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Many schools and community development organizations are not fortunate to have a Creative Arts program as part of their curriculum. This should be a requirement, especially for Vocational Secondary Schools. Nonetheless it is often overlooked.

In addition to this proposal a syllabus for this subject is also written to further validate the importance of Creative Artistic Formation to our youths, students, teachers and parents. Chances are; most children are not getting enough art, in or out of school.

This program offers a variety of activities that can be included in the primary and secondary school curriculum.

The arts are much more than just fun "extra" activities for students' physical and mental development. Artists who engage children, youths and adults to participate in the arts, open up worlds and minds through creative mediums, and offers participants with an opportunity to develop the skills they need for a brighter future.

Rise of the Phoenix

Subtitle:                          "Speaking without a voice...!"

Artistic Director:                Kofi Walker

Presentation Format:         Solo/Group Performing Arts Presentations: 5 – 15 minutes duration each.

Lecture Demonstration:     45 mins. – 1:30 hrs

Short Film Entitled:            SWOAV. 

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 Project overview:

Through discussions, lectures, workshops and practical activities in dance, drama and other creative arts mediums, participants will have an understanding of:

• Historical Overview of mediums used within this context.
• Social / Cultural expressions of SWOAV cause and effects
• Religious, Emotional and Spiritual effects of such… i.e theme.
• Focus on expressions commonly used. 

 Brief description: 

The Community Dance Theatre and Performing Arts Project SWOAV will include workshops within four levels.  Level 1: Primary, Level 2: Secondary, Level 3: Colleges, Level 4: University and other community organizations using the following guidelines.

• Level 1: Minimum 12 weeks – 1 year contact lessons with K – 12 years. The lessons will culminate in a final presentation in Caribbean dance theatre. Suitable for pre-schoolers and primary school children 4 – 12 years.
• Level 2: Minimum 12 weeks – 1 year contact improvisation, Contemporary and Caribbean Folk Dance workshop which should culminate into a short choreography for presentation live and filmed. This will also include a small lecture demonstration on the theme for this level. Suitable for A’ Level, CXC, post-Secondary Performing Arts Students. Participants must analyze the intellectual as well as the creative aspect of this theme, as it is related to dance, art and culture.
• Level 3: Minimum 12 weeks – 1 year contact improvisation, Contemporary and Caribbean Folk Dance workshop which should culminate into a short choreography for presentation live and filmed. This will also include a small lecture demonstration on the theme for this level. Suitable for Choreography majors, community dance or dance in education students. 
• Level 4: Minimum 1 ½ hours contact workshop in any of the format listed above in addition to historical overview as it is related to Caribbean and African retentions in Dance and how we express this in modern society. Alternately just dance class for dance enthusiasts.

Format for Rise of the Phoenix

This will be presented in three formats this year. Performing Arts After School Activities (PAASA) is local to the region and should be a yearlong project, the other formats are applicable both locally and internationally. 

1)     Performing Arts After School Activities 2010 – 2011    - Local program (e.g. PAASA)

2)      Workshops & Lectures                     2009 – Open   - Local and international program

3)      Performance & or Short Film             2010 – 2011    - Local and international (ongoing)

Rise of the Phoenix - Speaking without a voice...

Students will be given an opportunity to discover the world of dance, drama and arts – the artistry of movement, the exploration of culture, the joy of self-expression, and the rewards of disciplined study.

Rise of the Phoenix is devised in four levels to accommodate different learning styles and at various levels of competency in dance and performing arts activities.

Program Goals
Through engagement in, observation of, and reflective conversations about dance, drama and performing arts, students and their teachers will know, understand and be able to:

• Construct an understanding and appreciation of the art and artists on stage and in the classroom setting.
• Develop an interest in and understanding of dance, drama and performing arts, both as an art form and as a mode of personal expression.
• Recognize similarities between dance, drama and their own culture, and celebrate it as part of their artistic heritage.
• Learn new vocabulary associated with cultural dance, drama and performing arts theatre forms from the Caribbean.

The following are schools in St. Maarten / St. Martin that have participated in “Rise of the Phoenix – Speaking without a voice”:

• Lycée  
• St. Maarten Academy
• Sr. Regina
• Hervé Williams
• Sr. Marie Lawrence
• La Mangouste

Rise of the Phoenix includes professional development, in-school workshops, and follow-up lessons focused on extending the curriculum and engaging at risk youth in creative and artistic activities.

Professional Development
The program can also be extended to classroom teachers, administrators, dance and drama educators, professional dancers or persons who have an interest in cultural and performing arts programs. A series of professional development workshops will be staged to facilitate participants who wish to be engaged in this program; they will experience and be engaged in devising and executing sample lesson plans. You can refer to and review my Student Study Guide suitable for students at Secondary and Post Secondary Level education. This is also suitable for teachers who deliver Performing arts course in “Drama, Dance and Theatre,” they will also participate in a series of movement workshops in various Caribbean influenced styles of dance forms. These workshops provide teachers with the tools and inspiration to introduce dance theatre work to their students at multiple levels within education.

In-School Workshops and Performances

Program format and delivery

Rise of the Phoenix – Speaking without a voice provides students with a series of dance and drama theatre workshops in the styles of Caribbean Folklore, Urban, Reggae Jazz and Afro-Contemporary dance and drama workshops. The workshops allow students to explore what makes dance and drama (mime) the oldest forms of non-verbal communication or why choreographers, actors and other artists are viewed as unique, when they apply these techniques and skills to engage an audience. They will be guided to create a piece of choreography or theatre piece in one or all of the styles listed above. At the end of the workshop, they will review each other’s performance piece(s) on video or live in a forum type-setting; to facilitate a deeper understanding through thoughtful discussion with each other and artist(s) in resident. This will enhance their theatre vocabulary and movement experience. In addition to creating a better social environment.

Review and Reflection
Primary, Secondary, College, University students or other Social Service Organizations who participate in these workshops can post their comments on line or review suggestions for curriculum applications on my on-line forum. You may also download the curriculum guide as reference or for their perusal. This will further students’ ability to explore and expand their understanding of the possibilities of utilising their knowledge and skills in dance and performing arts. Their writings, images and videos may be posted on-line for reflections and review at http://www.kofiwalker.com/

Participants Fees:

Your local coordinator will set prices for the workshops both for student and participating teacher.

Artists may be engaged to provide shorter periods of engagement. A total of 20 hours per week is allocated for each booking listed below.

• 1-week in-school residency for primary / secondary level students.         
• 2-week in-school residency for primary / secondary level students.
• 1-2 weeks residency workshops for colleges and universities.
• One off studio workshop.

Special conditions

• Travel cost to the destination of participating organization
• Accommodations for the period of engagement for out of region artists
• Travel allowance for the period of engagement
• Visa application is to be submitted by the hiring agent or forward a letter of invitation if applicable.
• Medical / accident insurance for the period of the engagement.

Dance Choreography / Drama (Short Residency)

This is available for schools that are interested in a more in-depth experience of Rise of the Phoenix – Speaking without a voice. This is suitable for secondary level students. They will receive 10 - 14 choreography or drama and theatre in-school workshops, where they collaborate with peers to develop their own movement and or dramatic works inspired by the theme and dance styles listed. In addition, their work will be recorded and be presented in a short documentary film that will be posted to the participating organizations and our sponsors at a later date. They will also have the rights to use the choreographies and dramatic works created as part of their repertoire for performance. Students in this residency model will create original works, perform for each other, and engage in reflective discussion using dance and theatre vocabulary and student-generated criteria.

Professional Development Workshops and Lecture Demonstration
Prior to the beginning of the residency, teachers can attend the Rise of the Phoenix professional development workshop. Participants are introduced to the program, experience a sample SWOAV lesson plan, review the Curriculum Guide, and participate in a movement experience led dance and chant workshop. These workshops provide teachers with the tools and inspiration to introduce the dance theatre work to their students. By involving the teachers at beginning of the program allow for cross curricula learning.

In-School Workshops
As part of the PAASA program this project is intended to last either 1 year or in short residencies such as 10 - 14 sessions, students develop their ideas based on the theme (“Rise of the Phoenix” or the subheading “Speaking without a voice;” They will learn fundamental choreographic and stage devices and structures, work collaboratively, make personal artistic choices, while creating their own short pieces. Guided discussions encourage students to respond to their peers’ work, and reflective writing assignments document the revision process and reveal their own aesthetic creation.

In the short periods of engagement 10 – 14 sessions, lessons one and two of the residency introduce the basic elements of drama and dance theatre, which students should understand to effectively observe their performance and experiment with choreography and dramatic presentations. Lesson Three review a pre-recorded video of a performance; thereafter students begin their collaborative compositions. Lessons Four through Nine/twelve they will alternate between master classes, creating and performing their choreographic compositions. In addition, they will also engage in learning the historical, cultural, social and religious significance of the symbols used within this theme. Lesson Ten/fourteen is a final opportunity to perform for peers. Students will also have the opportunity to make their own masks and devise their own Caribbean folk costumes based on the style of dance or presentation being done.

Performances
Students who participate in Rise of the Phoenix: Choreography and or Dramatic Residency will create at least two performance pieces one Urban, the other Traditional Caribbean Folklore or Afro-Contemporary. These one & half-hour (forty five minutes to one-hour for primary school participants) workshops are held during school hours, or as part of an After School Activities program.

Review and Reflection
Reflective revision and student assessment (student and classroom teacher rubrics, peer critique protocols, journal writing, videotaping) are embedded throughout the process. In schools with accessible equipment, student’s work will be recorded, allowing students to observe and critique themselves and their peers, and write reflections of what they have experienced as performers, choreographers, actors and audience members based on the Rise of the Phoenix Study Guide, “It’s All in the details: listed within the Curriculum Guide”. Ref: http://www.kofiwalker.com/creativeartssyllabus.htm  

SWOAV gives primary, high school, college and university students who are studying dance and drama a glimpse into the professional dance and performing arts world by engaging them with the work of local and international artists. Through open rehearsals and master classes, students receive an integrated learning experience and broaden their perspective of the professional world. Recent participating schools received a 1 – 1 ½ hour workshop in varied settings including summer camps throughout the Caribbean; examples of this can be found in the photo gallery or blog section of http://www.kofiwalker.com/

This type of residency combines performance, discussion, dance and drama techniques, and composition. Depending on the workshop and hosting accommodation, a required minimum number of students may apply. Please contact me for more information.

 Participants may demonstrate their work at the end of the forum / engagement…

• End of term presentation
• End of year presentation
• Special events and invitations

Rise of the Phoenix

Dance and Drama Seminar for teachers and community dance artists.

To celebrate the vitality and breadth of dance and drama in the Caribbean and around the world, Rise of the Phoenix Seminar may feature all the different dance and theatre groups or companies who participate in the project to stage the final presentation on one stage. Rise of the Phoenix Seminar culminates in a day-long professional development session for dance and drama educators who are interested in viewing our methodology in the Rise of the Phoenix Dance and Drama Programme and who may want to introduce this to their local area. I will provide a blue print that I have devised for teaching performing arts in secondary level education for teaching and learning in the Performing Arts to teachers and community dance and drama artists from any organizations within your community, who have chosen to join this unique experience.

Participants will partake in master classes. During these classes, they will learn about the various disciplines that are applied to entice none-dancers, dance enthusiasts and participants with learning and physical disabilities to the arts. They will also discuss the importance of reinforcing an all-inclusive program. They will also learn about unique aesthetic methodology of applying none verbal techniques to provide a non-violent approach to protest by studying the root of the theme, Rise of the Phoenix – Speaking Without a Voice. Within these master classes, participants will investigate approaches to teaching dance, critical and creative responses to different dance styles and genres, and applications to classroom practice. The workshop will use an inquiry-based approach and include small group work and reflective practice.

Early Childhood Dance Residencies

A progression of Introductory Dance for children Ages 3 – 7 years… This is a series of collaborative sessions with teacher, visiting artist and students. The artists will actively engage children in experiencing the power of dance and drama as a form of communication and self-expression. Students learn basic movement skills in musical/rhythmic and Caribbean folk chants (call and response) in this context and begin to work independently and in small groups to express their thoughts and feelings using the language of theatre, using dance, drama and art. They learn basic dance vocabulary, invent movements together to create their own short dances, and explore dances from different cultures.

For drama they will learn the various elements involved in writing and staging their own work of arts. Lessons include performing for peers and a reflective period, during which students speak about, or respond through movement, or drawings of what they experienced as dancers, actors and observers. This active, disciplined process of dance and drama making, viewing each other, theatre visits and sharing gives young children a language through which to perceive themselves, communicate with others and begin to discover their changing and challenging world.