Sunshine on a rainy dayWhat a great way to start the final term then with a project which celebrates freedom and happiness. Hampton Academy, in partnership with the Richmond Arts Service invited 12 students from Years 7 & 8 to partake in a project celebrating the ideas of Carnival. Hampton Academy were very lucky to work yet again with a great dance company called Irie, who are influenced by African movement and form. Now, the lucky students chosen to participate in this project not only had the chance to indulge themselves in three African based workshops, but also got a fantastic historical briefing on where and why Carnival is a festival of celebration. One student commented, "I really enjoyed the first lesson where we learnt about how Carnival represents the enslaved people of Africa becoming free." Another remarked, "I have never thought about the word ‘slaves´ before, and it makes total sense to say ‘the people of Africa were enslaved´, not ‘the slaves from Africa ´, because they weren´t slaves in Africa so their title shouldn´t be slave."Throughout the three weeks rehearsal the students learnt numerous phrases and the rhythms that have derived from african movement. They have managed to let themselves go in their movement and I have noticed a clear change from ‘students´ to ‘African dancers´; the weight in their movements are stronger and have more impact. I have also noticed that the students taking |
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part in the Carnival project has rocketed and I believe they now think they can undertake many different styles of moving in the future.The performance day was filled with wonderful smells, colours, music and rhythms of the Caribbean, and was a fantastic way to end the project. The sights and sounds of Africa had very much taken over the Orleans House Gallery, and despite the rain pouring, the sun was very apparent on the faces of everybody who attended. After rehearsing for an hour in the warm, it was now Hampton Academy´s turn to help bring the sun out and say goodbye to the rain; and boy did the students try to do just that. The performance they delivered uplifted everybody who was watching, and even got people dancing in the audience. The smiles on the performer´s faces bounced from tree to tree in the open aired stage space, and helped to bring those dampened souls of many audience members alive! What a great way to spend a Sunday which the weather would have otherwise wasted.
Well done Hampton Academy! Also, a massive thank you to all the parents and family members who came to support this terrific event!
Lee Robinson, Dancer in Residence
