October 11, 2013
Around the time of, and following the London 2012 Olympics, there has been an added incentive to educate children and young people about other cultures. More and more schools are studying other countries; looking at the people who live there, the languages spoken, the food that is eaten and any differences in how they dress.
For Sedbergh Prep School however, Languages Day has been a big part of their school programme for some years now. We went along to Sedbergh Prep to deliver a series of One Day Dance & Music workshops to help contribute towards an absolutely fantastic day of learning.
From the get-go we were ready and raring to go with the sound of Brazilian Samba Drumming and exploring the African Harvest through Dance Africa!
There was a real buzz and energy in the school. The children were all dressed up in international dress from countries all over the world. Our fantastic team led groups of children from reception right up to Year 7, rotating every hour in order to give each child a taste of different cultures through dance and music. And what a day it was!
Kat launched the children into a Zumbatomic routine and brought the school theatre alive through Latin-infused dance. They learnt a mix of Zumba moves such as Salsa, Cumbia, Reggaeton and Hip-Hop and were grooving and shaking to wonderful Latin music in no time. Not only did the children learn about cultural dance, but also the importance of team-work, putting together an international routine through the hour.
Faye was in a big, light and airy space that became Africa for the day. Each group had the opportunity to explore myths and folklore from different African countries – all through the joy of dance. Through movement, the groups delved deep into various stories and created a dance piece of the sound of some African drums.
And then there was Issac, who rocked out in the pavilion. This space became the heart of Brazil with loud and energetic Samba Drumming. Every group had the opportunity to learn about Brazil through music and play an array of exciting Samba instruments. The energy in the room was electric and every child was engrossed within the music and the culture!
With the World Cup taking place in 2014, followed by the Rio Olympics in 2016 – Brazil is going to be a huge focus for many schools in the UK over the next few years. Talk to us about our One Day culture workshops, that can help complement classroom teaching. One more big thank you to Sedbergh Prep School for a truly fantastic experience!