Pictures and Video from the NCCAT experience

I invite you to visit awhile. You'll need some time to see all the pictures and the two videos I've made for you this morning, so if you are in a hurry, just come back later when you have a hot cup of tea or coffee to offer comfort and warmth.  

Back in September, I attended a five day seminar/workshop at NCCAT (North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching. As you can imagine, I took many pictures and made several 'movies.'

It takes great chunks of uninterrupted time to edit them, arrange them into an album, and to create the movies, then upload them to a public video site like youTube or aol uncut videos. This morning, I found that time. I claimed that time. Above is the album I put together, here are a few shots of the cultural arts we worked on, and finally, at the end are two videos featuring the performance of the Kyai Gunung biru gamelan from Western Carolina University. Not many words, but lots of pictures.

Shadow puppetry was taught/demonstrated by world-known puppet master Hobey Ford. I had never seen a shadow puppet, let alone made one, but that morning, we all made our own shadow puppets to tell a story. Our group chose a story that Rochelle (an art teacher) had selected for one of her classes back home. We all made the characters and scenery, then put on the performance. It was called "Us and Them", about two villages warring against each other, and how their final conflict ended. Not the usual happy ending, I might add.

                                     

I created the characters to represent the opposing villagers, resembling a man and a woman just because they would be easily recognizable, and often we don't understand each other. Like warring villages.

I actually now have the skills and knowledge to build a shadow puppet theater. All I need is a story to lend itself to the shadow puppet telling, some time, lots of time, and an audience. Could be something I do with the students.

The shadow puppet theater is made from a science project board (black), a circle cut out of it (about 24 inches), covered by a white shower curtain for a screen, and a light source provided to back light the puppets. Puppets are made by cutting out the shapes from black poster board. These are taped to the end of a dowel or shiskebob stick in such a way that the puppeteer can hold them firmly against the white screen with the light shining from behind. Someone does the story narration while others maneuver the puppets to illustrate the actions. It's a great way to tell a story with or to children.

                                    

I learned about the symbols and myths of the indigenous people of Australia. We made boomerangs. This one is mine. I have already started the boomerang art project with my third graders.

                                     

One seminar instructor, Marie Cochran, gave us a brief history of people affected by diaspora, of being removed from their homelands, and what home means to many African Americans.

I learned about shotgun houses... didn't know what they were before this. To find out more about shotgun houses, check on the link provided in previous sentence. After a brief history of famous black artists, and a video about the shotgun house, we were asked to consider our own cultural heritage, and the meaning of home. Then, we were given the task to create 'home.' No other parameters given. We had about three hours to complete the project before dinner was served. From start to finish.

                                                        

My home features a two story main house, with a separate, raised room just for me. Home is a place of quiet retirement, an art studio, a library, a computer room/office. Away from the phone and the tv, away from all responsibility. A dream, no doubt. Is there such a place? My home. (actually, my real house does not look like anything like this, but in concept, it does.)

                                    

The instructor set up a display table with all of our houses. They were well crafted, each one different, all colorful and inventive. I'm going to add a video I made of the houses later on.

I hope you enjoy these.

 

                                     

                                                           Making the Gong Laugh

 

                                       

                                                          Gamelan Kyai Gunung biru

Since its beginning in 1986, NCCAT has served over 6,000 teachers a year. In 2007 alone, over 100 seminars have been held. A new NCCAT opened up at Ocracoke Island last month... it's a former US Coast Guard Station. Teachers can attend one NCCAT seminar every three years.

NCCAT..."where teachers are offered support for today and a bright vision of tomorrow."

Tags: NCCAT, Gamelan, Making the Gong Laugh, Kyai Gunung biru, cultural arts, blogplug