The Breaking Chains with Knowledge Project

2009-01-08T05:57:00.000-08:00

The Breaking Chains with Knowledge project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund is now concluded after a year of lectures, research, visits across the country and workshops in Dance, Drama, music and Creative writing. The project came to highly satisfactory conclusion with some of the participants staging a number of fund raising events to sponsor an educational visit to Ghana.

Socialising after a lecture

Watching a video

Learning to play the guitar

Shango Baku presenting the character and story of Ira Aldridge the first Black Shakesperean actor from his one man show Splendid Mummer.

A Creative Weekend in Oxford

2008-10-01T08:15:00.000-07:00

Following the success of the first Black Theatre Development Weekend, the creative partnership of Nu Century Arts (Birmingham), Kumba Nia (Oxford) and Unity Arts and Music & Multimeadia (Reading) ran their second creative and inspiring weekend. This took place in early September at the Pegasus Theatre in Oxford with the intention to develop emerging artists and provide creative opportunities within the arts; nurtured by Black practitioners.

The workshop leaders were

The extraordinary Actor Tyrone Huggins who has previously worked in movies and theatre alongside RSC and the Birmingham Rep.

Lati Saka, formerly of the Irie Dance Company leading a dance workshop.

Denise Wong, the inspiration behind the acclaimed Black Mime Theatre alongside various other roles and contributions.

Amantha Edmead, Singer and Scriptwriter for ‘Songhai’ a new theatre production based on the role of Griots and their community and West African traditions; produced by Unity Arts Music & Multimedia.

Some of the master classes delivered by leading international practitioners included:

• Tools for Actors & Performers,
• Mime
• African & Caribbean Dance,
• Storytelling & Using the Voice
• Developing Script for Theatre

Over the weekend the young performers learnt the fundamentals of performance, from using &and controlling the breath, maintaining the body and grounding exercises to more complex activities focusing on the developing the craft of various practitioners in the arts.

The creative space provided a warm and relaxed open environment where all involved could share their skills, support each other, explore their creative ideas as they were encouraged to take creative control over the production, their ideas and allowing them to come to form in an organic way.

The processes introduced through the workshops further enabled these emerging artists to transfer and apply their skills into their own specific disciplines as well as become multitalented performers and actors with a range of tools to draw upon.

The Black Theatre Development Weekend was a holistic experience, nurturing growth on a spiritual and emotional level as well as the practical elements. Participating in activities rooted in African tradition created transparency and openness which developed trust, a sense of unity and enabled performers to have a greater sense of freedom when devising and working as a collective.

“It’s been so enjoyable working with such like minded people and and learning so many skills about being a practitoner in the arts”
Chris Student Actor

Labrish@NuCenturyArts

The Breaking Chains with Knowledge Project

A Creative Weekend in Oxford