Performance Projects for Schools and Community Groups
'Making the myth'
Ishtar uses dance and story telling, working with professional artists, to create a Performance Piece for school children. Artists, drummers and cultural/archaeological experts can be included in a package to suit the needs/curriculum of each group.
Projects
Children are taught various moves and then a dance/theatre /art piece is constructed around ancient mythologies/stories including:
Egypt
The story of Isis and Osirus
The story of Sekhmet
Mesopotamia
Ishtar a myth of the seasons.
(Mesopotamia Inanna/Ishtar: A Myth of the Seasons. What is now called Iraq was in many ways the seat of civilization. The Mesopotamians invented the written word amongst other things.)
Minoa
The mystery of the Minoan art and culture.
(The Minoans lived in what is now called Crete. They were a very advanced civilization and created great art works.
Read more about the Minoans in ( the Articles section.)
Projects can last for one session to a week or more. Working with artists, sets and costumes are produced and the artwork of the particular civilisation, a show is created that is a collaboration with the children.
Professional artists will help children to produce sculptures and 'artefact's' if requested.
Experience
Ishtar has worked in a variety of schools facilitating workshops for children aged 4 to 18. You can read a selection of the overwhelmingly positive feedback Ishtar has received for these workshops on the Endorsements page.
As well as being a Professional Arabic dancer, Ishtar holds a Teaching Certificate , a 2-1 degree in Psychology/Women's studies and has been teaching Psychology for Liverpool City Council for ten years. Ishtar is CRB checked and insured,
Ishtar has also worked with young offenders and women's aid service users.
Endorsements
We have got our Multi-Cultural week coming up in June this year and as you, Pete and Mick made last years week so special we would really like the three of you to come back again. This year we have got the full five days June 2006 and there would be a performance on the Friday afternoon. The week is the 26th June ,and we would love for you all to be involved for the whole week - is this possible? - I really appreciate this and I hope you are all available because you really made our end of term something very special last year and we would love you to have an impact on our youngsters again.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Tracy xx
Capenhurst Grange, Wirral.
Hi Ishtar ,we were extremely happy with the session you provided and the students thoroughly enjoyed it.
Kindest regards,
Alison Cottenham
Enrichment Team Leader
Liverpool Community College, Clarence St, Liverpool, L3 5TP
Hello from Millfields!
Just wanted to thank you both again for the wonderful day. Everyone had a great time trying out dance moves and putting them together into sequences. We were impressed with the way you were able to adapt your delivery from the very young Reception children to the older juniors, not always an easy thing to do but you reached all of them.
Everyone is still buzzing with ideas.
Sue Stott
Teacher at Millfields Primary School, Wirral.
The workshop you did for the women in the refuge was very successful.
Rita Keeling
St Helen's Women's Aid
We are all delighted you're coming to dance for us all for the One World event on Saturday.
I think your dancing is the most popular part of the day!
Paul, Helen and all at One world and Community Learning Network.
Liverpool 8
...Ishtar worked with two classes of 60 children, her management skills were excellent, the children, some of whom have problems concentrating, were highly motivated.. We wholeheartedly recommend Ms Ishtar to you. The children and staff are looking forward to doing another workshop with her.
Mrs J Simms
Yr 3 teacher St Annes's( Stanley) C.E Primary School
Liverpool L13
Re: Team building workshop for R.S.P.C.A . The day took various strands including relaxation and trust exercises Ishtar's enthusiasm and motivational skills coupled with her sense of humour and sensitivity ensured that the team building day was a resounding success
Lesley Banowich
Regional Education Team
R.S.P.C.A
Thank you for a enjoyable dance workshop every one at WHISC has said how much they enjoyed the session.
Margrie
Women's Health and Information Service
I think everybody really enjoyed the happiness event. Thanks very much for your part in making it a success.
Will certainly ask you again if we do something similar.
Angela,
Mental Health Consortium
I asked Ishtar to facilitate a discussion on Islam and Motherhood for a course I was running at the university of East Anglia, Ishtar conducted the workshop with aplomb. She impresses me as a talented, able woman who is keen to empower and enable others.
Vicky Harris
Lecturer in Social Work
Thanks for giving me so much fun and pleasure and confidence in myself we all miss you.
Thanks for making me feel good about myself. Genuine thank you for everything, I am a goddess!
St Helen's Women's Aid Service User.
Hi!
First of all, thank you so much for the session you did for us on the 4th. Everyone rang me on Monday morning to say how good it made them feel . . .
Barbara Moon
Sefton Women and Childrens Aid
I’m so glad I asked you to come and do a workshop for us… my instincts were right. You have such a liberating and happy way, which really feeds into your dance style and the way you teach. You also have such a wealth of stuff to share and I as well as my students appreciate that.
Guinivere Clark - Dancer/teacher/poet
The Shimmy shop
www.baubo.co.uk