WITS IN MOTION
(2017)
Directed by Miles Lowry and David Ferguson
Produced by David Ferguson
Director of Research:
Bonnie Leadbeater
Choreography: Lynda Raino
Youth Cast:
Salvador Bigam
Connie Deng
Emily Finnis
Jaren Guerreiro
Theresa Kiesman
Somaya Said
Sound Design:
Miles Lowry
Director of Photography: Daniel Carruthers
UPDATE 2019: WITS IN MOTION is now available for FREE in English and French! We want more people to be able to access this program. Please share widely.
DIRE EN DANSE est maintenant disponible GRATUITEMENT en anglais et en français! Nous voulons que plus de personnes puissent accéder à ce programme.
S'il vous plaît partager largement.
Suddenly Dance Theatre Society is pleased to announce the INTERNET-BASED RELEASE of a new, original Canadian dance-film and education resource:
Suddenly Dance Theatre has created a new toolkit for building healthy relationships through social emotional learning and conflict resolution in collaboration with the WITS Programs, the University of Victoria, Suddenly Media Productions, and six young performers.
This online education initiative features a non-verbal dance-film - now available for streaming to parents, caregivers and educators everywhere. The film promotes positive relationships, peaceful resolution of peer conflict and social emotional learning skills using the established WITS Programs strategies - Walk Away, Ignore, Talk it out and Seek Help. There are no words in the film so it speaks to everyone!
See the Trailer, download hi-rez images, and explore our Press Kit: www.witsinmotion.ca
To create the work, the youth collaborated with a team of filmmakers (co-Directors David Ferguson and Miles Lowry, choreographer Lynda Raino, DOP Daniel Carruthers, Director of Research Dr. Bonnie Leadbeater) to inspire scenarios expressing their own experiences, feelings and observations. The film incorporates music, dance and physical theatre to engage youth audiences, and is a powerful tool for those with speech and hearing disabilities, second language students and those experiencing social and emotional problems.
The WITS IN MOTION toolkit also includes an exclusive Facilitator’s Guide, which offers questions, creative activities and discussion points that form the springboard for conversation, reconciliation and deeper learning. The Guide also includes a series of images FACES TELL STORIES that can be used in emotion recognition games and activities.
Suddenly Dance Theatre is working on expanding WITS IN MOTION to reach greater audiences worldwide. Charitable donations are now being accepted to support new language translations.
VISIT WITS IN MOTION at www.witsinmotion.ca
CREDITS:
Suddenly Dance Theatre respectfully acknowledges WITS IN MOTION was created on the traditional and unceded territories of the Lekwungen People, now known as the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations. The WITS IN MOTION dance-film was produced by Suddenly Dance Theatre as Artist-in-Residence for the City of Victoria with Producing Partners: the WITS PROGRAMS Foundation, the University of Victoria, Suddenly Media Productions; Associate Producer: Maureen Bradley; Thanks to Daniel Hogg. Produced with the assistance of the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Victoria, and the CFI Hi-Def Story Incubator Laboratory. Created with support from Dance Victoria’s Residency Program. A special thanks to Kim Breiland and Stages Performing Arts School. The WITS IN MOTION guide was created by University of Victoria educators Drs. Bonnie Leadbeater and Donna McGhie-Richmond, and Suddenly Dance Theatre artists David Ferguson and Miles Lowry. Partial funding came from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Created with support from the Hamber Foundation.
