Published 07/07/23
Element
Element was a project designed to build upon the deep engagement with students at our partner school The Wyvern over the past 9 years, connecting dance, art and performance opportunities to provide a rich artistic experience. This project was developed in response to need identified collaboratively with staff and students at the end of 2021, such as a lack of meaningful work experience opportunities for students in the arts.
The project culminated in a film 'Beneath The Tide'.
Watch it here:
Element also included work with Royal Opera House Bridge and Artswork, establishing the Confidance and Wyvern Residency as a hub for practice as research, and sharing best inclusive practice within the sector.
This project nurtured a unique process of collaboration between staff expertise and the Confidance team (primarily the Speech and Language Team) to share resources and practice, to observe and articulate the ways that Confidance are already embedding language into learning, and discovering potential ways to develop communication tools for dance. See more about our Speech and Language project by clicking here.
"It was an amazing project that was accessible for all - even those who thought that they didn't really like art. Those who thought of art as a 2D drawing in a sketch book, it's opened thier eyes to the whole experience and that art isn't just a drawing, its everything - it's set design and props, dancing, the technical side, the music...which was just amazing"
Emma, Teacher at The Wyvern School
The key aims were:
-
Creating opportunities for high quality, student-led performances (both in person, and through film)
-
Developing best practice resources for dance, which can inform learning across the SEND and arts sector
-
Developing professional opportunities in dance, through the creation of both a person-centred work experience programme for individuals and career sessions reaching a broader range of students
-
Delivering a project informed by the Arts Award criteria, to support students across a broad range of need to achieve a qualification, as well as supporting the strategic Artsmark journey of the school
“Working together with our 6th form friends on a collaborative Confidance project has been a fantastic experience for our students. The students have enjoyed the music and movement elements of the production but also the opportunity to work with other students in the schooland really develop interaction skills with their peers.
Thought and care was taken to ensure that the students - may of whom have limited mobility were able to work at a level appropriate for them. It was ensured that their individual movements and gestures were recognised and incorporated into the highly inclusive sessions.”
Natalie, Wyvern School Teacher
Collaboration
The project brought together dance and art students whilst also responding to a need for students across classes to collaborate together and have greater interaction as peers. This lead to dance engagement with over 85 students, CPD opportunities for staff connected to Artsmark ambitions, pioneering resources recognised as having potential for national impact, and a professional training placement for one student (due to commence in September 2023).
“I worked with students to ensure that the Confidance team had suitable lighting for filming sequences of the videos. Both were extremely conscientious about their role. Initially my role was supervisory, as both students soon learned how to put the lights up themselves and I felt confident in their ability.”
Marc, Teacher at The Wyvern School
Work Experience Offer
We worked with two students to offer a work experience throughout the project. We covered topics such as the components of a warm up, how to assist an inclusive dance project, filming dance, how to plan a performance and training as a proffesional dancer with ConfiCo.
Each offer was bespoke to the student, one worked with us closely on the film project, working with our in-house videographer to plan for the filming and created her own film to present to her peers. Another joined ConfiCo in their professional dance training and created her own warm up that she could lead in our dance classes.
