Early Years Creativity

KINDLING CASE STUDYEARLY YEARS IN SOMERSET@ The David Hall, with Take Art

DANCE ALONG A PIECE OF STRING TO SEE WHERE IT GOES@ The David Hall, with Take Art

Little Big Bang artist Hannah Lefeuvre has been working with The David Hall Arts Centre in South Petherton to offer weekly creative dance sessions to parents and pre-school children from the local community. This partnership between dance artist and arts venue was actively supported and promoted through neighbouring Early Years providers.

In weekly sessions, small bodies have explored how we travel, where we journey and what adventures lie ahead, taking mums and dads along with them for the ride. These sessions have offered a rare opportunity for families to move and play together, letting imaginations roam free.

As part of the KinderGardens international festival of theatre for the very young, Hannah brought her dance company ‘Brown Paper Packages’ to The David Hall to perform her new work Favourite Strings. An accompanying workshop had the young participants making shapes in the air and on the floor, using lengths of string to make doorways and windows, continuously creating new spaces to look through and dance into.

A growing interest in other Early Years dance and theatre in Somerset prompted a recent performance of ‘Angel Heart Theatre’s’ Malina’s Dream at Hinton St George, which was presented by Take Art as part of the Live Rural Touring Scheme.

www.thedavidhall.org.ukwww.takeart.org

Photo Credits: Jim Lefeuvre & Richard Tomlinson

KINDLING CASE STUDYEARLY YEARS IN SOMERSETWith The David Hall & Take Art

Creative dance practitioner Rachelle Green is exploring the theme of Spring with under-fives at Ilminster Children’s Centre and The David Hall, South Petherton.

They look together at books about how insects move and then begin finding ways to use her exciting, beautiful fabrics. Floaty chiffons become butterfly wings that can be pinned on your mum and the sturdy, stretchy lycra sacks keep being transformed into cocoons.

The space at the Children’s Centre is used to explore different ways of travelling as well as their parents’ bodies which also become environments for these micro expeditions. Mum or Dad are lower down than normal and can be used as a bridge or a boulder to set off from, and then become a retreat to snuggle into before ‘fluttering’ off again on a new adventure.

The babies in the group love to watch the colour and movement of the fabrics - and to feel the breeze from them as they waft past their faces. One mum is impressed to see her ‘shy’ little boy boldly ask to make a cocoon again and all benefit from the relaxation at the end of the session. Several parents said they would try playing with the fabrics they had in their cupboards back at home.

“It’s great to give busy parents the space, time and ideas to creatively play with their young children”.

BEING A BUTTERFLY WITH MUM

theDavid Hall