Meninadança

May - June 2013

Facilitation of mixed-media art workshops for teeange girls aged 8-18 years attending the Christian after-school services of Meninadança's Pink House  where dance is used as the principle tool with the girls.   The girls are identified as at-risk due to the socio-economic situation of their families, high levels of drug and alcohol abuse and the issue of sexual exploitation in the town associated with the BR-116 highway.  Realised as a professional volunteer arts educator ith Meninadança in Medina, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

 

These visual art workshops were tailored to support Meninadança's mission of promoting the healthy personal and social development of their girls and to advocate for change within the local town, using art as a vehicle to carry the girls' voices into their community and internationally. All of the projects were designed to fit alongside the themes being addressed within the discussion groups at the Pink House.

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Projects included:

• The Pink House Puzzle introductory collage activity, symbolising the girls' united supportive community at Menindança.

• The Pink House Family a storyborading and stop-motion animation using cut-out puppets that explored children's rights in Brazil and was presented for the girls' community in the local square to mark the Brazil's National Day against Child Exploitation and Sexual Abuse on Saturday 18th May 2013.  The girls' animation can be seen online here.

• Your look can change our lives, a cross-disciplinary project developed in collaboration with drama and dance educators at Meninadança. The visual arts component consisted of transforming an abandoned local space in the town with a mural, painted in collaboration with local artist Guina and fellow-volunteer Rachel Alvarez, as well as the girls of the Pink House.  Activities included collage-based preparation projects, body-painting for the promo flyers,  design drawing and painting directly onto the wall.  The mural was unveleiled for the local community with a night of dance, theatre and poetry presented by the girls with the mural as an impressive backdrop.  A time-lapse documentation of the process can be seen here. 

• Goodbyes and Memories shared: Activities and discussion focused on preparing the girls for the departures of current volunteers and reflecting on what they learn from each of the educators, both permanent and tempolrary at the Pink House, and celebrating their own acheivemnts.   Included letter writing, jewelry making, and a collage "volunteer clock".

 

Big thanks to all the amazing girls and staff at the Pink House for the incredibly warm welcome you gave me and your boundless energy in all these creative projects!