Resonating Waters
Syncretic Art Workshop
integrating sound, found objects & movement
Claude Watson Arts Program: Nov 2004 - March 2005

Concept, staging, voice, music and syncretic art direction: by Amanta Scott and David Tomlinson
Costume design/ production: by Amanta Scott
Dance Teacher: Phyllis Whyte

Designed for students majoring in dance, this Syncretic Arts workshop introduced
forty-four grade 10 and grade 12 dance students to the fusion of
music for voice and found object percussion with movement.

The workshop ran from November 2004 through March 2005,
culminating in a public performance entitled 'Resonating Waters'
at Claude Watson Arts Program's Dance Night March 9th 2005.

What the students did:
• they created their own sounds (discovering instruments)
• they invented notation for sounds using abstract marks (creating a language)
• they drew the notation in a satisfying design (composing)
• they led groups in vocalizing the sounds (conducting)
• they presented the sound score in several ways (performing)
• they created movement in response to sounds (discovering movement)
• they created sounds in response to movement (discovering instruments and exploring creative impulses)

• they invented notation for movement using abstract marks (creating a language)
• they drew movement notation in a satisfying design (choreographing)
• they led groups in singing and performing the sounds (conducting/directing, integrating voice and dance)
• they presented the sound and movement scores in several ways (performing)

• they explored sonic potential of found objects (discovering instruments, improvising and composing)
• they explored the physical properties of the found objects (physics: weight, momentum)
• they developed presentations using found objects while vocalizing and moving (performing)

What they learned:
• how a composer and/or choreographer creates a work
• how a conductor/director or choreographer interprets a score and teaches it to performers
• how to perform a piece of music or dance
• cognitive links between creating works for music and dance
• how a performer utilizes props

Conclusion:
Students discovered the underlying process of the development of music and choreography over the past 1000 years and presented a unique and engaging public performance to their peers, friends, parents and teachers.