ZOONATION
A Resource Pack For Teachers
Commissioned By Mousetrap Theatre Projects and ZooNa9on Wri;en By Rachel Tyson 2011. 1
Contents INTRODUCTION pg 3 THE JOURNEY OF DANCE Hip Hop dance, how it all began pg 4 Dance 9meline pg 5 Dance pioneers pg 6-‐7 Hip Hop terminology pg 8
ZOONATION Behind the scenes pg 9-‐10 A dancers’ life pg 11-‐12 Inside a ZooNa%on rehearsal pg 13 Dance defini9ons pg 14 Into the Hoods, bringing Hip Hop to the West End pg 15
SOME LIKE IT HIP HOP -‐ IN THE CLASSROOM Inspira9on for the classroom pg 16-‐19 So you want to be a dancer? pg 20 Links and resources pg 21
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IntroducBon ZooNa%on is a ground-‐breaking Hip Hop dance theatre company, bringing together a professional dance company with training and performance opportuni9es for young people. ZooNa%on believes in promo9ng the posi9ve, life-‐affirming community spirit of Hip Hop and street dance. A\er your schools’ visit bring the work of ZooNa%on Dance Company directly into your classroom using these interac9ve resources and worksheets. These resources enable teachers and students to further explore the work of ZooNa%on Dance Company and the evolu9on and influence of Hip Hop dance as a contemporary art form. Through these resources pupils can develop their understanding of dance and go behind the scenes at ZooNa%on mee9ng ar9sts from the company. Teachers and pupils can follow links to Hip Hop dances delivered by professionals and learn dance vocabulary all inspired by ZooNa%on produc9ons. All of these ac9vi9es can be delivered easily by teachers in a classroom se_ng and provide an interac9ve, fun and crea9ve pla`orm upon which pupils can respond imagina9vely to ZooNa%on’s work. Look out for Think About ac9vi9es listed at the bo;om of pages, Classroom Ac7vi7es are contained at the back of the pack. Curriculum Links Worksheets and ac9vi9es included in this pack cover various aspects of the KS3, KS4 and KS5 curriculum including Ci9zenship, English, Dance and PSHE.
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Hip Hop Dance Hip Hop and street dance are contemporary dance forms. Hip Hop and street dance refer to dance styles primarily danced to Hip Hop music or that have evolved as part of Hip Hop culture. Hip Hop dance is made up of a variety of old and new dance styles and has many influences from other dance genres and styles including:
The Lindy Hop Folk Dance African Rhythms Tap Swing Background, Hip Hop Dance
Hip Hop was created on the streets of the Bronx, New York in the early 1970s. Dancers broke away from the tradi9onal dance forms of the 1970’s and used their environment as inspira9on. DJ’s held par9es on street corners in the Bronx known as bloc par9es. DJ’s, dancers, musicians and MC’s would a;end these par9es and experiment with new ways in which to express themselves. DJ Lovebug Starski started referring to this culture as ‘Hip Hop ’ Dancers who were part of the Hip Hop culture were referred to as B-‐boys, Hip Hop dance became known as B-‐boying. B-‐boys and B-‐girls would dance to breaks in the beats of the music known as breakbeats. B-‐boys and B-‐girls would compete with rival gangs in the Bronx, always experimen9ng with new dance moves that would impress other dancers and win street dance compe99ons. B-‐Boying was then listed as one of the five pillars of Hip Hop, these are:
1. DJ-‐ing 2. MC-‐ing 3. GraffiB 4. Breaking 5. Knowledge Think About: Knowledge is listed as the fi\h pillar of Hip Hop, how does this pillar differ from the other pillars listed above?
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Dance Timeline Dance has been an important part of ceremonies, rituals, celebra9ons and entertainment since before the birth of the earliest human civiliza9ons. This 9meline highlights some of the key developments of dance to date. Many contemporary dance forms can be traced back to historical, tradi9onal, ceremonial and ethnic dances. Ancient Egyp9ans danced at funerals and fes9vals.
15th Century Ballet originates in Italian renaissance courts. In 1581, the first drama9c ballet was performed. 19th Century African dancing is observed by European travelers to West Africa. 1890s Tango dance is developed by lower working classes in Buenos Aires, Argen9na. By 1914 it had travelled to the US and Europe. 1930s Jive dancing originates in the 1970s Hip Hop dance styles, breaking, popping and locking are created. In 1973 B-‐boying is listed as one of the 5 pillars of Hip Hop. 1970 Disco dancing becomes popular.
2000 The dance style Krumping is created in California.
Ancient Greeks perform dances when telling myths. 1672 The Paris Opera is formed and becomes the first ballet company. 1850s Tap dance is developed, it has roots in Irish step dancing and black slave dances. 1920s Swing dance is developed. A popular swing dance is the Lindy Hop developed in Harlem in the late 1920s. Swing dancing is o\en known as Ji;erbug dancing and it became popular across the US. 1950s Modern jazz dance emerges, with roots from Caribbean tradi9onal dance. Every individual style of jazz dance has roots traceable to one of these two dis9nct origins. 1980s UK Hip Hop dance crews form and start performing in Covent Garden, London. 2008 George Sampson wins Britain’s Got Talent aged 14. He joins the cast of Into the Hoods and Hip Hop dance enters London’s West End.
Think About: Which of these events do you feel was the most significant in the development of Hip Hop as a leading contemporary dance form? Discuss with a partner and explain your reasons.
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Dance Pioneers Bob Fosse
June 23, 1927 -‐ September 23, 1987 D i r e c t o r, a c t o r, c h o r e o g r a p h e r a n d screenwriter Bob Fosse changed the way audiences viewed dance on the stage and on screen in the late 20th century. Fosse’s work was provoca9ve, entertaining and unlike anything ever before seen. His dances were physically demanding of even the most highly trained dancers, his works addressed the full range of human emo9ons. Through his films he revolu9onized the presenta9on of dance on screen, he won an Oscar for his direc9on of the film Cabaret. His work paved the way for a whole genera9on of film and video directors, showing dance through the camera lens as no one had done before.
Martha Graham
May 11, 1894 -‐ April 1, 1991 An American dancer and choreographer, Martha Graham was a contemporary dance pioneer who influenced genera9ons of choreographers and dancers. Her emo9onally charged performances single-‐handedly defined contemporary dance as an art form. Graham’s crea9vity crossed ar9s9c boundaries, her groundbreaking style grew from her experimenta9on with the elemental movements of contrac9on and release. By focusing on the basic ac9vi9es of the human form, she filled the body with raw, electric emo9on. The sharp, angular, and direct movements of her technique were a drama9c departure from the style of dance at the 9me. Graham’s revolu9onary vision had a deep and las9ng impact on American art and culture and the contemporary dance world today.
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Gene Kelly
August 23, 1912 – February 2, 1996 Gene Kelly was an American dancer, actor, singer, film director, producer and choreographer. Gene Kelly was known for his energe9c and athle9c dancing style. His athle9cism gave his moves a dis9nc9ve broad and muscular quality. Gene Kelly brought ballet and dance to wide audiences through films including Singing In The Rain and An American in Paris. His many dance innova9ons transformed the Hollywood musical film industry. Gene Kelly is credited with bringing the ballet dance form to film audiences and raising its popularity. He experimented with ligh9ng, camera techniques and special effects to achieve true integra9on of dance with film, and was one of the first to use split screens, double images and live ac9on with anima9on.
Janet Jackson
May 16, 1966 Janet Jackson is an American recording ar9st and performer known for her socially conscious and provoca9ve records, as well as stage shows, television and film roles. The youngest child of the Jackson family, she began her career with the television series The Jacksons. Having sold over 100 million records, she is ranked as one of the best selling ar9sts in the history of contemporary music. Jackson drew her inspira9on for her music videos and performances from the musicals she watched in her youth, and was heavily influenced by the choreography of Fred Astaire and Michael Kidd. Janet Jackson paved the way for the power of the music video and has inspired Rihanna, Britney Spears and Kelly Rowland who watched her videos as they grew up. Janet's innova9ve stage performances during her world tours have won her a reputa9on as a world-‐class performer. She has also been recognized for playing a pivotal role in crossing racial boundaries in the recording industry. Think About: Being a pioneer and an inspira9on to others is an important role. Who are the major influences and role models in your life? It could be a poli9cian, musician, ar9st, someone in your family or a community member whom you respect deeply and inspires you in the choices that you make. Who is that person and how do they influence and inspire you?
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Hip Hop Terminology Popping was created in California and is based on the technique of quickly contrac9ng and relaxing muscles to cause a jerk in the dancer's body, referred to as a pop or a hit. Each hit should be synchronized to the rhythm and beats of the music. Popping also includes gliding, floa9ng and sliding which are lower body dances.
B-‐Boying/Breaking formed the founda9on of Hip Hop dance. There are 4 basic elements: top rock, down-‐rock, power move and freezes/suicides. A B-‐boy/B-‐girl stands for a break boy or break girl. A B-‐boy dances to breaks in music (breakbeats). DJ Kool Herc invented the break beat in 1973, a breakbeat is a rhythmic musical interlude of a song that has been looped repeatedly to extend the breaks in the track. The breaks in the beats gave B-‐boys a chance to show off their skills.
Locking is a funk style that was created in Los Angeles, it is a playful, character dance and its moves include the lock, points, skeeter, scooby doos and stop 'n go. The name is based on the concept of locking movements, which means freezing from a fast movement and ‘locking’ in a certain posi9on, holding that posi9on for a short while and then con9nuing in the same speed as before. It relies on fast and dis9nct arm and hand movements combined with more relaxed hips and legs. Locking is quite performance oriented, o\en interac9ng with the audience by smiling or giving them a high five, and some moves are quite comical in nature. A dancer who performs locking is called a locker. Up-‐rock is o\en performed in synchroniza9on to the beats and rhythms of soul, rock and funk music. The dance consists of foot shuffles, spins, turns, freestyle movements, hand gestures called burns and a four point sudden body movement called jerk. Uprock is a compe99ve dance and was developed when rival street gangs in New York danced to each other. It became commonplace to see gang members hanging out on corners dancing against each other. Think About: Why do you think that different dance styles were created on the East and West coasts of America?
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ZooNa0on, Behind the Scenes ZooNa%on believes in promo9ng the posi9ve, life-‐affirming community spirit of Hip Hop and street dance. ZooNa%on originated to provide a place where a community of dancers could meet, train, and enjoy their shared passion for dance. Interview with Kate Prince, ZooNa0on founder and Ar7s7c Director Who are ZooNa0on? ZooNa%on Dance Company are a Resident Company at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, we specialise in street dance and Hip Hop. ZooNa%on were founded in 2002, we are the company behind the West End show Into the Hoods. How did ZooNa0on Dance Company begin? ZooNa%on started as Zoo Theatre Company producing plays at the Edinburgh Fringe Fes%val. I then moved to London and became more interested in dance as opposed to plays and musical theatre. I began working at Pineapple Dance Studios and then went to teach street dance at London Studio Centre, Italia Con%, Arts Educa%onal School and Mountview. I put all the dancers I met together into a show and it grew from there. In 2004 Sadler’s Wells Theatre programmed us for the first 9me and in 2006 they commissioned Into the Hoods. In 2008 ZooNa%on Dance Company became a Resident Dance Company at Sadler’s Wells Theatre. What is ZooNa0ons goal? We have 2 very dis9nct branches, ZooNa%on Dance Company has a goal to bring Hip Hop and street dance on an equal foo9ng with contemporary dance and ballet, its a long road ahead but we have made the first steps, we want to make sure that there is a central hub for Hip Hop as a dance form in this country. We have an educa9on strand, ZooNa%on Academy of Dance, giving young people something to aspire to, crea9ng career paths and enabling them to see our dancers onstage and realize that they can do that for a living. Who are your inspira7ons? My first one is Janet Jackson, I love her, what she did as a performing ar9st in her videos and her live shows is exactly what inspired me to be serious about dance, I know she is an R and B pop ar9st but her videos and live shows were so crea9ve. Choreographically I have always loved Gene Kelly, Singing in the Rain is my favorite musical by far.
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What is your biggest achievement? It’s the change I have seen in some of our young people, seeing how dance makes them more confident and socially interac9ve, dance gives them self esteem and offers them amazing opportuni9es in life like performing for Nelson Mandela. Seeing young people being employed as professionals by ZooNa%on is a real achievement, it’s the best bit! What advice would you give to someone wan7ng to be a dancer? Never let anyone tell you that you cant do it, there is always a way around it. For me I was never a great dancer but I s9ll managed to make dance my life. If you are serious about dance you have to live and breathe it every day. Why should people watch ZooNa0ons work? Because it is infec9ous, the energy from the company, the comedy, the love and the passion is so infec9ous, I have seen coach loads of teenagers being brought to Into the Hoods si_ng down thinking why did my teacher bring me here? By the end of the show they are jumping up and down, laughing and giggling pretending to be characters from the show, it’s invigora9ng and I’ve seen it from people in their seven9es too. There’s nothing worse then watching a show and thinking about what 9me it finishes and yawning, if you are seeing something truly good then you should be totally absorbed in it and my guys deliver just that.
Think About: What goals do you have for your future, how do you hope to achieve these?
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A Dancers Life, Teneisha Bonner Te n e i s h a w o r k s a s a f r e e l a n c e d a n c e r, choreographer, teacher and actress. Her work includes theatre, television, film, music videos, commercials, and live events.
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Originally trained in all dance disciplines at London Studio Centre, Teneisha has had a long and successful career both commercially and in theatre. She has been a member of ZooNa%on Dance Company since 2004 and is an integral part of the company. Whilst working with them she created and played the role of Spinderella in Into the Hoods, which became both the first ever hip hop dance show and the longest running dance show in the West End’s history. She also had the honour of represen9ng the UK at the Olympics handover Ceremony in Beijing. Teneisha proudly joined the original Swedish company Bounce for their adapta9on of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – Insane In the Brain, where she again created and played the fierce role of Nurse Ratched. In May 2010 Teneisha made her ac9ng debut in the movie Street Dance 3D.
Commercial credits include dancing for Kylie Minogue, Black Eyed Peas, Rihanna, Alesha Dixon, Bobby Valen9no, Take That and Jamelia. How did your dance passion begin? When I was twelve my next door neighbour took me to see the musical Cats and that started everything off. What dance training have you had? I started at Brit School, I did a BTEC Na9onal Diploma, I then went to London Studio Centre and did a BA (hons) degree in dance theatre and then went straight from that into work. How did you get involved with ZooNa7on? I met Kate Prince (ZooNa9on’s Ar9s9c Director) years ago and we used to hang out, we would put dances together and get crea9ve, she was a teacher at my dance school and we became really good friends.
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What is the rehearsal process as a dancer? It really differs, when we did Into the Hoods there was lots of workshopping, development and input from the cast to create the show. With Some Like It Hip Hop, Kate knew exactly what she wanted and our ideas were channeled through Kate’s vision. What comes from us is the character work. How does it feel when you perform? Amazing! There is nothing be;er than a live audience, having an audience you can see, I recently did a job where there were so many people in the audience, it was like a sea of ants and you could not really see anybody. When you are in a theatre in a show like Some Like It Hip Hop, seeing an audience laugh and react to hear`elt scenes is amazing. Who inspires you as a dancer? Kate Prince founder of ZooNa%on Dance Company, inspires me and teachers who taught me in school. Bob Fosse is really amazing, I liken him to me in as much as I haven’t got perfect feet or a perfect body. Bob Fosse made the things that were not perfect for him specific for the type of dance that he created. Then everybody else wanted to adapt themselves and be like him and having the perfect feet or the perfect lines was not so important anymore. What has been your biggest challenge as a dancer? There are so many different things I have done that I have felt challenged in, doing Into the Hoods was a big challenge as it was the first thing I had done were the characters and the storytelling where more important than the dance. I then worked with a Swedish company called Bounce and we did an adap9on of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest ‘Insane the Brain’, I played Nurse Ratched, both roles challenged me as the characters where polar opposites of each other. What a]racts you to work with ZooNa0on? It’s a good job, it’s a great company and body of people to work with, I enjoy coming into work. Everyone is of the same mindset, you get in, you have fun and a joke but the idea is we are going to make this produc9on come to life and all be on the same page. Our mind set as a company is to make stuff happen. What has been your career highlight? I did a film Street Dance 3D and I played a hairdresser, it was a brilliant a character that I could really get my teeth into. What advice would you give to someone wan7ng to be a dancer? There is so much: focus is a big thing, the dance industry is so un-‐lucra9ve that you have to be driven by love if you are serious about it. Stay grounded along the way, you will work with so many people. Be as versa9le as possible and be able to go into many different styles, this leaves you with more op9ons to work with different choreographers. Think About: What hurdles may a dancer face in their life, does this career choice hold more risks than other jobs?
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Inside a ZooNaBon Rehearsal Room Discover what a day in a ZooNa%on Dance Company rehearsal room involves. A dance produc9on would tradi9onally rehearse for 7 weeks, in that 9me the dances are set by the choreographer and learnt by the dancers, known as the company. In a rehearsal room you expect to find, the director, choreographer, dancers, a dance captain and a deputy stage manager, this can change dependent upon the size of the produc9on. To follow lead cast member of Some Like It Hip Hop, Tommy Franzen's video diary of rehearsals, click below. h;p://slihh.zoona9on.co.uk/
10.30am
The Company arrive in the rehearsal room and warm up for 30 minutes. Every day begins with a warm up which is lead by the dance captain. A warm up ensures that a dancers body is ready for the day ahead.
11.00am
Run through all the dances that were blocked in the rehearsal room the day before, an opportunity for the company to ensure they know the choreography fully and for the deps to watch the rou9ne. This gives the choreographer a chance to see what areas of the produc9on need more work.
11.30am 2.00pm 6.15pm
Work through, Kate Prince works through the choreography that she has designed for the dance sequence being rehearsed that day. The company take notes in a book of the blocking so that they remember the choreography and learn it. If members of the company are not involved in the rou9ne being rehearsed they will move to a breakout space. Con9nue to work through the dance rou9nes.
The company will complete a cool down, this is lead by the dance captain.
Elements of the set are o\en brought into the rehearsal space so that the company can rehearse on it, this makes it easier for the company when they move from the rehearsal space and into the theatre for a produc9on. Rehearsals are followed by technical rehearsals, dress rehearsals, previews and a press night which all take place in the theatre.
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Dance DefiniBons Warm Up -‐ A warm up takes place at the beginning of the day. Similar to when an athlete prepares their body for exercise, a dancer will warm up their body in prepara9on for the working day ahead. A warm up includes cardiovascular exercises to increase the heart rate and get blood pumping around the body, stretching to warm up the bodies muscles for the day ahead and repe99ve strength exercises to increase a dancers stamina and core strength. Dance Captain -‐ A member of the company who maintains the ar9s9c standards of all choreography. They are in charge of no9ng the dances and leading the warm ups and cool downs, a dance captain will work with the company and run through dances during rehearsals and performances. Rehearsal Room -‐ The room in which the rehearsals of a produc9on take place, a dance floor and mirrors would be placed in a room to aid the dancers, some9mes elements of the set will be brought into the rehearsal room. Cool Down -‐ At the end of a rehearsal day the company will cool down for 15 minutes, stretching their muscles, ensuring that their bodies stay in good shape, this helps to prevent injuries. The Company -‐ The collec9ve name given to the people involved in a produc9on, this includes the stage management team, actors, dancers and vocalists. Choreographer -‐ A person who creates dance composi9ons and arranges dance movements and pa;erns for a dance. Director -‐ A theatre director oversees and orchestrates the moun9ng of a produc9on, they work with all elements of the produc9on from the cast and crea9ves to stage management and producers to deliver the final produc9on. Deps -‐ A dep is a member of the company who is depu9zing for a lead role alongside their other, o\en smaller role. If a member of the company is sick or has a day off the dep will take on their role, ensuring that the show will never have to be called off. Ensemble -‐ A group of suppor9ng entertainers, actors, dancers and singers in a theatrical produc9on. Deputy Stage Manager -‐ A DSM sits in the rehearsal room and creates ‘the Book’, this is where the cues are marked on a script and the staging is noted. The DSM will call the cues including ligh9ng and sound during a produc9on. Work Through -‐ Working through the scenes in a produc9on, the company learn what they need to do in each scene. Run Through -‐ Running through a scene or a dance rou9ne from beginning to end without stopping.
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Into the Hoods -‐ Bringing Hip-‐Hop to the West End Into the Hoods was the first ever Hip Hop dance show to transfer to London’s West End. Sadler’s Wells commissioned the piece and it was performed for the first 9me at the Peacock Theatre in February 2006. The two performances were so warmly received that Sadler’s Wells invited ZooNa9on to further develop the show and bring it back for a full week. Following this run and a\er a sell-‐out five-‐star award-‐winning season at the Edinburgh Fringe, the produc9on opened on the West End stage in 2008. Into the Hoods became both the first ever Hip Hop dance show in the West End and the longest running dance show in the West End’s history. The produc9on featured music from: Stevie Wonder, Massive A]ack, Jay-‐Z, Chaka Kahn and Dizzee Rascal. Into the Hoods was an urban fairytale twist of Stephen Sondheim’s musical Into the Woods. The produc9on used narra9on, street dance, video projec9on, graffi9 and music to tell the story of two young people lost in the Ruff Endz Estate. 80% of the audience who a;ended the produc9on had never been to the theatre before. What the press said: “Flawless....the perfect show” “Pure inven7on, a bona fide hit” “Into the Hoods must be one of the most West-‐ End friendly hip hop shows ever” “An inclina7on of brilliance-‐ Sondheim gets a update in a whi]y hip hop edi7on of Into the woods ”
Think About, Why do you think Into the Hoods was a massive hit in the West End? Why do you think so many people who had never been to the theatre before were drawn to watch the show?
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Some Like It Hip Hop -‐ Classroom acBviBes Ac7vity One, Key Themes • Time 20 minutes • Materials Flip chart paper and pens • Curriculum Links PSHE and Ci9zenship Listed below are some of the themes explored in Some Like It Hip Hop:
Loss
Human Rights Friendship
Authority Gender
IdenBty Forgiveness EducaBon
Stereotypes
• Split into groups of 4 and think back to the produc9on Some Like It Hip Hop. • Look at the themes listed above and as a group choose one of the themes to explore further. • Take some flip chart paper and write your chosen theme as a heading at the top of your sheet. • As a group, discuss where you saw your chosen theme being explored in Some Like It Hip Hop. List the characters and the storytelling methods used when exploring the theme, for example: song. • What did the produc9on of Some Like It Hip Hop teach you about your theme and what new knowledge have you gathered?
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Some Like It Hip Hop -‐ Classroom acBviBes Ac7vity Two -‐ Discussion and Debate • Time 25 minutes • Materials An open space • Curriculum Links PSHE and Ci9zenship Get your students involved in the ideas, themes and content explored in Some Like It Hip Hop, use the statements below as a star9ng point for discussion and debate in the classroom in response to the performance. In Some Like It Hip Hop the Governor in the City believes that women are incapable, the women who live in the City are treated differently to the men. Read the following statement aloud: “Women will never be on an equal foo0ng to men in the UK workplace” Members of the class who AGREE with the statement should move the le\ of the room and those who DISAGREE should move to the right, the centre of the room means you do not feel pulled either way. Ask selected members of the class what has mo9vated them to choose their posi9on in the room, ask them to comment on the reasons behind agreeing or disagreeing with the statement. Once four of five people have spoken to the class and explained their reasoning see if anyones’ opinion has been swayed and ask if they want to move to the other side of the room. Further statements to explore as a group: • Everybody living in the UK has the same human rights AGREE/DISAGREE • Women are not represented equally in Hip Hop culture AGREE/DISAGREE • If you see somebody being oppressed or bullied you should always speak out and confront the bully AGREE/DISAGREE • Everyone should be en9tled to self expression in whatever form they choose AGREE/DISAGREE • Hip Hop culture is linked to nega9ve stereotypes AGREE/DISAGREE
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Some Like It Hip Hop -‐ Classroom acBviBes Ac7vity Three -‐ Shared Recall • Time 20 minutes • Materials Flip chart paper and pens • Curriculum Links PSHE and Ci9zenship Organize the class into groups of 4/ 5 and give each group a large sheet of paper and some pens. Assign each group an area of the produc9on to explore such as: Dancing Direc7ng The Set Costume Each group should write their chosen area of the produc9on as a heading on their flip chart paper. Each group then has five minutes to brainstorm thoughts and comments around their assigned area of the produc9on, no9ng them in a spider diagram on their flip chart paper. Once five minutes is up each group must pass their paper onto the next group and repeat this process un9l every group has commented on all areas of the produc9on listed by the class. These sheets can then be photocopied and handed out. You could also put the sheets up in the classroom for inspira9on when discussing Some It Like Hip Hop.
Ac7vity Four-‐Crea7ng the mood • Time 30 Minutes • Materials Paper, pens, magazines, newspaper, glue, scissors and cra\ materials • Curriculum Links Art and design A mood board is a tool o\en used by designers, performers and directors. It is a large sheet of paper that has been covered in images (from magazines and newspapers) They represent a mood, atmosphere or feeling of a scene and s9mulate thought about the mood created in a produc9on. Think back to your visit to see Some Like It Hip Hop, then choose a moment in the piece that had a direct affect on you, it may have s9rred up a par9cular feeling or emo9on inside you. Pick a character from the moment that you are thinking of, reflect upon how you think the character felt within that chosen moment. Create a mood board to express the characters feelings at this point in the piece. You may want to use magazines, newspapers, fabric and paper to create the mood board.
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Some Like It Hip Hop -‐ Classroom acBviBes Ac7vity Five-‐Essay Ques7on
• Time 30 Minutes • Curriculum Links PSHE and English In the Some Like It Hip Hop rehearsal room, quotes from the poli9cian and peaceful protester Ghandi were placed on the wall, Ghandi prac9ced non violence and truth in all situa9ons. The quotes were placed in the space by Kate Prince with a purpose to inspire the company and help them think further about their characters and their roles within the story of Some Like It Hip Hop. Read the following Ghandi quotes: “Be the change that you want to see in the world” “A small body of determined spirits fixed by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history” “An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind” Answer the following ques9on in essay form: How do you think Ghandi’s teaching and his messages listed above influenced the development of Some Like It Hip Hop?
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You Want To Be A Dancer? Reading the interviews with dancer Teneisha Bonner and ZooNa%on Ar9s9c Director, Kate Prince offer an insight into the life of a dancer. If you have been inspired by the work of ZooNa%on Dance Company why not learn some ZooNa%on rou9nes with your friends and classmates by watching these online Hip Hop tutorials. So You Think You Can Dance rou9ne:
h]p://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUhi0Ki74fY Southbank Flash Mob rou9ne:
h]p://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPv0u3_mqPs&feature=relmfu
If you want to be a dancer then get started today, get dancing with your friends, family and classmates. If you are inspired by ZooNa%on produc9ons, explore the site below and find out more about joining ZooNa%on Academy of Dance, its open to all young people aged 4-‐21 years. Classes take place every Saturday during term 9mes and in the holidays too.
h]p://www.zoona7on.co.uk/
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Further links and resources If you like the work of ZooNa%on and want to find out more about Hip Hop and street dance check out the following websites:
ZooNation Dance Company http://www.zoonation.co.uk
Sadlerʼs Wells Theatre http://www.sadlerswells.com/
Breakin Convention http://www.breakinconvention.com/
Banksy Street Artist http://www.banksy.co.uk/
Breaking Cycles http://www.breakingcycles.co.uk/
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Mousetrap Theatre Projects offers young people with limited resources and access, the opportunity to engage with the best of London’s live theatre. We are an independent charity, working with theatres in the West End and across London. Since 1997, we have taken nearly 100,000 young people to the theatre. We create innovative and exciting theatre access, education and audience development programmes. Young people take part with their school or youth group, their family or their friends.
Mission Statement We believe that all young people should have the opportunity to attend outstanding theatre, irrespective of their cultural, social or economic background. Our mission is to increase young people’s access to the best of live theatre in London (particularly those young people with limited resources, opportunities or support) and to enable them to engage creatively with that experience. As an independent charity, Mousetrap Theatre Projects is in a unique position to select the appropriate or relevant theatre productions in and beyond the West End that stimulate and inspire young people. We devise programmes that use theatre as a catalyst to explore ideas, learn new skills, develop creativity and offer new perspectives. At the heart of our education and outreach work is the desire to open doors to young people who might otherwise consider London’s rich cultural heritage closed to them.
Areas of Endeavour Access:
To provide young people with limited resources, support or a disability, the opportunity to attend London theatre, often as a first-time experience: The London Theatre Challenge for Mainstream Schools, Theatre Journeys for Special Schools, StageXchange, Family First Nights and Envision
Education:
To enable young people to engage actively with their theatre experience and to use theatre as an educational resource in and out of the classroom to stimulate creative work and to develop theatre-related skills: TheatreWorks, Play the Critic, Insight Sessions, WriteThinking, TechTaster, PowerPlay, StageSong and Stage Business
Audience Development:
To encourage a legacy of theatregoing among young audiences by reducing barriers and enhancing their knowledge and understanding of theatre: C145, West End for £10 and Mousetrap Mondays.
Creating Links:
To develop collaborations with young people, schools, teachers, artists, arts organisations, youth groups, community organisations and social service agencies with the theatre industry: Teachers’ Advisory Group, Teachers Preview Club, Youth Forum, Family Forum and training opportunities. Mousetrap Theatre Projects 23-24 Henrietta Street Covent Garden London WC2E 8ND www.mousetrap.org.uk Tel. 020 7836 4388
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