Remixing tradition

1. Introduction (5 min): Explain the purpose of the activity (cultural exchange, self-expression, creating “new traditions” by remixing traditional dances and songs).
2. Breaking the ice (15 min): At the beginning, the participants stand in a circle, and throw a ball to each other. In the first round, whoever gets the ball must say a word that answers the question “What does tradition mean to you?”. If you work with a group of people who don’t know each other, incorporate a name game previously.
3. Traditional music and dances (35 min): Participants are invited to reflect on their country or region’s traditional music and/or dances. If some participants know a song or some steps, they can teach the others some simple steps or melodies. If not, they can research online and find a video representing their tradition to share with others. The group then watches together a couple of videos and reflects on the differences and similarities of the folk music and dances they’ve seen. They should name the characteristics of traditional and folk expression, what topics they represent, what was the life of people when it was created compared to today, and how they feel towards it. The group is then divided in two – one group chooses a song from any cultural background they watched, and the other group chooses a dance. They are given 15-20 minutes to rehearse a couple of verses/steps.
4. New tradition (40 min): Now the participants are given the task to use the verses and steps they’ve learned and rehearsed to create some modified song or dance that can resemble the traditional dances and songs, but can be altered using any kind of creative expression. For instance, they can mix different region’s materials, add some new motifs, words or steps that might come from contemporary dances or topics. They can express the song’s topic in a new way, changing the lyrics and the dance movements in a contemporary way. Each group should practice their newly created material a few times, making sure to reach a choreography and mutual pace. They can repeat the sequence in a “loop” a couple of times and add an ending. The groups then show each other their short song and choreography. At the end the whole group can try to do it simultaneously, blending the song and dance into one performance.
5. Reflection and evaluation (15 min): The participants sit in a circle and share thoughts on the shared experience.

Reflection Questions:

• • How was the exercise for you?
  • Was it difficult to learn a traditional song/dance and modify it?
  • What was the most interesting part?
  • Did your view on ‘tradition’ change in some way?

For evaluation, observe participant engagement and mood, the way they react to the assignment and how they collaborate in groups. Collect feedback verbally, via a quick survey or through association cards.