WORKSHOP EXERCISES FOR DRAMA IN EDUCATION AQ COURSES: SUMMER, 2007
(OISE and BROCK UNIVERSITY)
a) CENTERING: Discovering/listening to our multi-layered selves.
b)STRETCH & YAWNà [see below]
c) THE ‘SHAKE-OUT’à tension, listening, “cleaning the slate” [see below, in stretching and yawning]
d) IDENTIFICATION WALKàWalking/thinking/sensing curricular material at hand.
· walk around the room, heads and eyes down, so you are not making contact with others in the room.
· as instructor refers to specific animals, events, items, etc. recall them in your mind’s eye
· Note: surprises, discoveries, differences. Question: would you get the same effect sitting down? Standing still?
In unison, stretch and yawn (it will likely be
‘guardedly repressed’). Listen and feel
what happens inside your body as you do these following:
1) do a HUGE LION'S ROAR yawn and a small, shy, repressed stretch.
How did that feel? Where was there tension created? Stored?
2) do a GIGANTIC stretch and a shy,
quiet grunt of a yawn (just make sure some noise comes out). What happened
that time? How was it different? How was it the same?
3) now try it, making voice and body the same size, so they fit together
perfectly. How did that feel? Can you tell when your voice/ body
are working together?...when they don't?
4) SHAKE-OUT: follow these by an overall
wriggle shake-out, which means shaking/jiggling your whole body after the
stretch.
--have
them try it, holding breath; then repeat, exhaling (audibly). Notice the huge
difference. The breath holds the emotional content of the work you’ve just
done.
NOTE: Unless you release your breath as you shake
out your muscles, you won’t truly be “cleaning the slate” for the next exercise
or instructions to come…you’ll still be literally “full” of the last exercise
still.
· TEACHING TIP: all exercises below can be done in slow motion & in “silent yelling” (or stage whispers). As well as eliminating the noise level, slow motion/silent yelling is harder to do, and takes more energy and concentration.
·
HELLO's + TEMPER TANTRUMS. Start by softly drumming feet on floor and hands on thighs. Increase
till drumming and slaps are very loud and the knees should be rising to chest
(i.e. big effort, large movements)--wave and yell angry gibberish to the people
across the circle; throw stones; then smile, laugh, wave excited hello’s to
long lost friends, etc.
· UKRANIAN DANCING and variations. Slouch and sit on front edge of chair, with backs against chair back, freeing legs to kick (at various heights) in air. Use arm movements and loud "Hah" to include full body and voice. Kick one leg in air, flinging arms wide and yelling “HAH” while other foot stomps on ground, then switch (you can pitch forward and clap as a ‘switch transition’). Get a rhythm going. You can also use both legs in air at once.
MUSIC & IMAGE
(STORYBOOKS)
(simple, effective
connections for inspired literacy)
♫ Premise:
by playing slow, mood-based music while observing illustrations, photos,
artifacts, etc., a ‘dialogue’ is created between the image and the music. If a
second piece of music, with a very different mood is then introduced, the
‘meanings’ created with the same illustrations, photos, etc., will vary
extraordinarily. The images themselves
may seem to change quite dramatically.
·
Students divide
into pairs or groups of 3; each group has one book (photo, or artifact, etc.).
·
As ♫
starts, groups begin to look through their chosen book.; suggest they look only
at the pictures, and ignore the text (for this time).
·
NOTE: the
observation must happen in silence!
This is important so the students can ‘listen/see’ the dialogue that is
being created between ♫ and image…it will be very personal, so they need
the silent time to be able to connect with their own discoveries. However, as part of the initial
instructions, assure them that they will be given time to discuss amongst
themselves afterward.
·
Note:
we used National Geographics; children’s illustrated books also work
wonderfully, as would videos…
·
After about 1.5-2 minutes, stop the ♫
and ask students to close the books.
Change ♫, and have them repeat the exercise of looking through the
book in silence.
·
Once both pieces of ♫ have been used,
ask students in their small groups to discuss [and record] what they
discovered…
·
Then, revert to the full group to
compare/contrast the discoveries of the different groups.
·
Educational value: the meaning created when image and music are combined is so
strong that it can serve as an excellent catalyst for those students who may
find writing, discussion, or any kind of communication difficult…it allows them
to ‘read’ meaning, it helps them connect emotionally with the material, and it
helps free them to discuss what they observed, felt, understood, etc.
·
This technique can be applied to science,
health, civics, politics, literature, social studies, etc. Any subject that involves images!
·
Note: this exercise will also work with
WORDS: e.g., give groups an envelope which contains a ‘concept word’ [e.g. war,
peace, repression, transformation, discovery, creation, bullying, destruction,
etc.] See how the thought processes
change as the ♫ background changes.
Again, it can be very dramatic.
·
Divide class into groups of about 7-9
per group (for learning...afterward, groups can become much larger).
·
While one group works, audience stands
on both sides of room to watch.
·
Working group stands at one end of the
room, shoulder to shoulder in a straight line, ALMOST touching elbows.
·
There should be no "leader"
for the work; the group concentrates on 'listening', sensing each others'
impulse to go, then the entire group will move forward as if one. Their feet DO
NOT need to be in unison--it is the lining up of the bodies which creates the
effect.
|
♫ Add slow, gentle music for the groups to move to… |
·
The group begins moving SIMULTANEOUSLY
forward, cross the room, turns around and returns-- maintaining their close,
straight line formation. Let each group repeat the crossing at least a
couple of times before stopping them. Students should keep hands by their
sides and eyes straight ahead.
·
ADDING STATUES: as the working group
(the WAVE) crosses the room, anyone
in line may stop in a statue formation. NOTE: at least one person from the WAVE
must remain walking!
|
♫ Again, add slow, gentle music for the groups to move to… |
·
The 'statue' stays frozen in position until the WAVE returns and
'envelops' them back into the line. Statues may wait for more than one
passing of the wave to be enveloped.
·
ADDING CONTEXT: as it is already
slow and contained (ie not chaotic), it works very well accompanied by text
spoken simultaneously--from within the WAVE itself or from outside.
VERB/IMAGE CHAINS
PREMISE: by EXTRACTING
the verbs from any action, event, idea, motive, reaction, the result is: a) a
clear, concise, workable "process chart" from which to learn,
understand, dialogue, review the material or, b) a dynamic, dramatic
"TEXT" for translating the verbs into movement, poetry, a story, an
art form, a drama.
Extracting and defining the verbs may be
done: all together, with the teacher; in groups; or individually. EXAMPLE:
...brushing our teeth. Have students work through the idea with you in
gesture.Here is the list of verbs which would emerge from the activity:-
-REACH (...for the tube-huge stretch)
-GRAB or SNATCH ("take" is dull...the tube)
-YANK (...the tube.. "bring" is nondescript)
-TWIST (...off the cap)
-SQUEEZE (...the toothpaste out)
-OOZE (..what the toothpaste does)
-SCRUB (...the teeth)
-GARGLE (..or swish)
-SPIT.
* Explain that for a group to translate these verbs into action, the actual
movements will be like the full body movements used in the MAGIC HAND-- only
now the verbs (and the image behind them) become the basis for the full-body
movements.
* FLIP THE IMAGE. MIME/GESTURE vs. FULL-BODY MOVEMENTSà In order to extend the movements beyond the everyday gesture, the
mime aspect of the image (e.g.. how do we change "reach" from the
gesture into an "abstract", full-body movement?), think of the image
from the point of view of the "DONE TO" (here, the TOOTHPASTE) rather
that the "DOER" (the toothpaste is undergoing much more exciting movements
than the hand...so BE the toothpaste as you go through translating the verbs!)
* now divide class into groups of 5. Young children, though will likely all
work together with the teacher to pull out a list and then likely divide into
groups of 3 to present.
* have the group(s) choose an activity and extract the verbs. Then have them
chose the best 5-7 to turn into movement.
* once they have the verbs chosen, give them a few minutes to translate the
verbs into full body movements. HINTS: have all students do all verbs (avoid
the "I'm a cup"--all be the coffee). Students may each do an
individual translation of the verbs, or they may decide to do a collective
one--they will likely use both options before they are finished..
* Once work is close to being ready, remind the groups that they should have
the following:
1) a beginning or opening tableau (starting point in "statues") and a
clear ending.
2) be able to tell you what kind of mood they wish to communicate--or feel that
their new performance piece transmits. You need this information in order to
PROVIDE THEM WITH MUSIC which agrees with and supports their desired mood.
3) ask them to TITLE their work. They will see that their movement work will
not (nor should it, if they are escaping the gesture factor) look anything like
the original.
|
♫ ADD MUSIC at the moment of
PRESENTING/SHARING the work: remind students that they do not need to keep
time to the music, but rather let it support them (and the music is created
for thi—it is based on moods, rather than rhythms). |
·
Once the groups are ready to present
their work, ask what their desired mood is (they have already chosen a 1-word
description). If the class is large, two or three groups may need to present
simultaneously. In this case, ask for groups whose mood is dark or gloomy; the
next round may be of groups whose work is upbeat, hopeful; then try a random
variation, etc.
* Have several pieces of music ready which will SUPPORT the desired mood.
* After each group of students present their work, ask them to LIST THEIR
VERBS. Ask why they chose the verbs they did. Review which verbs were left out
(in this way the whole process is being reviewed after each presentation).
TEACHING THE EXERCISE:
This is a kind of puppet/puppeteer exercise, where there is one leader/puppeteer at a time and many puppet followers or chorus members.
· Have students, go to one end of the room face the other end, and standing fairly close together, but not touching
·
The leader/puppeteer (the teacher, just for this
instructional stage) goes to the other end of the room facing the
puppet/chorus. (S)he is the Magic Hand.
· The leader, raises one hand, palm facing the chorus of puppets. This is The Magic Hand à it will tell/show the chorus of puppets how to move.
[NOTE: for this teaching introduction, the teacher will be The Magic Hand/puppeteer; once the students understand the exercise and rules, they will be both chorus/puppets and leader/puppeteer].
RULES: there are 2 rules:
1) Puppet/chorus Rule: always keep your eyes on The Magic Hand. If it tells you to stop, you must be ready to do so instantly.
2) The Magic Hand/Puppeteer Rule: you are responsible for your group. Be sure to go slowly enough that all can follow along with you and keep them out of danger. Stop them if they are about to run into anything. They must be able to trust you completely.
STEP 1: GEOGRAPHY
· MAGIC HAND puppeteer, move only your her hand; chorus, respond by moving your whole body and stepping in the direction the Magic Hand shows you (eg., if the Magic Hand pushes his/her palm away from his/her body, the puppet/chorus members move backward; if the Magic Hand moves his/her palm closer to his/her body, the puppet/chorus members approach; if the Magic Hand moves to one side—chorus follows to that side).
Leader: let various students come up, one at a time, to be
the MAGIC HAND
STEP 2: INTERPRETATION
· Now; the PUPPETRY (interpreting The MAGIC HAND).
· As with string puppets, or marionettes, when the puppeteer moves the strings, the puppets move. Teacher, either be THE MAGIC HAND for this demonstration or assign someone to do so.
· Imagine that there are strings between you, the chorus of puppets and THE MAGIC HAND. As THE MAGIC HAND moves, bends, arches fingers, palm or lifts and lowers the hand, puppet chorus, you will respond with your whole bodies. When THE MAGIC HAND extends his/her fingers, that means your arms should also be in the air above your heads. Remember, there is no right or wrong....just move as you believe the MAGIC HAND is asking you to.
· Teacher: let various students come up and practice being the MAGIC HAND. If you have a large class, divide them into smaller groups, with the choruses against the walls and THE MAGIC HAND people in the middle of the room, facing their choruses.
SETTING UP THE EXERCISE TO BE PERFORMED
This basic variation allows for one audience group, focusing on one performing group.
· Teacher: divide the class into two groups. Decide which group is to watch first; which group will work first.
· Performing group (puppet/chorus): stand near the far end of the room. Bunch up, close, but not touching, facing the audience group.
· Audience group: sit at the end of the room opposite the performers, facing them, but well away from the wall behind you, leaving a space of about 2 metres behind you.
· Teacher: have someone from the audience group stand in the space behind the audience, and between the audience group and the wall, facing the puppet chorus. This person will be the first MAGIC HAND puppeteer.
|
♫ Add slow, gentle music, which is the signal for the Magic Hand
to begin. |
· Each time the teacher or leader calls “CHANGE the MAGIC HAND” (over the music), a new MAGIC HAND puppeteer will come from the audience group to replace the Magic Hand puppeteer standing behind them.
· Once several Magic Hand puppeteers have worked, have groups change places and roles.
© G. McQueen-Fuentes. Soundtrack Performance
Group, 2007