BRIT

Alot of my experiences within the performing arts were generated from my four years attending the BRIT school. Having gone through a rigerous application process, GCSE and Alevel's, my experiences at the BRIT  have made a huge impact on both my working practice and social oppinions. Being a part of Chickenshed's 'Inclusive Theatre' has developed these and helped my goals, with regards to my career, become more grounded.
I have always wanted to create a working relationship between the BRIT and Chickenshed as i feel that the collaberation between two presigous and respected arts establishments could have a massive impact of the development and practice of inclusion.

A couple of weeks ago the BRIT invited me to deliver an inclusion workshop as part of their year 13's 'Proffessional Opportunities' module. This was a great opportunity for me to build the intial foundations of this exciting relationship between the companies. I split the wokshop into two sections, the first half was using activites to analayse what people would consider 'mainstream' working practice and allowing the students to reflect on their immidiate reactions to certain activites whether positive of negative and how activites could be adapted to create a more 'inclusive' setting.
The second half was asking to students to create together using Chickenshed's devising process, working as a group to achive a product that reflected them. What they came out with was a small presentation of inclusion without even realising it, i had asked them to create a traveling sequence, group shape and write a verse to our 'Inclusin rap' which they all contributed to fully and it was fantastic!
The bulk of the feedback from the students was that they couldnt beleive how subtle differences in activity and delivery could mean the difference between someone feeling included or excluded. They were also amazed at the quality of work they had achieved in their creation as a whole group.

I felt that the workshop was a great success and has started some cause for critial reflection on working practice, an outcome i was hoping for. It also sparked an excitment between the two companies that i have been waiting to achieve in order for the collaberation to get off the ground.
We are now arranging meetings and drafting projects between Chickenshed and the BRIT in the hope that an offical collaberation as part of a new BRIT BTEC Course could be achieved.

I am still in the VERY early stages of this exciting project but i will keep updating!.....

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(images from google images...BRIT logo origionally bbc website)