Workshops / Residencies:
Lana’s Workshops/Residencies
Rather than a study guide, how about learning from Lana herself? Lana has been a drama practitioner as long as she has been a professional performer. She offers workshops in original story creation (full class collective that can be transferred to individual study), physical theatre replication of story (body awareness and abstract and concrete movement concepts), freeing the speaking voice (Reader’s Theatre and spoken word exploration) and Living Museum concepts (representing story through the senses in a gallery environment).
Sample Residency Belfast School Fall 2010
Lana and Tom embarked on a journey melding images of Canada to curriculum of study encompassing the entire school! Divided into two separate performances, students were challenged to explore the uniqueness of Canada's landscape and people through full body original storytelling and music overflowing with Canadian content. The outcomes were fantastic! It was a great way to spring forward into the season and to remind us all to be proud of this vast country!
Read the two programs below so that you get an idea of what they were up to:
BELIEVE IN THE STORY
An Artist in Residency inspired by images of Canada
with Lana Skauge and Tom Doyle
featuring the voice, body and imagination of Belfast School?s
Kindergartens, Grade 1s and Grade 2s
All rise for the singing of O CANADA
1. A CANADA GOOSE STORY Stephure/O?Brien/Kindergartens
In Canada?s big blue sky flies the Canada Geese. Honking overhead they form a familiar ?V? that is a welcomed sight to any Canadian. Today we take you into the land of imagination where geese talk and magical trees are friends. Delight in this highly original perspective as the children transport you into their world of wonder and sing their original song called INSIDE OF ME!
2. THE CHANGING LEAF Coates/Grade 1/2
There are many kinds of maple leaves growing across Canada. Represented on our flag, they have great significance. We have combined the changing of the seasons, indigenous animals and humour to explore identity. Told with full body exploration, body levels and masks, our storytellers remind us of how important it is to be ourselves! To end our story, we sing a song from a popular Canadian musical, ?Anne of Green Gables? called GEE, I?M GLAD I?M NO ONE ELSE BUT ME!
3. THE COLOURS OF EMILY CARR Cunningham/Grade 1/2
A famous Canadian painter, Emily Carr had an original way of painting our landscapes and the life of the Haida people. Her colours pulled us into her visions giving each picture movement and distinction. We bring our cloths to life as we take a closer look at her work and life through our senses. Our imaginations are awakened and we find that anything is possible with a story. Our original song, A RAINBOW OF FEELINGS, summarizes how one painter touched our hearts. Thank you, Emily!
4. THE LAND OF TWO WORLDS Labreque/Grade 1/2
In the Yukon, tall tales abound. We have combined tall tales with a message for you to enjoy. In the ?Land of Must Do? a tyrannical leader rules and there is no choice. We depict it with sharp and linear movement. In contrast, we are pulled by the Moon to the ?Land of Possibility? where we are free to think and do what we choose. Hmmm, I wonder where that could be? Allistari MacGillivray?s beautiful folk song, SONG FOR THE MIRA lilts in in the air as we touch the impossible and see the beauty unfold. Hula hoops, exaggeration and fun!
5. WE RISE AGAIN/Kindergartens, Grade 1/2s/Finale
Written by the Canadian folk group, The Rankins, we feature the talents of Jim Taylor?s beautiful fiddle music to help the children lead you to joy and hope. Oh to be a child!
The Artists would like to acknowledge Belfast Parent Council, Clair MacDonald, parent and student volunteers, Jim Taylor, the supportive administrative team, committed teachers and the open-hearted students of Belfast for this opportunity to celebrate the world of story with Canada as our backdrop!
BELIEVE IN THE STORY
An Artist in Residency inspired by images of Canada
with Lana Skauge and Tom Doyle
featuring the amazing risk takers of Belfast School!
1. CANADA/Ross Grade 3/4
We pull you to the heartbeat of Canada and its vastness in Gordon Lightfoot?s CANADIAN TRILOGY re-examining the contrasting landscapes and the distinctive provinces and territories with cloth and sticks! Can you imagine being in that ?green dark forest? when it was ?too silent to be real??
2. ARCTIC PERSPECTIVE/Zinken/Grade 5/6
Personification of the north invites a better understanding of its plight as we journey through an emotional map to discover its problem and solutions. Told in abstraction with covered hoops we sing O SIEM by Susan Aglukark and find the key to renewal.
3. THE GARDEN/Tam/Grade 3/4
You can change the world with a story. Sometimes the simplest story has the most importance. With ribbons and continual movement we weave a metaphorical tale that mirrors our world. Followed by an original song, CANADA IS LIKE A GARDEN, we conclude that there is so much to celebrate here!
4. OUR HOME/Rosvold/Grade 3/4
This is a story of the immigrant. Through our senses we find a stronger connection with how it must have felt to come to Canada. Coloured hoops echoe strong images in a story that features FOUR STRONG WINDS by Ian Tyson and an original song, NEW LAND.
5. TERRY FOX/Sangster/Grade 5/6
Through research and reflection we have woven vivid images of the landscape, weather and emotions that Terry had to endure. In our exploration we found a personal story that tied us to this Canadian Hero who changed our lives. Cloths sway and hearts fill with pride as we sing, NEVER GIVE UP ON A DREAM.
5. WE RISE AGAIN/Finale
Written by the Canadian folk group, The Rankins, we feature the talents of Jim Taylor?s beautiful fiddle music to help the children lead you to joy and hope. Oh to be a child!
The Artists would like to acknowledge Belfast Parent Council, parent and student volunteers, Jim Taylor, the supportive administrative team, committed teachers and the open-hearted students of Belfast for this opportunity to celebrate Canada!