Contact. Phone 0151 677 7631
E mail: info@mouseonthemove.co.uk
Web Address: www.mouseonthemove.co.uk
Personal details
Born in Liverpool in 1963, I am single, and have lived on the Wirral for most of my adult life. Until I was 31, I had very limited ability to communicate, until I was provided with electronic speech aids, first by friends, later by the health service, and more recently by the "Access to Work" scheme. I believe that I am, at present, the only dance workshop leader in the world who uses an electronic speech aid.
Educational Qualifications
In my youth, I had limited academic education, in Specialist institutions.
Since 1998, I have attended many short courses to fill in some of the gaps in my education, in areas useful to my present life.
- Digital Video Editing. NOCN. 1credit level 1
- Facilitated Communication Training. Bolton Institute. 20 credit. grade A
- DEE. Disability Equality in Education. "Training the Trainer"
- D.A.T.A.Disability Awareness Training Agency. "Training the Trainer"
- "Disabled Artists into Work". CADT and North West DAF. NVQ level3
- "Leading the Way" Workshop leaders course. LIPA. JMU certificate of professional development.
- CLAIT. Computer literacy. IBMC Birkenhead. RSA stage 1
Arts Workshops, Courses and Events attended.
- Xtra ’04 Dance showcase and networking event. Lancaster.
- Cheshire Dance courses. "Bloom" Fresh. Residential. At Ludus. Courses on Artistic practice, and work with community groups. Recognising , celebrating diversity. Advisory sessions and action learning sets.
- BlueEyed Soul, Dance improvisation workshop course.
- "Soundability" Soundbeam training.
- Forum theatre course. Enabling Theatre Co. Hebden Bridge. Augusto Boal.
- "CANDOCO". Dance residency and performance.
- Drake music project, courses, workshops and performances.
- "Tourism for All" training – Merseyside Disability Federation.
- Cheshire Dance – Child & Vulnerable Adult Training (September 2005).
Voluntary Work and Experience from 1995--2004
I have given dance workshops, projects and performances, disability equality presentations and Public speaking engagements.
- I have worked for charities and community groups, such as PHAB, Scope, Stockport Cerebral Palsy society, One Voice, Communication Matters, Barnardos, Merseyside CALL (communication aids lending library).DARE foundation (the RITE project) ACE Oxford. NWDAF. The Greenbank project. Liverpool. The Calderdale involvement project.
- DATA (disability awareness training)
- I have worked in many schools nationwide, including Wirral schools, and schools in Wigan, Oldham, Chester, Liverpool, Halifax and London.
- I have worked for many public and private bodies including the Royal College of Nursing, the NHS, RIBA(Royal Institute of British Architects), NAEP (National Association of Equipment Providers), CAPITA, the DLCC. Social Services Day Centres.
CONFERENCES ATTENDED
I have attended many national conferences.
- RADA Jan 2004 Disability, Training, employment and performance.
- Dancing Differently. Foundation for Community Dance.
- New Beginnings. Unum provident .London.
- NAEP national conferences.
- RCN conferences. Stafford.
- CRT (Community Rehab Teams) conference Liverpool.
- Communication Matters. 8yrs
- E.A.T. Symposium, Liverpool
I have attended many more conferences on disability issues and dance, and given presentations and workshops at many of them.
SELF EMPLOYMENT
In March 2004, I became self employed. I started my own business, "MOUSE ON THE MOVE" giving Dance workshops, Performances, Presentations and Training across the country including:
- "Colourscape", workshops and performances in Liverpool, Croydon and Bromley and North London. Performance at Clapham Common Festival.
- Wigan Social Services. Hunter Lodge Club House. Dance Workshops and Independence Workshop.
- Wigan Education Service. Mere Oaks school. Dance and Independence.
- Calderdale Parents & Carers Council. Dance workshops.
- Oldham Education Service. Dance workshops.
- Wirral Education Authority. Inclusive Education
- Bolton Institute. Communication Rights.
- Merseyside CALL
- Mere Oaks school. Shooting Stars Club. Dance workshop.
- Warrington Council. Disability Awareness Day. Performance.
- CandLE. At Bolton institute, and Nottingham Educational Psychology Dept. Communication Rights.
- SticknStep. Wirral Dance and Disability Rights.
- Stockport Cerebral Palsy Society. Dance Workshops.
- BBC3 performance in comedy pilot programme "I’m with Stupid"
- Pyramid Arts Centre – performance as part of Nexus
- Chailey Heritage School, East Sussex
- St Thomas More School, Oxfordshire. Dance, music and movement workshops followed by
performance.
- Manchester Metropolitan University Speech and Language Therapist Society. Independence and Communication.
- Chestnut Lodge School, Widnes. Dance Workshops.
- Centre 404, London. Communication training.
- ArtsAatack, Edinburgh. Dance workshops.
- Wirral family Friends. Equality Training.
- Oldham 1 to 1. Equality training.
- IBK Transitions Conference, York - September 2007
- Levens CE Primary Scool - Dance Workshops. September 2007
AND MANY MORE!
PROJECT COORDINATION
- Cosmic Celebrations- 12 month workshop package culminating in a performance by workshop participants at Pacific Rd Theatre, Wirral. Funded by Scope Millennium Award grant - £8000
- Seventeen- Choreographed dance piece using sound beam, performed by 3 men (disabled and able-bodied) performed at The Brewery Arts Centre Kendal. Funded by North West Disability Arts Forum - £2000
- Exploration Workshops with 6 able-bodied dancers exploring ways to make myself more integrated within choreography and the issues it brings out both from the environment and the artistically. Funded by Unlimited – £2500
DANCE SHOWCASES
In 2005, I performed in the Leap, "Moving on Merseyside" Festival and "Nexus" at Warrington, Pyramid Art Centre. These both showcased my latest piece, "You and Me", jointly choreographed and performed with Emily Grainger. I wrote the music to accompany this piece.
MUSIC
I write my own computer-generated music, both for pleasure and for use in my Dance. To date, I have compiled 2 CD’s of my work.
TELEVISION
In January 2005, I was approached by a casting director working on behalf of the BBC. She was looking for two wheelchair users to take part in a BBC3 Comedy Pilot. Although I did not get the part I auditioned for, they were so impressed that they wrote in an extra character, using a communication aid. "I’m With Stupid" was filmed in February and first shown on 21st March. It stars Mark Benton, Paul Henshall, Ruth Jones and Kevin Davies. The pilot was so well received that BBC3 commissioned a six-part series, which was filmed in February and March and was screened in September/October 2006.
FUTURE PLANS
- I have received an Arts Council Grant to enable me to work in a number of Wirral Schools, running Dance Workshops.
- I have been invited to speak at the Assist UK (formerly the DLCC) National Conference –"Improving Life Chances".
- I will be filming for the BBC in January and February.
- The exploratory project that I undertook needs to be documented. I hope to produce a teaching DVD for distribution.
- In the longer term, I am considering the opportunities for a local Dance Studio.
Alan Martin
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