By Roseanne Leota
RUCKUS is Barbarian Productions’ creative practice week for independent artists. It celebrates the messy, noisy nature of creating live performance and gives participants a warm, fun, community-centric space to work on their ideas. Home Ground participated in the week-long August 2023 season, developing ideas for a public performance.
In a world that often seems too fast-paced and structured, there's something incredibly liberating about allowing ourselves to embrace the chaos, the uncharted territory, and the unknown. We're extremely grateful to Barbarian Productions for providing the time and space to explore, grow and work on a week of creative practice.
Held at their home, the Vogelmorn Bowling Club, this event is community-driven creativity. Artists of all levels and skills embrace the chaos and uncertainty of the creative process - rehearsal space included, and mentorship. Jo and Thomas were generous with their insights and expertise.
What Ruckus was NOT was locking oneself away in a room; it's about inhabiting the space, connecting with fellow artists, and building a sense of belonging within that community. The ability to creatively lean into our unknown, guided by the lived experiences and generosity of others. It's a journey of self-discovery, a celebration of community, and an exploration of creativity.
Ruckus, was for me, the spirit of adventure, the audacity to try something new, and the courage to challenge my own perceptions.
Whilst embarking on a ruckus journey was deeply personal, our experience was enriched by the presence of other ruckus-makers and our supportive Home Ground community. The lived experiences and generosity of others including Ella from Java, our newest volunteer Harriet, and a lemon surprise from Jhan (and the girls) were invaluable guides on this uncharted path. When we come together, we create a network of shared wisdom and encouragement that helps us navigate the uncertainties of creativity.
And oh the insights of a clown. The peeled back, stripped bare perception that wasn't at all the reality. What a gift the clown workshop was. I thought there may be a Sascha fierce lingering to be revealed, but alas there was just me - and at that time - stage front and centre, spoke volumes to me.
The ruckus journey was not about arriving at a specific destination, it was about the process itself. It's about unraveling our creativity's layers, unpacking the fears and doubts that hinder us, and exploring our soul's whispers. We gave ourselves permission to extend our creative reach, to challenge the limits we'd imposed on ourselves, and to reaffirm that creativity is a journey without a predetermined endpoint. Embracing beginnings without ends, ends without middles, and the middles in limbo, recognising that the most beautiful works of art can often emerge from these messy scenarios. Of which we did create some beautiful works. Writing works that dripped from our fingertips like the sweat from our brows, prompted by an expressive movement, injected with inspirational beats. The words, written and unspoken, others breathing into the light of day, danced gracefully amongst the shadows. In a world that often demands conformity and certainty, it was a reminder that life's most profound moments are found in the unpredictable, the unconventional, and the unknown.
We came, we saw, we RUCKUS'D, and in doing so, we discovered the boundless potential of our own creativity. Now we enter an audio journey, our next big adventure...
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