Visitors from the Oasis

Two members from the Oasis Academy in Bristol were visiting the BRIT school this week. They are looking to expand their delivery of performing arts through the school and wanted to have a look at the work and courses that the BRIT school runs. Our visitors spent quite a bit of their visit in the Technical Theatre/technology area of the school because they wanted to see how we integrate technology as a BTEC unit into all our KS4 performing arts strands. Leading Edge team member and head of Technology Chris Lewington was on hand to show them the department and some of the stage design work underway for the theatre departments common ground season.

New Expressions at Oak Lodge

Leading Edge dance and musical theatre specialist Lorraine Woodley has been working with Oak Lodge, a School for deaf students between the ages of 11 and 19. Lorraine says she first got in touch with them when she was asked to manage the BRIT school's Festival Week for Musical Theatre in 2008 and decided she would like the opening song to be ‘signed’.
Lorraine has been working with Oak Lodge teaching them choreography and technique. Lorraine says
" I thought that basic Laban notation symbols would be a good way to interact so I used that to help them learn a few basic skills, particularly how to communicate emotion through travel, signing and symbols".
At Oak Lodge the students have previously only copied people and this method allowed them to express themselves. " I wanted Oak Lodge to understand how important it is to have Dance education because physical expression is important in helping students develop their confidence and self esteem."