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Description
COMMUNE SENSE project is aiming at breaking barriers through the practice of contemporary dance and breakdance. Among main goals of the project are: to acquire new experiences collectively, develop an entrepreneurial mindset, increase student initiative, discover others, discover art and culture, new technologies and a whole range of means of expression. We will also prove that movement should not be restricted to PE lessons and that it may be fun/gain in daily lives if properly dosed. Our movement instructions given in Intelectual Outputs incorporate stress managment/relaxation techniques, breathing works and self-presentation exercises to boost students'' self-esteem. High quality is introduced through professional partners and stakeholders.
Three partner institutions will be working with students and teachers of various abilities, internationally acclaimed dancers, school teenagers, some with disabilities (mental or physical), others in search of a new lease of life when school no longer appeals to them. Project main tangible results are: creation of a student dance theatre performance and the Intelectual Outputs Tool Kit (MOVEMENT IN THE CLASSROOM, SELF-PRESENTATION TOOLS and DANCE DEFINED) widely disseminated during the planned conferences. Through the diversity of actions, the multiplying events and launching at schools our project will target hundreds of people. Diversed activities will target hundreds of people indirectly and the direct participants will count for 60 (students and teachers).
The artistic project will last beyond the 17-month period, since schools will carry on with the movement activities, video classes and Intelectual Outputs Tool Kit. Teachers will have learned how to work collectively, sharing projects with colleagues teaching different subjects and different class profiles. to open their classes to the disadvantaged pupils. They will know how to include them in their programs and this will create a whole new dynamic in our communities.
Summary of project results
The project was the answer to students'' lack of motivation in their educational process. The project involved the implementation of design activities based on the creative use of dance as an educational method. They proved "learning through doing" an effective method. Students became more self-confident, brave and open towards others (questionnaire analysis). School workers realized that extending school offer and adjusting it to students'' needs is a must. We also motivated teachers and managment staff to learn foreign languages and to participate in different educational programmes. The Intellectual Outputs produced in the project, as efficient tools for stress managment and body awareness, will be still promoted and accessible online. Workshops were carried out which, using dance, will increase the participants'' personal competences and contribute to increasing their social opportunities.
Implemented activities/products:
- movement/breathing workshops (with artists from Poland, Israel, Austria, France and Iceland)
- series of film and directing workshops
- improvisation and dance technique classes with Zawirowania Dance Theatre (3 hours a week throughout the project)
- film screenings for students in PRACOWNIA BAZA
- video tool kit production: MOVEMENT IN THE CLASSROOM GUIDE and DANCE DEFINED - an exemplary lesson for dance and theatre performance analysis with students (Intellectual Outputs); these tools are being implemented in LXIX High School and will be introduced to local schools also in the upcoming 2023/2024 school year
- online dance and theatre video library (pdf)
- project inauguration in KADR Cultural Centre, ELEKTRONIK cinema, educational conferences in Reykjavik/Warsaw and final show at STUDIO THEATRE
- mobility/local video stories prepared by LXIX and Film High Schools
- dance festivals participation, concert outings, taking part in art exhibitions and public art interventions
- WORK IN PROGRESS and final choreography shows locally and abroad (performing at Reykjavik Arts Festival 2022)
- English language classes for LXIX High School staff
- classes for project group run by older students and dancers (both from Poland and Iceland)
- visits at Iceland University of the Arts, The Icelandic Film School and Warsaw Film School
As part of the project, 16 video lessons were created: 8 instructional videos as part of MOVEMENT IN THE CLASSROOM and 8 instructions as part of SELF-PRESENTATION TOOLS for use in classes. A DANCE DEFINED video material with an example lesson plan was also created. 3 stage choreographies and 2 WORK IN PROGRESS were also created. Guide MOVING IN THE CLASSROOM. As a video package (16 video-lessons) and a printed textbook, it presents a series of exercises that can be easily used in the lesson in times of problematic situations, a lot of stress or simply to unite the group or increase the energy level during classes. It is not only a tool for the above-mentioned purposes, but also for use before stage or public performances. As part of the dissemination activities, the STRETCH YOUR BRAIN educational conference in Reykjavik was organized for a local group of teachers, educators and dancers/choreographers, the COMMUNE SENSE conference and the INCLUSION: MOVING EDUCATION seminar.
Students and school staff have become more aware of values such as respect for the rights of people with fewer opportunities. Students developed key and intercultural competences, such as communicating in a foreign language, writing film scripts, and awareness of cultural diversity. The motivation of outsiders to be active has increased. Students became more aware of the importance of their contribution to the educational process, more disciplined and open to other students. Student-teacher relationships in the group and teacher-teacher relationships among the facility''s staff have deepened. Students also became more aware of the importance of artistic expression, dialogue, community and trust. People who were previously inactive in school life understood that they could achieve success through dancing, film production and broadly understood art. Teaching and non-teaching staff were activated to learn a foreign language, and to learn how to run websites and manage social media channels.
Summary of bilateral results
Our partnership worked great and even expanded to include previously unplanned participants, which made these activities even more useful. The Icelandic partner was recently honored with the prestigious REYKJAVIK ART award GROUP OF THE YEAR 2023 and this also resulted in an increase in the scope of the Commune Sense project and its higher rank. Dansgardurinn was indispensable in the project due to their experience in the field of working with youth, using dance practice and performative arts in general. Thanks to them, in relatively short time, we could prepare 2 completely different dance groups for an onstage performance. We worked within an international group of advanced dancers, as well as those who didn''t know a thing about performative arts and had minor physical disabilities. Partner locally collaborates with primary schools in Reykjavik and they are recognized in the region through their public shows they set up in unconventional places around the town. They have been engaging larger youth groups from public schools in artistic activities and their know-how for implementing educational solutions was invaluable to us. Thanks to our collaboration we were able to transplant Dansgardurinn''s educational model into Polish school timetable in 2023/2024 school year (artistic class). On the other hand, LXIX High School as an institution with many international projects behind served as an example for the Icelandic company. We showed how to manage a larger group of partners from different countries and how to organize a long-term structure of activities in an international project. Now, Dansgardurinn applied for the first time as a coordinator in a new project within Erasmus+ programme. We are going to continue our cooperation not only through counselling for implementation of new educational practice in the field of performative arts, but also through setting up a Polish-Icelandic student exchange programme in the forthcoming years.