‘The song Circus Europe’
The aim is to make conscious the different roles in the family and in the peergroup and to do problem-solving in a creative and interactive way. The song is about the different roles that children from 3 till 11 years play.
In step 1 of the route children play together in their own role and furthermore try to visualize it in a poster with pictures and drawings. Another option to let the children dramatize their role(s) with this song. In Ljubljana they used for example ‘Enter Sandman’ of Metallica as lion-music and Enya as magician’s music.
A boy of 9 years from Riga said: ‘When I’m at school I’m the boss, in the streets I’m the lion and in my room I’m the magician’. So it’s also about playing different roles at different places.
Lyrics for the Circus Europe song
‘The Table Talk’
The aim is that young people from 7 till 25 years become interactively and creatively aware and solve problems in their family and with friends. This is step 5, 6 and 7 of the route: the dramatisation and the creation of a role-play, the presentation and the reflection and the integration of the Table Talk.
An audio-collage of what could happen in a family? What to do now?
A family sits around the table and talk about all kind of things, The members are instruments. The father is the drum, the mother is the synthesizer, the daughter is the violin, the brother is the heavy metal guitar, the grandmother is the piano, the grandfather is the saxophone, a friend is the sitar and other friends are the bagpipes.
Something is happening that causes a conflict.
There are two scenes. In scene 1 the ‘good’ family is solving the problem and in scene 2 the ‘bad’ family is making it worse. The event is that the daughter has a new boyfriend from another culture (Hindu).
Option 1: the teacher tells who is who.
Option 2: the learners have to find out what is going on
At first the learners just listen. The teacher divides the roles and the learners listen the second time out of their own role. What happens to me? Each learner fills out the scheme.
| Role | Behaviour in the Table Talk | Behaviour in the role-play |
| Mother |
Then a real table talk is constructed as a role play in step 6. Per class are about 4 or 5 groups. The learners have to play the ‘Table Talk’ with or without talking and with or without the music. They try to find a solution. The audience is filling in the ‘Feedback ladder’.
In step 7 they reflect on their own role-play and the role-plays of the other groups. What was going on? An option is to make a drawing. What does it mean to you?
I have made the Table Talk for children of 11 years to make it possible for them to talk about a bad situation at home. Afterwards I used it also with adults. It’s about a real event ‘audiolised’ by music and then transferred into reality again. It’s about creative and cooperative learning. Music as the most direct and concrete medium is used.
Students from the university of Koper listen to music. They talk about the relation between their personal identity and society.
They listen to the Table Talk. What's going on?
Children (3-6 years) create their own playground with concrete material and maquettes.
In the spring of 2009 they will design their playground outside. The route 'Good work' is designed by Henrik Bak
Children (7-11 years) of a primary school in Haslev visualize their ecological identity in 9 rooms
‘The story of little dragon Mu’
Aim: the children identify themselves with the little dragon Mu travelling from Draconia to Europe.
Let the learners look at the clip.
Option 1: the learners fill out the graph and draw a line, following the happy or sad emotions of Mu.. They may make drawings on the line.
Option 2: the learners draw and write ‘Poetry-postcards’ and send them to a friend
Option 3: the learners imagine the second part of the storyline, while only listening to the music.
Option 4: the learners continue the story
Make poetry-postcards or continue the story of little dragon Mu
The aim is that learners become familiar with different life philosophies, religions, cultures etc. through music, a video clip, drama and dance. Thus learners can develop their own life philosophy.
Students (17-15 years) of the teacher training institution RTTEMA in Riga present the project 'To-Gather' in dance, music and food. Featuring Margarita Kamjaka with an Iranian dance. This is another highlight.
Meeting students (12-16 years) from Gymnasium I in Jurmala, visiting lessons about the other and eating food to gather
Children (7-11 years) at the primary school 'Het Ruimteschip' (The Spaceship) work with the educational game 'The European House'. The subject is 'The riot' in Dutch history, before entering the Dutch House.
Sing and dance together on ‘The Mu-mix’, a compilation of fragments of famous songs or make a theatre-play about the meaning of the little dragon Mu.
‘The Mu Mix’ (mixed by Wim Kratsborn)
Mu finds himself in times of trouble, parents always comes to him Give a helping help. Let it be Mother Ro is beautiful, red wings of Father Bing Dragon family, Let it be…let it be, let it be, let it be…oh let it be. This is a dragon family . Let it be
There is a house in Dragonia, in a big and high tree It’s been the home of many poor dragons and Mu I know is one He’s learning Dragonese and geography and history, He admires great dragon heroes, in the past of Dragonia
Mu, take that bag away, I want need it any more I’m going far-away to Europe. Seems like knocking on heaven’s door Knock, knock knocking on heaven’s door
When Mu was younger so much younger than today, never needed Europe in any way But now the dragoness Tu, replaced by Napoleon in Waterloo Now I find Mu changed his mind and opened Europe’s door Help Mu if you can, he’s feeling down and he appreciates you being round Help him get his feet back on the ground, won’t you please please help me, help me oh
How much history must Mu know, before he understands, How many heroes must Mu admire, before he gets respect, How many friends must Mu make, before he’s no longer alone, The answer my friend is blowing in the wind, the answer is blowing in the wind (2x)
Oh life it’s bigger, it’s bigger than you and you are not me Love the other as yourself, the distance in your eyes Oh no I’ve said too much, I’ve said it all That’s me in the corner, that’s me in the spotlight, multiple choice identity Try to respect you and I know that I can do it Oh no I’ve said too much, I haven’t said enough
We are all feeling so fine, because it’s now friendship time We’re gona rock around the clock to-night, we‘re gonna rock rock rock till broad daylight We’re gonna rock around around the clock tonight This really is a celebration, dancing with your generation We’re gona rock around the clock to-night, we‘re gonna rock rock rock till broad daylight We’re gonna dance around the clock tonight
Dragon Mu, take me home to the place where I belong, to Europe Make new friends, come to gather in Europe Hear Carla’s voice in the morning hour she calls me. She reminds me of times long ago Thinking about the future, I get the feeling that I meet Sarkozy one day, some day Dragon Mu, take me home to the place where I belong, to Europe Make new friends, come to gather in Europe
