The Betws Bingo Bango Dancers and Drummers
The Betws Dance and Drumming project AKA The Betws Bingo Bango Dancers and Drummers began with our Dance Worker Issie and the children experimenting with a variety of movements to the beats of the drum. The group played with direction and levels, focusing on the movements Issie had taught, as well as using their body parts as methods of making sounds.
Once the group became more confident throughout the creative process, Issie split them into groups and set them a task to create their own movement phrases, encouraging a variety of levels, gestures, jumps and contact work. The Bingo Bango Dance Group were inspiring to watch as they let all boundaries drop and gave it their all.
When it came to the finished piece, they were given the opportunity to perform at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff and at their end of term school show. Both performances had a great turn out accompanied with buzzing energy! It was heart-warming to see the Betws kids prepare for the performance, slapping on African face paint, clothing and head bands to feel and act the very part. The audiences cheered and clapped for the dancers and drummers encouraging their every movement and absorbing the atmosphere. The overall rehearsal and performance process was magical, as each dancer and drummer progressed tremendously from the practice and rehearsal process to the performances; confidence levels and dancing abilities grew and grew.
Issie is looking forward to working with Betws Primary School in the future; their students are so dedicated to learning new things and having fun within the movement.