Made in BC welcomes Kicking Horse Culture as the newest member of the MiBC network! Bill Usher sent us this account of their International Dance Day celebrations...
With support from Made in BC, KHC created a 3 day outreach residency with the Golden community that led to the creation of 30 minutes of theatrical movement/dance performance for an audience of 280 as an opening act to Motus O’s Circus Terrifico on April 8. Workshop leaders were Kat Single-Dain and James Croker along with the three other dancers of Motus O. The combined workshop leaders delivered a total of 12 hours of engagement with approximately 75 children, youth and adults.
We partnered with passionate teachers and administrators at three SD6 schools: Lady Grey Elementary School, Nicholson Elementary School and Golden Secondary School. In addition we partnered with the 15 member youth/adult A-Muse Troupe collective to spread the word and populate the workshops.
We benefited from tremendous buy-in from the local schools and the adult A-Muse Troupe collective. This buy-in facilitated tremendous word-of-mouth outreach to the general population and put 280 in to the seats to see both the community opening act and the Circus Terrifico performance.
Motus O’s James Croker is very experienced and skilled at inspiring and leading the community groups to explore their own creativity while developing a basic understanding of movement skills, stage craft and theatrical performance. There was no flagging interest and joy pervaded all of the workshops and culminated in a spectacularly enthusiastic performance by the locals on the final night.
Much professional development was “left behind” in the community once the 5 dancers had left town. We found that about a half dozen of the youth/adult A-Muse Troupe came to learn and participate in the afternoon student workshops as “group” leaders under James’ leadership and direction. So, not only were they learning the “what” they were also learning from James “how” to lead and inspire so many students towards a collaborative and creative effort. The youth and adults of the A-Muse Troupe collective also found a soulmate in Kat Single-Dain of Dusty Flowerpot Cabaret. Kat’s professional skills and theatrical experience along with a youthful affinity with the artistic vision of A-Muse Troupe generated a wealth of activity and professional development for our locals.
Altogether, this outreach dramatically and successfully built upon the groundwork we have been building in Golden these past few years and will support us immensely as we work to build further on these successes.
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