“The children loved this experience and came away wanting to talk about the environment and how they can help” Staff member, St Peter’s School 2-8, York
Background:
The project Mother Earth was created by award-winning dance artist Ana Silverio as a street performance. The objective was to raise awareness of litter and to instigate reflection on how individual actions contribute to the bigger picture.
Please read details about it here:
Development and support:
Following that first street performance, Ana was invited to perform at the Extinction Rebellion’s event ‘Unheard Voices’, to an international seminar on Plastic Pollution in Oceans at the University of York, to the Christian Eco Week at St. Luke’s Parish Hall and to deliver a talk to the York Creatives community group.
After receiving positive feedback regarding the educational side of this performance, Ana was granted funding by IVE (creative education provider) to develop Mother Earth as a workshop for schools. Later, she invited drama artist Aracelly Firmo to join the Mother Earth project and deliver drama sessions.
Workshops:
We offer Dance and Drama workshops for primary and secondary schools. Workshops are shaped in a storytelling way and offer activities exploring dance, free movement, drama activities, visual elements, performative moments, and discussions. The workshops also stimulate other senses such as smell. By free movement here we mean that students dance and move their bodies freely guided by an idea and not to a set sequence of movements. Performative moments are short dances or scenes performed by the workshop leader when students have the opportunity to watch and engage.
Workshops also advocate for the potential of arts to educate on complex and current issues and encourage teachers to explore the arts in their practices.
At the end of each session, there is a moment for discussion when students express why they think it is important to save the planet and what they can do to make a difference.
Here are some responses from attendees aged 6-8:
(It is important to save the planet)
“Because there is 1 of her and lots of us!”
“I want to save the planet because everyone needs it to live”
“We are killing our planet”
“I want save the planet because animals are in dangerous”
“I want to save the world because of people”
“Because if you don’t, then all the animals will be gone”
“Stop throwing rubbish”
“Use less plastic”
“I can pick litter up.”
“I want to save the planet because it is beautiful”
“We need to breathe. We can’t breathe without trees”
“I want to save the planet because I love animals and plants”
(Because) “We won’t die”
“I want to save the earth because they need help”
“Because of extinction of animals”
“I really want to save the planet because I love!”
Technical requirements:
- Workshops require a room with enough space for students to move around.
- Equipment such as a large screen or projector is desirable but not essential.
- A speaker can be provided by the workshop leader.
Age group:
The workshops are for both: primary and secondary schools.
Duration:
Workshops are usually 1 hour. But it can be adapted to shorter or longer sessions.
The development of the dance workshop was supported by We Are IVE – a creative education provider.
