Collection MsC-274 - Terry Hunter and Savannah Walling Collection

Terry Hunter and Savannah Walling have been collaborating creatively since early 1971 while studying at the Simon Fraser University. Savannah Walling (Savannah Tennessee Elain Walling) emigrated to Canada in 1968 as Elaine Walling Bryan. In the early years at SFU her work was credited as Elaine Bryan or Elain Walling Bryan. From 1972 she became known as Savannah Walling and legally changed it in 1975 to Savannah Tennessee Elaine Walling. In 1968, Savannah began working at the Simon Fraser University library as a clerk and began attending dance programs and workshops. She contributed choreography and performed at the SFU theatre productions. In 1969, Terry Hunter enrolled at SFU and began studying political science and geography as well as he participated in the SFU theatre productions and began working backstage. In 1971, Terry and Savannah paths met while they were both employed by the Simon Fraser Mime Troup that toured Burnaby parks. The couple married and have been collaborating since.
They worked and performed for various art companies: Vancouver Lab Theatre (1972), co-founded The Mime Caravan (1973-1974) and Terminal City Dance (1975-1982).
In 1983, Hunter and Walling co-founded the art company in Downtown Eastside named Special Delivery/Music/Theatre Society. In 1987, the name was changed to Special Delivery Moving Theatre Society and subsequently in 1992 to Vancouver Moving Theatre Society (VMT). Over three decades this art company produced, adapted, choreographed and performed various projects including: Festival Characters (1983-1985), Samarambi: Pounding of the Heart (1986), Ab audire, Blood Music (1987-1997), The House of Memory (1989-1990), Strathcona Artist at Home Festival (1999-2004), Wak (1993), Rhythm in Theatre (1995), Luigi’s Kitchen (1996-2002), The Good Person of Setzuan (1998), Awake (2000), Sucker Falls (2001), Tales of the Ramayana (2002), Hot Music/ Cool Takes (2003), In the Heart of the City: The Downtown Eastside Community Play (2003) Heart of the City Festival (2003-2022), Bah Hambug (2010-2019) and many others.
Vancouver Moving Theatre company performed at various events and festivals in Canada and worldwide, including Expo 86 in British Columbia and Expo 88 in Australia. The VMT collaborated with many local, regional and national partners in art and non-art environments. The collaboration with multicultural communities of Downtown Eastside resulted in creation of Strathcona Artists at Home Festival and Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival.
The VMT was involved in creating resources and educational programs, and in providing leadership and training for community-engaged arts programs and community symposiums as well as in organizing arts and dance workshops for children and adults.