Drama. What does that word mean to you?
Drama. What does that word mean to you?
For me, Lead Facilitator and co-founder of Tie-Dye Drama, this word sparks joy, excitement, creativity.
For some of you, it might seem intimidating and uncomfortable. For others, it might seem noisy or irrelevant.
Taken from Tie-Dye Drama's instagram
Drama can be perceived as an elitist art form, only applicable to those born possessing extroverted jazz hands, fluent in Shakespeare’s verse and oozing confidence and ‘pzazz’. The top stage schools and drama clubs marketing often feature high resolution photographs of bright eyed kids holding themselves centre stage in a self assured manner. You can almost hear their pitch perfect vocal chords and anticipate them moving their feet in skillful rhythm. I believe that it is this type of imagery that often leads individuals to say that drama isn’t for them or their young people. They don’t think they “belong” in such a world.
As a facilitator, I have been told numerous times by various individuals that drama will not work for that particular person or group.
Examples:
A parent, “I don’t think she’s confident enough”.
A staff member, “Drama? They won’t get involved”.
A participant, “I ain’t doing f****** drama”.
For these individuals and groups, drama was perceived as either too noisy, out of their comfort zone or simply a waste of time.
In all of these situations, I listened to the individuals’ concerns. I let them or the person advocating for them feel seen and heard, but I did not let them use a get out clause! Tie-Dye Drama prides itself on creating inclusive spaces. We are not concerned about creating all singing, dancing performers (thank goodness, because they would not be inspired by my skill in this field!). We are interested in our participants’ individuality. We want to build their confidnce and boost their well-being so they feel inspired to shine in their own unique way.
So, in all of the above situations, I proceeded to ensure the drama space was safe and respectful. This included doing the groundwork; speaking with individuals, families and staff before and after sessions to find out how we can work successfully. It also included the creation and reflection of one of Tie-Dye Drama’s non-negotiables: A Group Agreement. These rules are created and set out by the group themselves and are adhered to by everyone involved in the workshop process.
Something that is interwoven into early conversations in Tie-Dye Drama sessions is the reiteration that there is no pressure to speak, lead or step into the spotlight. Workshops, games and conversations are adapted to the desires and needs of the individuals. We do, however, like to play magic tricks, using activities like fun movement games and using a few moments of pause, turning them into a freeze frame or drama scene which is shared back to the group in a low risk, nonchalant manner. We are then able to acknowledge and congratulate participants for sharing their ideas and performing in front of an audience! Prior to a Tie-Dye Drama workshop, this event could have been deemed unimaginable for some.
In Tie-Dye Drama’s eyes, no participant is ever “too much” or “too little”. Unlike in more traditional classroom or societal settings, there is no right or wrong way of answering or responding. On our mission to space we’ve come across a flying cat? Sure! We want our sessions to be open and inclusive and to inspire the participants to treat each other with respect. No matter their background or experience, everyone is welcome, everyone is equal. The drama space is one of creativity and possibility. A time to try things out and explore.
So, what happened to the above examples?
1) The child loved it and is now a regular attendee of the Tie-Dye Drama school holiday clubs. Their mum has shared that as a result of their involvement with Tie-Dye Drama they could see such an improvement in their confidence, such as when performing in their class assembly. We love being the inclusive London drama club!
2) This group of vulnerable adults sure DID get involved. We changed some of our sessions to accommodate physical needs and spacing challenges. We had a lovely time! A staff member commented, “Tie-Dye Drama was absolutely fantastic. They made sure everyone was heard, felt safe and unpressured”. We are proud to offer such inclusivity to groups with members who are neurodivergent and have special educational needs.
3) After performing in a devised piece, this participant proudly stated to his fellow peers and inmates, “I could have won a BAFTA for that!” We love to see this evidence of our work building confidence!
If these participants had been led to believe that drama was not for them, there would have been such a loss of creativity and growth. The participants would never have experienced or started their journey in self-belief.
So, I’ll ask you again. Drama. What does that word mean to you?
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Tie-Dye Drama is committed to bringing the good kind of drama to communities, regardless of experience or background. We are the inclusive drama club and look forward to working with your young people!
