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Workshops and Educational Programs
We are deeply engaged in the Art of Being a Spectator Project, funded since 2012 by organizations such as UETF of the City of Albuquerque, McCune Charitable Foundation, New Mexico Arts, Vintage Albuquerque, FUNd of the Albuquerque Community Foundation, Bernalillo County and The Henry Fund for the Performing Arts.
For elementary students, a classic 25-minute puppet show, “Floppo,” precedes an analytical workshop about what it means to be an active spectator. Total time: 60 minutes.
We draw a distinction between nourishment and snacks, and between entertainment and art. The show is both meaningful and entertaining enough to command attention, reflection and curiosity.
We want to fight the notion that to be a spectator is a passive activity. Spectators are not passive when they watch a sporting event and they are not passive when they watch, quietly, a performance. The goal is not just to look, but also to critically watch, react, decipher, interpret, verbalize and process an event.
Everything has a meaning. What is it? We will explore our different perceptions, renew critical vocabulary in order to speak about what we have seen, find different ways of analyzing what has happened, different themes, and experience the show as a learning experience in addition to entertainment. As spectators, we are both “in” and “out”: part of the show and witnesses of it. This particular quality is a formidable education tool. We strive to reweave culture, art and education.
As artists, we do not give intelligence to a child, but we can give her or him tools to use it more efficiently.
Loren Kahn Puppet & Object Theatre is available to teach a wide variety of Puppet and Object Theatre workshops for all ages in a variety of settings including public and private schools, libraries, Head Start programs, child care facilities, health clinics, women’s organizations, art centers, children’s museums, camps, and more.
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Object Theatre Workshops
Object Theatre workshops are available for groups of teens and adults, including teachers of elementary, middle, and high school. Each workshop is tailored to meet the needs of the group. Teachers learn to apply techniques, activities, and perspectives from the workshop to any classroom setting, from elementary to high school. Working simultaneously with both the collective and personal meanings of objects as symbols, Object Theatre explores the gap between expression and perception.
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Puppetry Workshops
Students start with a hands-on look at puppets from different traditions and styles including Indonesian, Chinese, European, shadow, glove, rod, and more. They then learn to construct simple rod puppets using elemental materials. The emphasis is on structure, scale, and manipulation. Students do exercises with puppets to learn techniques of movement, manipulation, voice, and sound, culminating in solo work, improvisations, and ensembles of two, three or more. Students create and perform short vignettes or plays for the class. If time permits, students are also shown slides of interesting and weird puppets from around the world.
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