Thursday, July 29 2010

Holistic Music School’s Atelier Arts Workshop has returned home after a whirlwind, successful heritage tour of New York City (NYC). From Broadway musicals to the famous Apollo Theatre in Harlem, students received an applied extraordinary educational experience of NYC that will last them a lifetime and contribute to the cultural capital of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

Atelier will continue to develop the intellectual, social, spiritual, emotional and physical skills of pre-school, primary and secondary school students through the August 3 to 13 workshop which will focus on TT’s heritage. Participants will examine the concept of heritage as outlined in UNESCO world heritage literature for young people. Main areas that will be covered in this workshop are:

*Heritage is what we have received from our ancestors. Our duty is to preserve it for transmission to future generations.

*Our identity is the result of our past and our environment. In the same way as we inherit the genes of our parents, we are also made up of “genes” of our cultural and natural environment.

*If we do not know where we come from, it is difficult to know where we are going. The loss of this cultural or natural heritage would be like amnesia: the loss of the past and ignorance of this heritage means we lose our bearings.

*Certain sites, witnesses to the past, have had an impact on history; others have been fashioned by it.

These sites are not eternal; some are in real danger, many are already lost. The threats are numerous: they are called ignorance, pollution, uncontrolled urbanism, poverty, irresponsibility and abusive tourism, to mention but a few.

* Many sites have been saved from disappearing or irreversible damage through big international campaigns. Knowledge and recognition of the value of such sites are the best means to avoid these spectacular and very costly measures.

*Intangible heritage is a particularly fragile type of heritage. Like cultural and natural heritage, it forges our identity. Indeed what is more part of our daily life than music, culinary arts, knowledge, traditions, etc?

Atelier (the French word for workshop) was established by Dr Patricia Dardaine-Ragguet in 1997 as a means by which to engage primary school students in positive, holistic and character building exercises in the context of creativity and artistic development. Over the last ten years Ateliers, themes have included rainforests, birds, under the sea, Christmas around the world, developing healthy communities, Olympic Games, Beethoven to Boogsie (B2B), Christmas and Jazz.

Dardaine-Ragguet, an administrator, educator and musician, quoted from research that states “arts education makes a tremendous impact on the developmental growth of every child. Arts education also has a measurable impact on youth at risk in deterring delinquent and truancy problems while increasing overall academic performance.”

Atelier’s curriculum includes vocal music, instrumental music, art, craft, calisthenics, basketball and other athletics, journal writing, poetry, math facts, dance and drama. Students will receive instruction from special guests in addition to a cadre of experienced teachers and trained apprentices.

Activities will be scheduled from Tuesday August 3 to Friday August 13 at 8.30 am. to 2 pm. daily at the Caribbean Networks Arts and Education (CANOÆ) Campus in Cascade. Supervision is available from 7:45 am to 3 pm. The cost of the workshop is $500 per week plus a registration fee of $100.00. Registration began on Tuesday. Students will be enrolled on a first come, first served basis.

For Atelier registration information call Holistic Schools at 621-0428 or 621-1659.