Scott and I after we had performed at the ball to express the emotions that they felt. Though struggling with my own physical difficulties throughout the week at Horsham I was honoured and grateful to have had a chance to perform at the ball with Scott Kenney whose enthusiasm, creativity and joy of life make him a wonderful dance partner . A thousand thankyous...
Joanna Zielinska (dance partner of Scott Kenney) NSW