Today we challenged the students to create “a thing” whether it be Dance, Drama, Music or Visual Art.

The most important part was the set up, the how-do create things. We covered how you can use things directly, such as quotes, or the stories of different people. Looking at art, and trying to create the story of the people in the picture. Then we discussed the idea of using indirect means to create something, such as using the mood of a piece as an inspiration.

What amazed me is how the kids jumped in feet first and pushed themselves. They began working on projects instantly, from sculptures to dances. The band-boys did a terrific job by starting with the idea of “The Last Post” after the Gallipoli exhibit. They used the sounds of the trumpet at the start as a starting point for a couple of saxophones. They didn’t initially start on saxophones, but changing instruments helped them find their sound.

The dance girls took a phrase, chaos to control. They worked on a piece of choreography where they all did movements out of sync, then moved into sequence with each other.

One group worked on a play about Abel Tasman, wrote a script, began a musical score, went to an English exam, learned their lines, choreographed a fight sequence with taiaha, and found costumes to perform it back to the group. It was terrific. They even used split staging and narration as conventions without being prompted. They even worked through lunch!

I am constantly amazed by what is possible when I stop trying to either control the outcome, or reel back what I think is possible.