Spotlight Beaming at the VAC
Spotlight, the new Performance Skills Qualification commenced on 1st October
with sixteen young people all eager to participate in Theatre and Drama activity.
Each week, the tutor Sinead Devine takes the group though a workshop process
to develop skills. Next term they will use these skills to create, rehearse
and present a performance of their choice in March 2006.
“The group are very enthusiastic and have shown great potential already” says
tutor Sinead Devine from the Workers Educational Association. “The
partnership with the VAC has proved very fruitful and the centre has been
very supportive to the needs of the project”, she added.
What have they done so far?
The first term is all about building skills. Already the group have developed
improvisation skills, explored non verbal work including mask work and
theatre machines, looked at groupings and status as well as examining different
types of theatre space and how this impacts on the performance and how
the audience views the piece and the roles on stage.
Following the session on theatre machines, participant Caoimhe says ‘I
enjoyed this lesson, I found it very different to what I usually do, and
it was very interesting to see what we could create using one small word’
Research trips
Also during this term the group will be conducting research into the possibilities
of employment in the performance industry. They will be visiting the Millennium
Forum soon to look at the technical aspects of the industry as well as
marketing and education. On 1st December the group will visit Radio
Foyle where they will meet producer Michael Bradley and presenter Mark
Patterson to explore their roles in broadcasting.”
The Performance
The Spotlight group will soon be deciding what type of performance they are
going to create. Using a text from the curriculum as a jumping off point
the performance created by the group will explore issues such as conflict,
racism and interdependence etc. So far it has been a fantastic journey,
made all the more wonderful by the young people taking part. The
possibilities of creating the performance together are very exciting …so
watch this space…all will be revealed by late Spring 06.”
What others have said
Placement student Heidi Martin from Bluffton University in Ohio USA sat in
with the group to observe one session ‘The spotlight performance
skills programme is great for those seeking experience in the performance
industry as well as those wishing to build confidence and skills in communication. The
warm atmosphere invites individuals from different backgrounds to come
together and share their stories and ideas with one another’.
If you would like to hear more about this project please contact Sinead
Devine at the Workers Educational Association on 028 71 369947.or the Verbal
Arts Centre on 02871 266946
