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 in Victoria, BC.
This online education initiative features a non-verbal dance film now available for streaming at witsin-motion.ca. The film promotes positive relationships, peaceful resolution of peer conflict and social-emotional learning 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. 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.
