"Everyday stories through trace, movement, and sound”
An inclusive approach inspired by local pedagogy, kinesiology, and the work of Trisha Brown.
Vagelis Kolotsios, educator, Greece
Elina Vafeiadi educator, Greece
WORKSHOP
Athens International Conference ‘Theatre/Drama & Inclusive Education”
Athens, March 21 - 23, 2025
Hellenic Theater/Drama & Educational Network (TENet-Gr)
Language: Greek
Limited number of participants
Workshop Description
This workshop combines local pedagogy, the creation of personal multimodal maps through kinesiology and sound-mimicry practices, and the artistic technique of Trisha Brown from her work “It’s a Draw.” This approach focuses on creating an artistic activity that allows students to capture their personal experiences on large sheets of paper through embodied visual expression, using their own bodies. It aims to foster intercultural interaction, exploring and shaping a space of free expression and inclusion.
The methodology of this approach draws inspiration from local pedagogy, emphasizing students’ connection with local experiences and the creation of personal maps. Children exchange and explore different experiences, stories, and values from their daily lives, identifying shared or differing milestones that open avenues for discussion. Trisha Brown’s technique, blending choreography with visual art, transforms bodily movements into visual representations. This process enables emotional and artistic expression, fostering intercultural communication by transcending language and cultural barriers.
This program, designed specifically for teenagers, consists of three stages:
In the first stage, students are introduced to the works of Trisha Brown as a starting point, along with various types of maps, sparking discussions about their personal experiences in the city. In groups, they are then invited to capture a typical day from their lives on large floor papers, drawing a line that represents memorable events throughout their day. Here, cognitive mapping will be used, enabling participants to document their daily experiences within their local area.
In the second stage, children navigate these maps, using their bodies and movements to express the experiences they recorded on paper. As each individual moves across their map, they interact with their peers, traversing shared stops and gradually creating a choreographed sequence. Their movement pathways, reminiscent of a game of “charades,” will be accompanied by body-generated sounds, followed by sound-motion exercises in small group interactions.
The third stage allows students to freely color their maps using their bodies, drawing inspiration from Trisha Brown’s work. Oil pastels will be scattered across the paper, and participants will experiment by coloring their mapped experiences, but this time using their bodies instead of their hands. This restriction, inspired by Trisha Brown, promotes a more liberating and abstract visual outcome, as colors and traces emerge on the paper.
To conclude, the children will observe their creations, discuss, and suggest any changes or additions to their map journeys. Through this workshop’s blend of techniques, the program aims to enhance children’s creativity, emotional expression, and interaction, crossing language and cultural boundaries. Participants are expected to develop mapping and artistic expression skills, along with a deeper understanding of their city and culture.
The above program is designed for school classes or mixed groups of students who speak various languages, including refugee students.
Note: This workshop is intended for teachers and whoever wants to integrate creative and intercultural methodologies into their teaching, enhancing the expression and interaction of their students. No prior artistic experience is required; however, participants should wear comfortable clothing that allows for free movement. The workshop includes exercises that may involve physical contact.
Bibliographic references:
Demarest, A. B. (2015). Place-based curriculum design: Exceeding standards through local investigations. Routledge.
Harmon, K. (2004). You are here: Personal geographies and other maps of the imagination. Princeton Architectural Press.
McInerney, P., Smyth, J., & Down, B. (2011). ‘Coming to a place near you?’ The politics and possibilities of a critical pedagogy of place-based education. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 39(1), 3–16.
Rosenberg, S. (2016). Trisha Brown: Choreography as visual art. Wesleyan University Press.
Turchi, P. (2007). Maps of the imagination: The writer as cartographer. Trinity University Press.
Wattchow, B., & Brown, M. (2011). A pedagogy of place: Outdoor education for a changing world. Monash University Publishing.
Elina Vafeiadi is a mathematician and dancer specializing in percussive forms of expression, tap dance, and body music. Working in non-formal education with refugee and migrant populations, she focuses on interdisciplinary education through STEAM, combining the sciences with creative movement and sound. She also has extensive experience teaching tap and body music to children and adults, aiming to enhance rhythmic perception and bodily expression. Her participation in musical projects as a tap dancer and her use of the body as a musical instrument drive her to explore the historical connections between music and dance and their ongoing evolution.
Vagelis Kolotsios is an educator specializing in teaching the Greek language to refugees and migrants. He holds a master’s degree in Human Rights, Cultural Informatics, and Digital Forms of Art, and has developed and implemented educational approaches based on communicative teaching and action- and project-oriented activities. He specializes in creating educational materials for both in-person and online classes and has integrated artistic activities to enhance the educational process. Additionally, he engages in illustration and the creation of ethnographic comics, combining professional experience with artistic expression.
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