ART ACTION TECHNIQUE NO.4:
STREET PERFORMANCE
MCAC ART ACTION TOOLBOX TECHNIQUE NO. 4
INTRODUCTION
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This guide takes you step-bystep through the process of engaging a group of young people in street performance. Street performance is a fun way to bring people together in a public artistic event. It can also be a powerful tool with which to communicate a message. Mayfield Community Arts Centre uses this technique to engage young people in participatory and multidisciplinary public art projects about issues that are importance to them. We hope you find this guide useful and inspiring!
BEFORE YOU START! Planning! There are many factors involved in public street performance so a bit of planning helps. Discuss with your group: • How will you make sure that there is an audience for your performance? Can you link in with an existing festival or parade? • Where will this public space be? What are the physical factors that need to be taken into consideration? For example, is it a long, narrow lane or a broad straight avenue? How will this affect the design of your piece? • Do you need permission from the city or town council to perform in this space? • What kind of risks are involved and how could you prevent them? For example, are you planning to have stiltwalkers? How well trained are they? Does their costume get in the way of their stilts? Is there someone to help them during the performance? • Can you watch any videos or go along to see some street performance to see what you like and don’t like? Ireland has a great tradition of parades and street theatre, for example Spraoi in Waterford and Macnas in Galway.
WHAT YOU NEED DANCE •Costumes (see below!) •Drums that ca be carried •Various musical instruments, e.g. tambourines, shakers, whistles. THEATRE •Costumes (see below!) •Various props, hats, sheets of fabric etc COSTUMES •Brightly coloured cotton (block colours rather than patterns) •Various types of fabrics, polyester, tulle, chiffon. •Brightly coloured nylon tights •Sheets of funky foam •Brightly coloured card •Glitter of various colours •PVA glue •Umbrellas (preferably in bright block colours) •Scissors •Tape •Needles, thread, safety pins •Face Paint
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE To create the comparsa (parade) divide your group into 3 separate groups: 1. Dance and Music 2. Theatre 3. Costumes The three groups should have their own tasks but come together to discuss the overall theme and what is needed from each group to produce the finished piece. Stage One: Working with the concept that you want to express with the parade. With your group decide a title and focus for your performance. Decide the core elements that will express that theme through the 3 groups- dance/music, theatre and costumes. Stage Two: The group should split into their separate task groups. The first group, the musicians, chose rhythms that they could play on drums that are easy to carry, and the dancers choreograph simple movements that fit together with the drumbeats. The choreography has to consider that the parade will be moving and that the dancers will have to move forward all the time. The actors should to interact with the public, add humour and interaction to the parade. They may decide to do simple activities like moving in slow motion, playing games as the parade moves (e.g. throwing the ball, moving colourful umbrella up and down.) Stage Three: The visual element- costumes and props.
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