Drama and Theatre – Artforms Leeds

Theatre: Alive and Kicking

WebAdmin — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 11:31:14 +0000

Amazing, fun, exciting, different – never had a lesson like that before!

Children, Allerton Bywater Primary

It was perfect. Just what the children needed. We’re so glad we were able to get you in.
Headteacher, Highfields Primary

Alive and Kicking are a practical, hands on theatre company designed to help schools extend their creativity with tailor made, tried and tested dramas that reach across the curriculum and beyond.

They offer workshops to support and animate class reading materials, history and literacy based drama from Early Years Foundation Stage to Year 6, bringing the culture and mythologies of the past to life through adventurous drama, role-play, story making and art.

Some of the huge range of workshops are below:

Frederick the Fisherman From Filey: younger pupils rescue Frederick from disaster through poetry, art, music, dance and story making. (EY, KS1)
The Museum Of Untold Stories: pupils and the drama practitioners work together to support the children to become a crucible for story making and story telling. (KS1, KS2)
Where The Heart Is: family groups gather to record special family moments. (KS1, KS2)
The Seven Hunters: an interactive drama based on a real life mystery. (upper KS2)
Open For Christmas: a special production for the festive season! (EY, KS1, KS2)

For further information and to see the full offer from Alive and Kicking, please visit their website or contact John Mee by email aliveandkicking@ntlworld.com or by phone 0113 295 8190 and 07775 782603.

Pavla Beier

WebAdmin — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 11:48:00 +0000

Pavla Beier has worked closely with teachers and children in primary settings for almost 20 years, using participatory drama as a way in which to engage children in a topic in order to deepen and enrich their learning. Using a strong story as a starting point, she creates an inclusive environment with space for children to reflect and enquire; examining the inferred meanings within a story as well as the overarching themes. Pavla’s background is in performance, theatre in education and child development, with a BA (Hons) in Communication Arts: Drama Specialism and an MA in Childhood Studies. Schools can work with her in two ways:

The Smartest Giant in Town Workshop, based on the book by Julia Donaldson

In the town in our story there are humans, animals who live as humans – they wear clothes, drive cars and can speak – and then there are giants. The giants can’t help but cause all kinds of destruction in the human-sized town (it’s not their fault that they can’t reach into the shops without breaking the tiny door frames) and the humans have no patience or sympathy for the giants’ predicament. How will they ever learn to live peacefully side by side?

In this practical session, the pupils take on the roles of the humans and the giants to support their understanding of their points of view. Facilitated by Pavla (also in role), the pupils work together to present their argument, as humans and giants, to the Mayor of the town. This workshop focuses on preconceptions and tolerance by listening to and interrogating different perspectives.

2. Stirring up a story: teacher CPD and support

This is an opportunity for teachers to create participatory lessons alongside a drama specialist, to bring a text / picture book to life with their pupils
Using a story book of your choice, work with Pavla, to explore the story’s characters, settings and themes and discover new ways for your class to connect with them.
Two teachers from the same year group (or same key stage if one form entry) work together with Pavla to weave drama into their next half term’s planning. The teachers then deliver the drama input themselves through carefully designed and structured lessons involving both facilitation and teacher-in-role.

For further information about either of these opportunities, please contact Pavla Beier by email: pavlabeier1@gmail.com

Storytelling and performance: Tanya Cusan-Espinosa of Cusan Theatre

WebAdmin — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 10:37:22 +0000

Born in Colombia, South America, Tanya Cusan-Espinosa is a performing artist and creative practitioner with over 25 years’ experience of working with children and young people. Her career has encompassed a variety of skills that range from dance theatre to singer, puppeteer and puppet maker. She has inspired thousands of children and adults with her wonderful, open-ended settings, visual performances and creative ideas which have transformed storytelling in many schools.

Schools can access the following:
Workshops

Fairy Tales and Dragons – Story telling interactive workshop
The Magic of Carnival – Interactive Workshop

Shows

The Princess of The Rain Forest: followed by a talk showing the lovely puppets and props from the show
The Boy Who Found His Smile: followed by a talk showing the lovely puppets and props from the show

For further information about each of these opportunities, please visit the Cusan Theatre website or contact Tanya by email tancusan@yahoo.com

Beowulf and Warriors: Anthony Haddon

WebAdmin — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 10:52:45 +0000

This workshop, delivered by Anthony Haddon, has been created to develop pupil’s understanding of the story of Beowulf and Warriors (based on the text by Rosemary Sutcliff). Using narration and working in role, the pupils will experience the story from the point of view of warriors who follow Beowulf on a journey across the Baltic sea to avenge his father’s allies of a monstrous human eating death shadow called Grendel. Designed to get pupil’s creative juices flowing in preparation to write, this session will help pupils to visualise and inhabit the world so that they can describe events as if they were there, as well as take on the perspective of the narrator.

Anthony Haddon is a freelance Theatre Director. Previously, he was Artistic Director of Theatre Company Blah Blah Blah in Leeds, specialising in theatre for children and young people for thirty years. He currently works in the arts and education field with partners such as Opera North and Leeds Playhouse, as well as creating children’s shows for international touring with Theaterhaus Ensemble in Frankfurt Germany.

For further information about this workshop or to find out more about how to use drama in the classroom, please contact Anthony by email: ashaddon@gmail.com