Co-Director, Lead Deviser, Creative Content Development Lead
International-based devised theatre initiative/project in Rwanda Africa with Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village and the In[HEIR]itance Project as part of an artistic delegation from the United States.
Our final project was titled 'AHAZAZA: Looking to the Future'.
A new devised project in development. The In[HEIR]itance Project will be working with students and staff at ASYV to create a brand new piece of theater that will focus on exploring the ways collective creativity has the power to build relationships and community. The focus of the workshops will be utilizing art for equity, confidence, and healing mirroring the values of ASYV and inviting the students to determine what those words mean to them.
This process will also support skill building for participants in public speaking, storytelling, and confidence in communicating in English.
Co-Director(s) & Devisers: Brittney S. Harris & Ari Warmflash (In[HEIR]itance Project)
Project Approach(es):
Mirroring the values of ASYV by focusing on how art can be utilized for equity, confidence, and healing and will help participants hone their public speaking and storytelling skills and build confidence communicating in English.
Program Overview
Week 1: Introductions, Skill Building, Creative Sharing
Week 2: Generating Content, Shaping Material
Week 3: Clarifying Material, Rehearsal, Performance & Close Out
Outcome Measures
The collaboration between ASYV and In[HEIR]itance will be evaluated throughout the process through qualitative interviews with participants and leadership from both institutions as well as through quantitative surveys with participants and community members at ASYV to assess impact.
We wanted to be sure to offer the students tools and techniques that supported their self expression, and catered to each as an individual with their own skills and talents.
We introduced ‘Sheet Work’ , a technique that originated from Brittney's research with personal narratives and objects that utilizes a simple white sheet. Sheet work is a transformation tool to support creative expression through the use of props, fluid motion, and endowment. Prior to our exploration with this tool, we invited the student
We introduced ‘Sheet Work’ , a technique that originated from Brittney's research with personal narratives and objects that utilizes a simple white sheet. Sheet work is a transformation tool to support creative expression through the use of props, fluid motion, and endowment. Prior to our exploration with this tool, we invited the students to reflect on what they hold close to them; an item, a memory, a story, etc. One by one, each took to the center of the space to explore using the sheet as a guide to “flow” and express their recollection with words, movements, and imagination.
The individual images they created with the sheet, coupled with the 'group tableaux' they created to convey UNITY, SUPPORT, and ROLE MODEL, absolutely blew us away. We spent the rest of the week implementing that tool, and beginning to divide them into the groups they will be a part of for our final sharing. We utilized a “graffiti wall,”
The individual images they created with the sheet, coupled with the 'group tableaux' they created to convey UNITY, SUPPORT, and ROLE MODEL, absolutely blew us away. We spent the rest of the week implementing that tool, and beginning to divide them into the groups they will be a part of for our final sharing. We utilized a “graffiti wall,” a tool that asked students to brainstorm together without speaking, but rather by responding to written prompts on papers on the wall. Each paper was filled with thoughtful and creative responses to the questions and both the students and staff were delighted with this new tool that they could use in other areas of the village.