A two-day training on social inclusion through the artistic practice
The IYMF has coordinated a two-day training on the thematic of social inclusion through the arts, in partnership with MUS-E Belgium. On July 7th and 8th, in the beautiful location of the Théâtre National Wallonie–Bruxelles, 11 participants from the artistic and social sectors of Brussels took part in practical workshops and discussion sessions facilitated by visual and musical artist Patries Wichers and dancer Isabelle Maurel.
A long standing artistic co-creative partnership
Artists Isabelle Maurel and Patries Wichers have been collaborating on MUS-E and IYMF projects for about twenty years.
Patries worked with us on our European project “IYOUWE Share the world” in occasion of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue in 2008.
Isabelle took part in our residency on artistic co-creation, which took place in Tapovan, a centre in Normandy, member of IYMF and MUS-E®, specialised in Yoga and Ayurveda.
The two artists, working together as IYMF Artist Ambassadors, collaborated with us also on other projects such as Sharing Voices” and “Voices for Tomorrow”, with co-creation and multiple art forms at the heart of the process.
Creating group cohesion amongst strangers
To begin the training, the two facilitator artists had suggested for participants to bring an object from their artistic practice to help them introduce themselves. This opened conversation and made it easier for each to talk about their practice, passion, and what brings them to the training. This sharing moment was a kickstart to one of the first workshops, which consisted in creating a 3D image from all of the personal objects, creating a new story and new purpose for the objects.
Making movement and dance accessible
Isabelle Maurel shared insight on how to make dancing less intimidating for non-dancers and people uncomfortable with moving their body by explaining the importance of the individual bubble: while imagining that the whole space around the body still belongs to the body, movement is made easier and more intuitive, as not only the limbs are moving, but space is also part of the movement.
Another easy way to start movement practice is to begin on a small scale, by writing a letter into the air. First with the wrist, then the forearm, the whole arm, the torso…this technique is very easy to use with children.
Mixing visual arts to movement
Patries Wichers shared a portrait technique she often uses in her workshops: two participants sit opposite each other and draw a portrait of the other, without looking at the paper and keeping the pen to the paper at all times. This original portrait technique created a moment full of laughter and creativity, as the partners exchanged their portraits to finalise them with more colour.
Those portraits can then be used as masks, creating new characters, combining visual arts and theatrics.
Participants were invited to divide into two groups: one group of dancers, and one group of painters, who represented the movements of the dancers on a giant sheet of paper with some paint.
Several short workshops mixing visual arts and movement were suggested, showing how easy it is to combine things together: sounds from names turned into a song and dance, turning paintings into songs, and so much more.
A space for discussion
Throughout the workshops and even during breaks, conversations sparked and participants shared thoughts and questions on their artistic practice and how they implement their own workshops : how they navigate the difficulty of sometimes being seen as a teacher and not a facilitator, how to make their artistic practice accessible, the importance of the collective, the impossibility of transmitting something if it’s not a practice of their own, how the freedom of the others helps our own, the meaning of inclusion and exclusion…
An inclusive closing performance
Artists Patries and Isabelle had planned to close the two days of training with a musical and dance performance, with Patries creating live music with her loop machine and microphone for Isabelle to dance to. Participants asked if they could join the performance and concluded the sessions beautifully by all applying the movement improvisation techniques they had been taught by Isabelle, using the space around them as part of their movements.
Participant testimonies
“Listening, sharing and exchanging are the bases of inclusion.”
“The knowledge is in the group!”
“The training should have been longer, thank you!”
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