Acting and Artistic Improvisation for Early Years (3-6) in Bucharest, Romania

In this case study Corina describes her Workshop in Acting and Artistic Improvisation for Early Years (3-6) in Bucharest, Romania

Main elements of each session

1. Warm-Up

We loosen the body with some basic physical exercises; we recite a poem with actions which becomes a kind of ritual at the beginning of the lesson. This aids both discipline and recognition of the various moments of the session.

2. Diction

We practice pronouncing letters and groups of letters with word games, ranging from basic to complex depending on the children’s ability and their progress during each session.

3. Drama-therapy

Group therapy, in which each child narrates an event that happened at home, an important moment in their lives or something they were punished for from memory, according to the theme of the session. This exercise helps the children to use their memory skills, to wait in turn to speak, and to perform in front of their peers by telling about an actual event in their lives, whether positive or negative.

4. Imaginative Development

Using little colored balls, made from ecological leather, the children choose which color they prefer and they imagine various round objects. Then they manipulate the balls into other shapes, making new objects and improvising new movements for these objects.

5. Improvisation and Artistic Interpretation

• Interactive poems: we recite poems in different tones of voice, using different situations in life based on tasks given by the workshop leader.
• Coloured scarves: with these scarves, the children dress-up and disguise themselves in turn. They try to guess who the characters are.
• Guessing games based on good behaviour: to practice politeness and etiquette.

6. Rhythm

Music exercises – we alternate dance and role-play, to encourage the children to loosen up and move freely, naturally and with co-ordination. The children learn to feel part of the group while respecting the personal space of their peers in the group.

7. Story-telling

We read a new story in every session and follow this with role-play based on the characters in the story. We create minimal set décor together, which we use in the role play scenes. The children choose which character they would like to be from the story and in doing so they learn basic acting skills.

8. Creative Artistic Play
In every session, using the outline of the children’s hands/fingers/fists/toes/heels we create a drawing to take home and keep, almost like a certificate of participation in the course. Sometimes the drawing is a collective effort (using all the hands/fists etc in one place) and the crèche keeps it. In general the children are delighted with the drawing at the end of the session, the creation of something new with the outline of their hands/fingers/toes etc. Manual dexterity develops the children’s intuition and creative ability by using their own hands and feet in this way.

Notes and conclusions:

Note 1
Every session without exception contains:

• warm-ups
• music
• group therapy
• story-telling(reading and role-play)
• final drawing

I choose the other exercises (diction/imagination/etc) based on the group dynamics during the session, the children’s needs and wants, their concentration levels and their ability to understand the tasks required.

Note 2

In the weekly feed-back which the parents receive, I describe the outline of the session, and a few words on the child’s behavior during the class (which tasks he/she chose to do, if he/she disagreed with another child, if he/she told a spectacular story, and how I corrected the behavior where necessary.)

Conclusion

This option proposes to work actively with the body and mind of the child, in order to allow the child to freely express their feelings in a positive and authentic way. Children will develop their artistic ability and fluency of expression and they will learn how to work in a team, to role play and to improvise.

My respect for the children and their parents is reflected in the children’s pleasure in participating in this course and the naturalness with which they show progress in communication, interpretation and dexterity.

The 'Shoe Show' - Corina Chiran interviews Cliodhna Noonan about The Shoe Show, a production for the 0 to 3 years audience in Romania

Corina Chiran (email here) studied in the Faculty of Enviromental Economics in the Academy of Economics, Bucharest (2001 – 2005) and then (2007 – present) the Faculty of Theatre at Spiru Haret University ASE pedagogy course, Theatre Studies course (Centre Stage Bucharest) including workshop in techniques for directing theatre shows for children aged 0-6 years – Ion Creanga Theatre, Bucharest.

Corina has also been involved in the following:

VISE (DREAMS) CRECHE, Bucharest Oct 2008 – present day - Course designer and workshop leader in acting for children aged 2-6 years

ION CREANGA THEATRE, Bucharest May 2009 - Creator and director of the “Shoe Show” for children aged 0-3 years

BABORO INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S ARTS FESTIVAL, Ireland Oct 2009 - Presentation of early years theatre work

Corina is also the author of a series of 5 books of rhymes for children aged 3-6 years published by Aramis Publishers, Bucharest.