Exciting opportunities for schools

Gypsy Roma Traveller Workshops

The Gypsy Roma Traveller Achievement Service (GRTAS) are very pleased to offer excellent workshops for schools. They provide an exciting opportunity for schools to promote their equality, diversity and community cohesion agendas through the arts.

Ferdinand Koci Workshop

These artists and performers offer skills and talents which have inspired many children and will have a major impact on your school. They offer a range of experiences from the Roma artist, Ferdinand Koci, the Romany Gypsy Storyteller, Richard O’Neill, the Flamenco dancer, Carla Soto to the Circus performer, Peter White. This work can be an exciting introduction to the GRT communities and help the school plan how best to celebrate Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month in June each year.

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The workshops also contribute to achieving the Stephen Lawrence Education Standard, the Inclusion Chartermark, help celebrate different languages – Rromanes, Albanian, French, Italian, Polish, Czech, Spanish – and the rich contributions of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) communities to our society.

They provide stimulating, enjoyable learning experiences for the whole school. They can stand alone or be integrated into a project over the term featuring the different artists and using them to help children create and enrich their own narratives or that of the many GRT folktales or stories.

All of the artists and performers have had great reviews of their work from our schools and are all CRB checked. Schools will be sent a pack of information about the workshops when booking and schools can plan their day/s with the artists to focus on particular skills/themes.

Art Workshops

Ferdinand Koci: International Roma Artist

Ferdinand's art workshops Ferdinand has led successful and exciting workshops for all ages combining art appreciation with practical work. He can demonstrate, encourage and inspire. Whether talking about his art, viewing and discussing artworks or working via activity sheets, Ferdinand’s workshops are lively and enriching.

The workshops include learning about Gypsies, Roma and Travellers (GRT) and show work by GRT artists. This gives an insight into the GRT culture and contributes to the equality, diversity and community cohesion agenda.

Gypsy Storytelling Workshops

Richard O’Neill: Gypsy Storyteller

Richard Storytelling workshops Richard O’Neill is one of the UK’s best loved storytellers. Working across all key stages his authentic, interactive and unique stories provide entertainment and important subtle lessons to children and students.

Richard uses the storytelling skills passed down to him by Romani families to promote their rich culture in all schools.

A workshop can be a mixture of traditional stories, assembly performance, storytelling skills, creative writing and perceptions.

rroneill@aol.com

Flamenco Dance Workshops

Carla Soto and Mike Holland: Flamenco Artists

Carla Soto Dance Workshops Learn how to dance the Flamenco! Discover and try out the Gypsy rhythms. Carla Soto, Venezuelan Flamenco dancer comes from a musical Cuban-Spanish family. She is a Spanish tutor, professional dancer, choreographer and dance teacher. In these workshops she encourages the utilization of the basis of movement, technique, body, space, coordination and rhythm. Carla is accompanied by Guitarist Mike Holland.

Workshop participants will learn about the story of the Gypsies and how they influenced the art of Flamenco. By learning some basic steps and Flamenco dance elements (clapping, stamping, curling hands and clicking) they will develop and improve confidence, posture, body balance; hands, arms and hip technique as well as coordination, motor and rhythm skills. They will also learn about Spanish culture and pick up some Spanish words along the way.

After questioning the class about Spain, Flamenco and the Gypsies the class begins with a story recited by the guitarist about the Gypsies and how they were treated as an oppressed culture, while the story is illustrated with map, poster and artefacts. A demonstration of two Flamenco dances follow. A sad dance that reflects the tragic life of the Gypsies and a joyful dance that shows the happy moments of life when Gypsies used to have fun at their celebrations in the caves.

After learning some basic steps the class will learn a choreographed dance and use their new skills. Working in small groups the class will choose an animal of their preference, (without telling the others) and mime the animal without making any noise; improvising movements by using some of the steps and the Flamenco dance elements. Participants will then choreograph their own performance.

carlasotom@hotmail.com

Circus Workshops

Peter White: Circus Performer

Peter White Circus Workshops Peter White is a professional performer and instructor. With his Suitcase Circus show and his circus skills workshops he has been entertaining and inspiring children and adults for over 15 years.

Pete’s Circus Workshops are great fun and a good form of exercise, developing concentration, hand-eye coordination, motivation and self discipline. By breaking skills down into simple steps, practicing them in a fun way, children participate, succeed and enjoy learning juggling, plate-spinning, diabolo and performance/presentation skills.

In April 2010 Pete will perform his Suitcase Circus to over 2000 children at the Royal Albert Hall in London for Camden Education Authority Music Festival for the 4th time. The show is also perfect for smaller audiences (up to 250) in the school hall.

Pete’s show and workshops are accessible to all and can be arranged to tie in with a particular part of the curriculum, as an end of term treat, as part of an Arts Festival, Fete or Fair.

trev@snapsnap.demon.co.uk