Moving with Prapto

I have such deep gratitude for moving with Prapto adn learnign from him again  (after 7years)  I see how much my practice has deepened and expanded.. and ... how much more I have to learn about life, movement and existence.

What particularly inspired and touched me was the atmosphere and non verbal aspects of the teaching and the space Prapto facilitated. 

Entelechy Arts 21st Century Tea Dance Project

I really love the work of Entelechy Arts; integrity, heart and vision.

Over the years I have had several connections with them, having taken part in workshops (Multi sensory work and movement) also worked with Rebecca Swift, (who did some wonderful mentoring and documenting of a movement and music project which I did with Dance Artist Rebecca Skelton, working with Adults with Learning disabilities) both of these experiences were significant influences in my MovingSound work

Gabrielle Roth: The Spiritual Power of Dance

Gabrielle Roth: The Spiritual Power of Dance

inspiring. work... and writing. !!

Anna Halprin documentary Returning Home by Andy Abrahams Wilson

Inspiring documentary about the dance, creative, movement work of Anna Halprin. profound and inspiring .  wise words from one of our elders

Anna Halprin

If I can be this creative and this vibrant at the age of 85 it will be SO inspiring!! .. love her enquiry, integrity and artisty

YouTube - Pentatones - Hidden

love the fluidness of the flying flowing movement in this video

PINA Baush- Dance, dance, otherwise we are lost on Vimeo

One of my greatest creative inspirations

PINA - Dance, dance, otherwise we are lost from neueroadmovies on Vimeo.

Antony an the Johnsons_ My Lord My Love on Vimeo

Antony an the Johnsons_ My Lord My Love from Wolf Jaiser on Vimeo.

and... hidden away I found this. it ties to great artistic inspiraitons in my life, Ismael Ivo, and my sister Rebecca. -- some of her best work I saw happening when we worked on a piece with Ismeal. he made her shine in the piece he did with us.

YouTube - Ismael Ivo Portrait Trailer

in the laste 80's I had the great privilege to work with Ismael Ivo and write and play music for a dance theatre piece he created, and play a solo viola improvisation in front of 2,000 people at the VienTanz Woken

Anita Roddicks death - connecting up some threads

Many years ago, wow, 20 actually, (in 1987) I was involved in taking part in setting up Common Ground Sign Dance Theatre, a cooperative of deaf hearing, disabled non disabled people and people with mental health problems.

Having just heard that Anita Roddick has died I remembered my connection with her. It was one Sunday afternoon when I was in the office on my own doing some fund raising, wondering if it was possible, was it worth it to continue to try to get the fledgling company going.

I was looking thru the list of possible funders and had this intuition to call The Body Shop Office and yes, its true, a Sunday afternoon and Anita answered the phone. I told her the vision of what it was we were doing of exploring the arts as a mixed group of people and of finding a Common Ground between performers from different cultural and social backgrounds between deaf and hearing people and people with different disabilities.

This was a decisive moment and, not many people know, that at that point I was wondering if all these hours day s and weekends I was spending , often on my own in the office was worth it ( though a musician and performer in the company most of my life now was in an office, only very rarely did I get into the studio or do performances or workshop with company) I was seriously considering whether I wanted to carry on. I'd learnt how to use a computer and spreadsheet, do a business plan ( one the Livewire completion) and got a grant from the Scottish Arts Council but we need some extra money, or the first tour for Common Ground would not go ahead and what turned out for me for me an involvement in an extraordinary 10 year social and cultural experiment would probably not have happened.

A while after I left the company split and there are now two incarnations; one a more deaf focused deaf arts company, the other more an arts focused arts company. Along the way many people passed thru the company learning and training in this experimental cauldron. Amongst the people that went thru the company we had people that went on to become director of Graeae Theatre, one of the deaf trainees became the present director of CGSDT, the co director of Green Candle Dance Company also contributed a great deal to the company. We had people of different ethnic backgrounds, people who we discovered (when they died) had aids, and one of the company members who struggled on and off with bouts of mental health problems, ended up taking her life. So , all in all, we were exploring many of the rough raw edges of life.

It was extraordinary to explore, wrestle, and tussle with the creative aspects of white western arts culture, deaf culture, disability culture; it was the mid 80's and quite a melting pot. It was however not only the creative exploration but also the often more hidden social things we were grappling with.

When I had that Sunday afternoon conversation with Anita I seem to remember that she didn't actually say she'd give any money, I do remember her great enthusiasm, support and encouragement for what we are doing and I though that was that and with renewed inspiration decided to carry on and give it another go. To my surprise a few days later a cheque for £500 arrived in the office and that meant we could go on our first tour.; a few months later I was driving the community transport hire van up the M1; we were heading to Scotland for 3 weeks for our first tour . ( subsequently we toured throughout the UK, and overseas including Denmark, Estonia, Venezuela getting all the associated sponsorship and grant funding along the way.

Now I am doing my own work and which I've called Moving Sound and have performed and lead workshops in many countries around the world. I've continued to use and develop my passion for sound and movement, and provide fun profound and deep ways to go into unknown territory and come back inspired with amazing and beautiful jewels. I work with small groups and individuals, taking people on a very profound and deep Personal Journey, to explore things that are important to them about their personal or professional lives.

Along the way I've also become a certificated Trainer and Consultant and taken my work into the corporate world with Moving Sound Business to help people look at team and group dynamics, and discover inspiring and surprising new possibilities for a particular topic or challenge.

Playing music continues as something very precious to me, whether it's playing in small intimate setting in a house concert or as part of mediation, yoga or healing retreat or to welcome people at large conference events or to give them a moment to pause, reflect and assimilate during the day.

I continue to do projects in the community ( schools, old peoples homes, hospitals, open drop in groups) these Moving Sound sessions explore sound and movement to inspire people to journey deeper in their lives and with each other, and give opportunities for people to share with each other on a deeper level with and without words.

Whichever context I do this work in, I'm constantly amazed and humbled at how sound and movement and non verbal conversations can inspire, heal and uplift.

Exploring the seemingly unseen and unheard connections between people continues as a main focus and inspiration. That's developed to include the connections and interconnections we have with this beautiful planet we live on and this extraordinary thing of being alive and of existence. I'm amazed at this and by the miracles, marvels and challenges of life and the unknown, and the great creative force and potential of limitless possibilities - no wonder I call my company Infinite Source.

It was actually soon after speaking with Anita that at 4am one morning the name and vision of Infinite Source was created . For a while I had it registered as a limited company to support the beginnings of Common Ground Sign Dance Theatre. I I've had it 'hidden' in the background. ( and have had and kept the website for many years) several years ago I recorded and made a CD 'Iona' and have used Infinite Source as the recording label, Moving Sound is also an Infinite Source Project.

Recently in looking at how I take my work forward after taking a couple of years off, I've been talking with several people about the branding of what I do and as I revisit and write this story I am again being re inspired by the bigger vision of Moving Sound and Infinite Source.

Singing and Moving in Merlins Cave Tintagel

Tintagel is an extraordinary place on the north coast of Cornwall, in SW England. I went there yesterday and got to sing and move in Merlin's cave.




















I 've been to Tintagel several times but never before gone down to the cave. Tintagel it's self has a very powerful energy and I get a sense of seeing through into another world. Below the Castle on the island is a cave uncovered at low tide and which wind and sea rush through.

As I entered the cave form the beach I entered the cave and walked to the middle, waves crashing at the far end, wind blowing strongly through it was as if I grasped the heart of the energy of this powerful place.

I plan to return again to have longer time and sty nearby. Then I will drop deeper and to tune more into this wild and extraordinary place. I hope to and record some more, this time with a mic with wind shield ( not just just my stills camera).

Playing for 5 Rythms in Exeter with Fanny Behrens

On Wednesday night I played music for a movement class with Fanny Behrens. She holds an amazing space and I LOVE the ease and flow of working with her. She's a 5 Rhythms dance teacher, though her work is 'influenced by' rather than having a 5 Rhythms focus; It's a movement, meditation, enquiry ..

She journey's in a way I like to with sound. . . Its such a journey to uncover, discover 'presence' ... alive .. space . . sitting in 'nothing', entering in many places … waiting … watching, sensing what is arising and for me discovering what new sound wants to emerge.

When I arrived to set up I was welcomed so warmly and had some magical helping. .. a free flowing .. ease .. In a couple of places in the evening I joined in moving in the space where no music was needed, also SUCH a deep connection for me through movement.

So AMAZING to see and feel through the evening the responses in others, in myself and how easily I can step into that opening doorway - - last night and this morning I felt such pain, from sensing that opening so deeply, I sensed the SO lack of that kind of connection and openness in my family and thru school years .. such wounding washed by such deep tears . . . left with such gratitude



I SO love being in a space and with people who really 'get' what I do, where I'm trusted to be and am free to be me. I feel really alive doing this kind of spontaneous playing of what is arising, shifting moving energies responding to what is arising enhancing and supporting that; it calls me present in a very powerful way ...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Part of the journey of Wednesday night is at my Loving Thoughts blog http://degraal.blogspot.com/2006/09/celebrating-and-mourning.html

If you're curious about what Fanny does check her website www.being moved.com

Dance in public places, in life - travelling back from croatia

It's taking awhile to digest what I experienced in Spring dance in Croatia. - here's snippet along the way in My journey back to England:

Waiting for the bags, moving, running spinning rising, flowing ... responding to energies and movements in the space. space in my body, space around .. feeling my body. - the tightness the flight dissolving .. . simply by staying with the movement, as it is. the sights, sounds lights and bodies coming and going my music, my breath my music, my heart my music, the pumping of my blood my music. the changing electronic displays my music.

I twist and turn to the baggage claim .. a clear knowing of exactly where to stand and sit and wait after 10mins of inertia the man next me says "this waiting is like eternity." .. . I 'wake up' slightly .. from my dead trance of waiting. . . . some humour in my response as I stand up "especially if you only have 5 mins for the train." Again I am present to this. the tension in my body, the now nervousness of my heartbeat .. and breath . . ? who knows!! Eternity doesn't last for ever .. . almost immediately my suitcase of instruments is there. .. then . I'm off . . not consciously thinking about it but. yes SO going for the empty spaces running, weaving in-between the bodies . . people 'bocking' somehow I continue to see a way through. flying through customs and out through the narrow funnel of the exit, still there are spaces .. up to the lift door. NO lift. . push the button .. no lift. *this* time I continue in motion continue to breathe in this 'still' space. Into the lift, how did I get there so quickly near the exit door, pres the button entry doors close . . down we go . .. 1 minute to go. doors open I and the trolley are one. I fly across the hall to the platform, luggage trolley and station staff moving into the spaces , fluid body adjusts weight, trolley spins.I arrive at the door of the train. 1, 2, . . . 3 viola, all in I breathe. all I seem to be is the breath. 30 second later , the door closes. WOW.

Giving it up: the time from arrival of plane to departure of train is too short. the space I want to go into is full of people. Somehow in both, I had a sense of giving it up and going into the empty space. simply moving there, resting there, flowing there, 'flying' there.

I'm so greatfull for the practice possibility and experience of letting go in 'the dance on the dance floor' and in 'the dance of the day'. . . WHEW. . what a relief, and I'm *sure* it's why I got the train!! I'm greatfull to remember this more. .. how often I've been forgetting!

Dancing in the waves

I went to the beach and danced in the waves -what * joy* !!

Playing for 'stillness' in London for Sue Rickards 5 Rhythms class - 4 June 2005

*Such* an amazing group and space and the bubbly Saturday night chaos sexual energy in London and a big heart welcome from Sue.

. . . my own journeying .. through the evening, through the dance ... with 100 people in such a fabulous large space.

Arriving into and moving through the swelling and resting of stillness.... I walk into the centre of the room playing viola, ripples of notes caressing the spaces and weaving in and out of the many bodies, blessing, healing, loving . . . a single note 'drone' creating a bed of sound for my voice to float on, to rest into and fill the space - creating an invitation for voices to join . . .. a few soft sounds start almost imperceptibly drifting through; tenderly, gently, powerfully... the room filling with spirals of sound, interweaving and a blessing of gratitude, love and compassion.

How amazing to then sit in a circle, heart sharing with so many people having been washed by the dance and the sound .... Sometimes, I wish (my ego wishes) for comments and appreciations. That popped into my head for moment, then dissolved ... tonight it was not needed at all. Then Sue said:

"I'd like to thank Christoffer for playing. He does sound and movement work all over the world, and when I heard he was coming through London I grabbed him".

These words, and a short conversation after the class, have continued to echo through my head as a reminder of the importance of what I do, and love to do. I have such gratitude for Sue's seeing of me, and helping remind me who I am and what I am here to do and the fullness of that work.

It's been such a challenge these last 2 months and somehow in and within all the chaos, a new and more powerful transpiration is just starting to seep through to the surface again. AND ... once more I have the inklings of the calling to do more of my sound and movement work. I'm open to and am putting out the call again to do that work more.


If you are ever in London on a Tuesday or Saturday night go along to Sues' class in North London - it's great (get there on time though, because it's so popular she's going to have to limit numbers) www.acalltodance.com

the 5 Rhythms Dance supporting transformation of grief

Since my sister Rebecca decided two weeks ago she could no longer stay on this planet, and took her life. I have been thrown into experiencing and exploring grief and extraordinariness of a wild and profound unknown place. I'm SOOooo very grateful for the support of the dance, for the skilful aware and compassionate teachers you have trained and the amazing global dancing tribe there is now in the world; I feel the power passion and love of that.

There is SOOOooo much love in this world .. so much pain ... I'm SO grateful to be able to explore, what is, through the dance. . . with my body, with my voice .. beyond the words ... touching a place of complete knowing, dropping into the space between the frames of the film of what seems to be this life ... sensing other places, extraordinary beauty, extraordinary pain ... WHAT a MYSTERY.

3 days after Rebecca took her life I went to Jo Hardy's class class here in Totnes in Devon, - - the sound system 'packed up' in chaos .(!!) .. so we 'silently' . . . with just (!) our voices and breath and rhythm of the feet went thru the 'end' of chaos . .. my heart broke .. broke open ... I collapsed to the floor ... the power of life moving through me.. transforming me ... releasing the trauma of from the cells of my body ....from having seen my sister Rebecca still with the face of agony and with the rope around her neck. I was guided out of chaos ... softening, moving softening ... as I emerged there was someone to great me fully powerfully present .... eyes of love and compassion - since that moment the flashbacks are no longer there, and I no longer feel the rope around my neck. AM SO grateful for that journey and transformation.

On Tuesday night after the Cremation, my family gathered here in my Studio Barn, with Fanny Behrans to dance. It was JUST extraordinary. ..... my parents, in their 70's my two younger sisters, my brother in law and 2 nieces one just 9 years old ... and my ex wife(!) We danced, and danced and cried and shook and screamed and listened and witnessed ... SUCH a blessing.

On Wednesday after a ritual to plant a tree and scatter the ashes I danced with Susannah DK and our local tribe here on Wednesday in Devon, UK . . . held, held held and loved ( and feared!).... At the end of the evening I played my sisters bamboo flute ..(seems I now play flute as well as viola!) .. a beautiful playful energy, Rebecca's, came in to the space. .... we then sat in circle and I shook and shook .. silently .. then a wail came from me like I've never experienced ... w o w. . . .. what a blessing to move and be moved.

for 5R dance classes near you in the UK see http://www.5rhythmsuk.com/ for other places globally go to http://www.ravenrecording.com/