Okay, so today we began a new and innovative programme. We have 84 students. Who are not in any regular classes for 3 weeks. In this time we are going to create Art.

The plan is relatively simple. We are going to give an overview of the Arts (Dance, Drama, Music, and Visual Art) and bombard the students with EOTC experiences… getting them to create works based on the stories we discover along the way.

Today was Day 1. It began with a world cafe exercise looking at what Art is, and why we have it. We challenged perceptions, asked pointed questions, and made them talk to new people.

Then we split them into 2 groups and sent them to micro-workshops.  They did Dance – creating movements as a group from everyday tasks. Music – creating music using instruments they didn’t know how to play. Drama – recreating famous photographs with human bodies, then flashing back to show the 30 seconds prior to this image. And visual art where they talked about what art is.

Finally we ended on a Nga Toi workshop. Whaea Suzanne wrote a waiata for the group, which we are learning and will sing at her Marae next week. It is all about where we come from, and what values we hold.

Tomorrow is Day 2. We are off to Te Papa and Circa Theatre to find out more about what it means to be a New Zealander.

I also put this workbook together. I will flip through it at the end of the project.