A Teachers Resource Pack for Key Stage 2 / 3

A Teachers Resource Pack for Key Stage 2 / 3
Contents
Introduction
Page 2
History of Peter Pan
Pages 2 - 3
Scenario
Pages 4 - 5
Characters
Pages 6 - 7
Pages 8 - 9
Choreography
Pages 9- 10
Music
Pages10 - 11
Set and Lighting
Pages 11 - 14
Costume
Pages 14 - 18
Flying
Pages 16 - 18
Lesson Plans
Creative Ideas for Key Stage 2
Pages 19
25
Photos
Pages 26 - 34
Bibliography
Page 35
Introduction
This resource pack is designed to give teachers an insight into Northern Ballet
production of Peter Pan. It is suitable for Key Stages 2, 3 and 4 and provides practical
ideas and tasks that can be used in the classroom.
Peter Pan was first produced by David Nixon in 2004 and it premiered at Leeds Grand
Theatre in December 2004. Due to the size of the production and the need for a revolving
section of floor, the number of theatres it could tour to was limited. In this reprise of the
production alterations have been made to the staging to allow it to tour to more venues.
The History of Peter Pan
Peter Pan is an adventure story for children of all ages, written by JM Barrie, and was
premiered as a play in 1904 at the Duke of York Theatre, London. Shortly after, Barrie
retold all over the world using different mediums.
The overriding theme in Peter Pan is the childlike fantasy of never growing old. While
some of the characters have changed since the original manuscript (Michael was originally
called Alexander and Tinkerbell was Tippy or Tiptoe), the central character of Peter Pan has
remained the same through all adaptations, portraying the myth of everlasting youth
through the fantasy of Neverland. In each version Captain Hook attempts to capture Peter,
who represents agelessness, in order to put an end to his everlasting youth. Timelessness
is a theme, again highlighted by the crocodile who ticks wherever he goes.
placing children in the central roles he challenged audiences who were used to seeing
adults taking the lead and enhanced its attraction to children. In the original play the
further apart from the adults who were also portrayed as the villains.
While some elements in the original story have remained faithful in subsequent adaptations, others
and
consequently gets poisoned has consistently remained faithful to the original. In the play, the audience
saves Tinkerbell as they clap their hands, proving that they do believe in fairies. In other versions the
interpretation differs depending on the
The story can be seen to contain tragedy in its ending, in both the original and revised versions. Peter
Pan chooses Neverland over Wendy, as she wants to return home to her family. However, in the original
manuscript Wendy decides to remain in Neverland with Peter. This suggests an element of victory as
RDS, 1990, p 106), but there is still a tragic
element as Wendy forfeits real motherhood to become surrogate mother in make-believe. Peter himself
Within all versions of Peter Pan, the essence of the original manuscript remains. Each adaptation
handles the characters and themes in a slightly different manner, making adjustments to fit the
medium, be it film, pantomime, musical or dance. Over a hundred years on from its premier the story of
Peter Pan is still relevant within our culture and an exciting tale for children and adults alike.
In 1929 Barrie gave the rights to Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up to Great Ormond Street
source of income and additional
funding for its redevelopment, research and new equipment.
Scenario
ACT 1
Night
Mrs. Darling encounters a strange being in her
behind.
It is the end of the day and the children, Michael, John
and Wendy, with their dog Nana, play and have supper.
Mr. and Mrs. Darling prepare to go out to a dinner party
and get the children ready for bed. As the children
Peter. He is looking for his shadow but having found it,
it back on and as Peter flies about the room her
brothers wake too. Peter teaches them all to fly and as
Nana and their parents run into the room, they all fly
The Stars
The First Adventure
The children fly over London, the sky and the seas, and arrive at the Island of The
Neverland.
The Jungle
The Second Adventure
The Lost Boys, Captain Hook, the Pirates and Wild Beasts are all following each other
the Lost Boys that Peter has brought them some prey to shoot down. Tootles fires his
Tinkerbell has duped them. Wendy revives and as her brothers arrive in the jungle, Peter
leads them
The Mermaids Lagoon
The Third Adventure
Mermaids are sunning themselves as the children play, eat and rest on the beach. The
Pirates arrive by boat, and a fierce fight ensues. Hook is chased away by the Crocodile
who wants the rest of him, having eaten his arm already. Peter and Wendy are stranded on
the rock as the waters begin to rise. Wendy flies away on the tail of a kite. Peter prepares
to die, the biggest Adventure of all, but the Neverbird gives him her nest for a boat and he
sails away and into the next Adventure.
ACT 2
The Underground Home
The Fourth Adventure
sleep and Wendy gives Peter his medicine, drawing close to him. The two children dance
together, but Peter soon returns to his defiant self and abandons Wendy for sleep. Wendy
mends their clothes and falls asleep. The Pirates and Captain Hook abduct the children but
nkerbell wakes Peter who
realises the children are gone. Tinkerbell tries to prevent him from drinking his medicine
before he goes. She drinks it herself and is beginning to die, but is saved by Peter and the
audience.
The Jolly Roger - The Pirate ship
The Fifth and Last Adventure
On board the ship, the Pirates celebrate the capture of the children and the imminent
death of Peter Pan. Hook has the boys herded towards the plank. The Crocodile has swum
out to the ship, looking for Hook. Peter Pan arrives and the great and final fight begins.
Peter is triumphant and Hook jumps overboard and into the jaws of the Crocodile. Peter
and the boys now take over the ship becoming pirates themselves before Peter orders
them to take down the pirate flag. Tinkerbell sprinkles the ship with fairy dust as the sails
unfurl and the ship begins to take flight - for home.
Night
Mrs. Darling and Liza are preparing the beds
for the night. When Mrs. Darling is alone
Peter flies in and fights Mrs. Darling for the
children. Peter bars the window but is
moved by her distress and flies away, leaving
They fly in and creep into their beds. Nana
wakes Mrs. Darling and the children are
reunited with their parents. The Lost Boys
are welcomed into the family by Mr. Darling.
Wendy asks Peter to come and live with them
all too but he realises he would have to grow
up and flies off into the night, up into the stars and back to Neverland.
Characters
Peter Pan: Wanting to stay young for eternity, Peter Pan ran away
and now lives in Neverland with the Lost Boys. He can be caring,
gentle and loving, but is also slightly selfish and arrogant.
Portrayed as brave, bold and strong, he is as mischievous as his
shadow, which tries to escape in Act 1. He cares for Wendy but he
decides to remain in Neverland, where time stands still.
Tinkerbell: A fairy and best friend of Peter Pan. Tinkerbell is hot headed,
brave, a practical joker and jealous of Peter and
helps Peter Pan and the Darling children to fly with her magical dust.
loyal companion, Tinkerbell risks her life to save his.
The Lost Boys: Tootles, Nibs, Slightly, Curly, Twin 1 and Twin 2.
All the Lost Boys are portrayed as naive, playful and socially uneducated.
They also idealise Peter Pan and are happy adopting Wendy as their mother.
The Lost Boys would like to think of themselves as fearsome and courageous
but require guidance from Peter and Wendy.
Wendy: The oldest of the Darling children, Wendy is a
mature and well-mannered teenager. She makes friends
with Peter Pan and also develops a crush on him. Wendy
becomes surrogate mother to the Lost Boys and is happy to
be conventional within her role, emulating
responsibilities with activities such as sewing, resolving
arguments, preparing food and sitting down for a proper
dinner with the Lost Boys.
John: The middle of the Darling children and
games with Michael, but can also bully him at
times. He likes to pretend to be a pirate.
Michael: The youngest of the children, Michael
play acts with John, pretending to be an Indian.
Both children are boisterous, energetic and
inquisitive. They enjoy exploring Neverland and
going on adventures.
Mr. Darling: Father to Wendy, Michael and John, he is
portrayed as a stern, disciplined and regimented man, due
to the way he disagrees with childhood play and has an
inability to display affection. However Mr Darling loves his
children very much. Peter Pan allows Mr. Darling to
rediscover his own playfulness and open affection towards
his children.
Mrs. Darling: Mother to the children and wife to Mr. Darling.
Mrs. Darling is a compassionate and elegant woman. When
aims to teach good behaviour and raise her children in a
loving way, which instils moral values.
Nana:
Captain James Hook: Leader of the Pirates, he hates Peter
Pan and is always looking for revenge for Peter cutting off
his hand and feeding it to the crocodile. Due to this, Hook is
afraid of the crocodile which always wants to finish his
meal. Hook is angry, charismatic, and a strong leader. He
is also depicted as more aggressive and smarter then his
pirate gang.
Smee: Irish pirate 1st mate to Hook
Pirates: Skylights, Cacco, Arnold the Black, Bill Jones,
Cookson, Gentleman Starkey
The Pirates are all adults; they are vile, ferocious, disloyal
and mean to each other. Peter Pan easily tricks the Pirates,
showing their foolishness.
Mermaids: Surreal and mysterious underwater creatures. Like seductive sirens these
mermaids are interested in both Peter and Wendy.
The Crocodile: It ticks because it swallowed a clock. The clock represents the timeless
aspect of Neverland. The Crocodile has a particular appetite for Hook and always appears
when Hook is battling Peter Pan.
The Never Bird: A kind and graceful creature who
helps Peter Pan escape from Hook.
David
For David Nixon, the most important element to explore in Peter Pan was imagination. He
story.
The creative process began with Patricia Doyle, who has collaborated many times with
Nixon on productions such as
and Dangerous
Liaisons.
talking it through with me, and then helps to write the scenario. She comes into the
After arriving at a clear understanding of the intent of the novel and characters, Nixon
works with the dancers
important but I find that the acting only comes when they start to move. For instance, the
first
dressed themselves up already in their outfits and they changed. Once they had a holster
it took on a different form for them, then I can start to see where they are going. I think
The choreography is based on a classical vocabulary, but also includes pedestrian
to relate to the story elements. I try to do this with all my ballets, I look for what
The use of pointe and flat shoes for certain characters helps to differentiate the characters
or make them more real.
I put the mermaids on pointe because that could create an
is in flats for the same reason.
Peter Pan
a moment of a very different
Indians were really just to give a sense of this circle on the island, of people chasing
scene.
nal manuscript as Wendy
decides to return home while Peter maintains his everlasting youth in Neverland.
Choreography
Peter Pan helps to communicate character through
movement. The movement vocabulary for each character helps the audience build a
picture of their personality and status.
Mrs. Darling and Wendy
Wendy moves very quickly and her vocabulary contains many jetes (small jumps) and
s movements
contrast by being bigger, larger movements which show her position as
Peter Pan
stance with his hands on his hips and chest puffed out. As Nixon explains,
Lost Boys
Each of the Lost Boys are identifiable by their gestures and quality of
movement. Nibs thinks he is the leader so he has little solos and takes a
central position. Tootles is a little bit shy so is often apart from the others
and a little bit lazier in his movements. He is also easily tricked as
Tinkerbell convinces him to shoot an arrow at Wendy. Curly is cocky by nature so always
Wendy arrives each of them has a reverence and you
The Twins mirror
each other throughout the production showing that they are identical.
Michael and John
John is t
He wants to be the boss and bullies his little brother, so his movements are larger and
more aggressive than his brother who is shier and well behaved. What Nixon really
Pirates
e pirates as seen through a
group dance sections are made humorous through pedestrian gesture and movement.
Fights
Again, the fights are choreographed to reflect that they are children fighting and not
and not like these Ja
think that
if you were a kid and went off to
automatically become this magnificent
fighter, all of a sudden can fight because
your imagination allows you, but you can
only fight to the extent of your
Hook, he j
Music
Stephen Warbeck has built an international reputation for his film scores and work in
theatre. His work includes compositions for Prime Suspect, Mrs Brown, Billy Elliot and
. He is an associate artist of the RSC, writing scores for An
Inspector Calls at the National Theatre and To the Green Fields and Beyond at the Donmar
Warehouse. In 1998 he was awarded an Oscar for best original score for the film
Shakespeare in Love. Peter Pan is the first ballet score he has composed.
When Warbeck was first approached by Nixon, he was excited about venturing into a new
realised that I am not just a film composer. I keep myself alert, I think, by tackling music in
Despite the different medium, the creative process he followed was much the same as for
crea
work in the
media (theatre, dance, film) the visual, textual and music elements have a different
nce scenes using the
Peter Pan itself - and it is one that has been
treated in the original stage play as well as further theatre versions, several films and also
in animation. But I find that I also have to be set free from the source material, to discover
what it is all about an
The score took seven months, from the original commission to the finished piece. Nixon
and Warbeck started by discussing the scenario for the ballet and how they would
approach the work. Warbeck explains the process:
give me - not any specific lengths to music passages - but we agreed on the basic high
points of the tale such as learning to fly, the escape to Neverland and the meeting with the
n I had a few ideas together, a pianist played
through the first draft of the score to David and we started to examine the bones. As the
He also had to resist exploring his own personal opinions of the original book and
Peter Pan, not Captain Hook, and David knew whom he wanted to concentrate on. But you
vengeance,
very much aware of his destiny and of fate catching up with him. And he dies uttering the
- long live Eton! Lads in drama who go to the bad are always more
Warbeck continues to produce a very varied portfolio of work. It is this variety that keeps
someone else, which is why Peter Pan
Set and Lighting Design: an interview with Peter Mumford
Peter Mumford has worked with a wide range of dance, ballet and opera companies in
Britain and around the world. He also works in TV both as a director and lighting director.
He has founded and formed companies such as Second Stride Dance Co. and the dance/TV
production company Dancelines Productions where he won Opera Screen and Dance
Scre
Swan Lake and1995 Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance. In
2003 he was awarded the Olivier Best Lighting Design Award for the Royal National
s production of Bacchai.
During the creative process, David Nixon, Pat Doyle and Peter Mumford worked closely
together from the scenario. After absorbing the story, Mumford developed a visual
response and images and then they looked at how they could make it work technically.
project before I began creating the actual models of the sets - during that period I
ame childlike when given toys to play
perspective.
The first major consideration was the 'flying' aspect of Peter Pan as the designs had to
accommodate the wires and ways of concealing wires and creating access, in particular to
- so I have tried to stylise the room in such a way that it still sends out the right (quite
naturalistic) signals to the viewer but allows one to fly in through the window / disappear
through doors and get attached and detached as necessary. The stripy wallpaper helps to
Nixon also wanted the pirate ship to 'fly' home which was achieved with a combination of
revolving the ship / releasing the sails and using a wind machine. The largest task was to
make the spaces and the transitions work both smoothly and musically. The revolve
became central to the design allowing reasonably speedy changes in location. As
the sense of moving rapidly between c
Using a revolve meant quick transitions from the part of the set
constantly on view - you can't just cut from one shot to the next
as you can with film so how you get from one location to the
next becomes almost as important as the location itself.
children and Peter - and still fly over the rooftops/ stars/
waves/ seeing the island and landing on the island - so that is
During the design process Mumford allowed his imagination to
rd, the 'string'
jungle and the objects in Neverland that reflect aspects of the
nursery seemed the right road to go down for Neverland is a
limitations and part of the art of theatre is to be imaginative
within that framework and I would hope we have created a
magical version of Peter Pan that is also unique in it's
Costume
The costumes for Peter Pan were designed by David Nixon and realised by the Wardrobe
department. One of the main considerations when designing the costumes was
incorporating the flying harnesses without compromising the designs. The harness and
padding is worn underneath the costume which has a hole cut in the back to allow the
dancer to be clipped on to the wire. This allows the stage technicians to quickly clip the
wires on and off the dancers and allows a variety of dancing and flying in a continuous
as the buckle of the harness was visible.
The theme of nature and the earth runs throughout the costumes of
Neverland and can be seen through the use of leaves, berries and
natural materials on Peter, the Lost Boys, the Never Bird and Tinker
Peter
P
was dyed and then hand painted with each of the leaves and berries
made individually and sewn on by hand. His shadow costume is an
exact replicate, with fur, suede and leather used instead.
Lost Boys
The Lost Boys were the most difficult costumes to design. At first
they were stolen as babies.
about what they would hav
would have gathered grass and leaves and they
would have sewn it together in some form, so all
links them to their leader, Peter Pan.
The Darlings
Nixon wanted to place the darlings in the period of the novel so their costumes are taken
of Neverland.
Wendy
ess, an overdress
and when she is in Neverland, an apron and headdress.
The dress is made of stretch silk which moves well,
enhancing the dancers movement and looking effective
under lights. It was important that the style of the dress
made the dancer playing Wendy look childlike, and so it is
loose to give the body a square appearance, which also
helps to hide the harness.
The apron and headdress she wears when looking after the Lost Boys incorporates the
theme of nature and the earth. Made to look like leaves and using earthy colour tones, the
apron contrasts against her white dress and helps tie her to Neverland.
Hook
silk brocade. It is very big and heavy so difficult to dance in and alterations had to be
made during rehearsals to his shirt and coat. One sleeve was shortened, because of the
hook, and it needed to be buttoned down with elastic to his trousers as it swung too much
when the dancer moved. His wig is made of human hair and his hat is a trademark of the
character.
Pirates
would have put together. Once you accept Hook, then it falls after that the other Pirates
woul
colours such as red, gold and blue with accessories such as belts, hats, feathers and eye
patches and tattoos painted on to the skin.
The Never Bird
The Never Bird was the costume that proved the most challenging to realise from the
original design. Ivory and gold, the bodice is made of lycra and detailed with leaves. The
skirt is pleated on an angle to give it a feathery effect and the headdress is made of ostrich
feathers and plastic jewels. The wings, made of crystal organza, have light boning
supported by a steel rod which hinges at the elbow. Arriving at the final version was a
case of trial and error with much time being spent in rehearsal to see what would work.
The size of the wings presented the biggest problem, especially as the two dancers who
play the role are different heights. The result however is one of the most spectacular
costumes in the ballet.
The Mermaids
The mermaid costumes are very different to the rest of the costumes in Peter Pan as they
are colourful and exotic. A rich blue colour, they are covered with sequins to resemble
scales and the shape is tight to the body forming a tail over the legs. A lacy trim on the
bottom of the ta
through the water as they move.
Flying
An aspect that any production of Peter Pan has to consider is the fact that Peter and the
children fly.
adaptation is no exception and Flying by Foy was
commissioned to provide the technical expertise to realise this.
Flying by Foy is a company who produce flying effects for film, television, theatre and
concerts and they work with the client to achieve the effect required, adapting the systems
and equipment they use to fit the scale of the production and venue. Adam Searle, Flying
Director from Flying by Foy was integral to the realisation of the flying, enabling it to work
choreographically and practically.
For Peter Pan there are two sets of tracks
along which the harnesses move: one that
runs vertically and another that runs
horizontally. These are operated by a crew
of technicians who manually hoist, lower
and pull the dancers along the tracks by
ropes. Dancers who move simply up and
down are operated by one person, and
those who also move along the tracks are operated by two.
The harnesses used are unique to Foy and allow the dancers
to be attached or unclipped in seconds. This has to be done
while the dancers are still on stage, so ensuring this was
possible had to be choreographed into the scenes. The
harnesses though, presented their own problems as the
dancers wearing them
and there are certain moves that they just
the harness is tiring and breathing is restricted as they have
to be very tight. The dancers wear them throughout the
nursery scene, which is a long time to be dancing in one, but
What is
great in the piece is that Peter often flies when you think,
whole time and getting out of breath. But because of that people forget about the wire,
Three weeks were given to exploring ideas
and rehearsing in the studio which Nixon
Firstly, what he imagined the dancers would
do on the wires and what was possible was
the wires will only let
them do what the wires will let them do.
very little you can do to stop yourself. Once
you start on a course you have to see it
they had accepted that, they found some
looking for his shadow.
The second frustration came when transferring the production to the stage at Leeds Grand
Theatre one week before the premiere. Having thought the flying would be easier on stage,
it was actually more difficult because the height between the stage
and the tracks made everything slower. So some movements had
to be re-worked which was not an easy process.
Working with the music also proved a challenge to begin with as it
was difficult for the technicians to pick up the cues within the
music, particularly during rehearsals when they only ever heard
a short time it became much easier - especially with the full
orchestra playing. The head operator knows all the musical cues
and calls the moves to the other operators, meaning that all the
flying dancers are co-ordinated with each other.
The learning process involved happened on both sides of the
collaboration as it was the first time the team from Foy had worked with dancers. Adam
to work with, being able to push their bodies
further than an actor could, allowing us to create new and exciting movements whilst still
looking graceful. The dancers are also very good at remembering what moves they did
from the outset, meaning more time could be spent perfecting the routines rather than
remember each routine
dancers are trained to do this, the average stage technician
Creative Ideas
Shadow Dance
This is based on a section at the beginning of the ballet where Peter Pan is arguing with
his shadow, trying to get it to return to him. The two characters mirror each other,
occasionally catching the other out, using gesture, floor work and contact work.
Warm up could include work with a partner, keeping the same distance apart while
travelling and copying movement.
Mirroring a partner
Task 1 (10 mins)
In pairs, experiment with movements, mirroring your partner. Keep the movement very
slow and controlled, paying great attention to detail to ensure unison, so that it is difficult
to tell who is leading and following. Swap roles and experiment with different starting
performing the movement in opposition rather than mirroring.
Task 2 (5 mins)
In pairs, decide on 4 movements, on the spot,
mirroring your partner, and 2 movements that are
not.
Task 3 (5 mins)
Develop by adding a change of level, a turn and a
change of speed.
Travelling
Task 1 (5 mins)
Practice travelling with a partner, keeping the same distance apart. Steps could include
gallops, skipping, leaps, jumps, turns, possibly developing into a combination.
Task 2 (5 mins)
In pairs, create own travelling sequence including a jump, a turn, a movement on the floor
(e.g. roll, crawling etc) and a balance.
Task 3 (5 mins)
Practice paying attention to detail, ensuring both are working together in unison, keeping
the same distance apart, performing the same movements.
Contact work
Task 1 (15 mins)
Teach several simple supports/counterbalances:
Back to Back
Start standing back-to-back, press into each
other giving equal force. Both take a step away
keeping backs in contact, bending knees into a
sitting position.
Safety point do not link arms as this does not leave the hands free in case of a fall. To
extend this practice, lower to the floor, keeping whole of back in contact with partner.
Hand to hand
Stand face to face placing palms together outstretched above heads. Press giving
equal force, take a step back ensuring you maintain the body in a straight line
Safety point do not arch the
back as this puts pressure on the lumbar region, support back by engaging
abdominal muscles. To extend this, take away one hand at a time.
Shoulder to shoulder
Start facing each other, placing right shoulders against each other. Press with equal
force taking a step apart, keeping bodies rigid in a straight line, heels on the floor. Can
also be tried sideways on.
Pulling away
Stand face-to-face, holding wrists not hands, arms extended straight. Pull away (as
if you are being pulled by your waist) with equal force, bending knees into sitting
position, curving spine. To extend, try with both holding right or left wrists.
Task 2 (5 mins)
In pairs students find 2 more of their own supports/counterbalances. Experiment with
levels, using different body parts as the point of contact.
Task 3 (5 mins)
Pairs decide on 4 supports/counterbalances and order.
Task 4 (5 mins)
Add linking movements (turn, jump, travelling movement) that mirror each other to form a
sequence.
Pirates
The Pirates have a strong group identity and much of their movement is based on actions
and gestures that represent their character. They often move together, the group working
as a whole, dancing in unison using regular formations, such as lines. The use of swords
and fighting is a source for much of their movement vocabulary.
During the warm up it may be useful to
include exercises that require the students
to work as a group eg. travelling in a
straight line as a group across the space
(walking, running, skipping, galloping,
hopping etc) changing speed, level etc.
A fight!
Task 1 (10 mins)
ocking a sweeping
movement to the head or legs, and an attack eg. a stabbing movement. Practise on the
spot and then try travelling (backwards when defending, forwards when attacking).
Task 2 (5 mins)
In pairs, experiment and decide on two more movements and order.
Task 3 (5 mins)
Link the movements together (adding a turn, a jump and one other transition
separate lesson further on in pack for ideas) to create a sequence.
see
Task 4 (10 mins)
Pairs join to create groups of 4 and teach each other their sequences.
Task 5 (5 mins)
Link all material together to create a quartet, thinking about formation in the space.
This can then be developed by adding devices such as repetition, unison and cannon.
Pirate group - travelling
Task 1 (5 mins)
In small groups, decide on 4 travelling movements that you can perform in a line.
Practice with arms linked or around shoulders.
Task 2 (5 mins)
Find a way of breaking out of the line, travelling on your own pathway and forming a
line again and practice.
Task 3 (10 mins)
Decide on an order for the steps (eg. 2 movements in a line, break away/reform, 2
steps) and how many repetitions of each. Practice the sequence, paying attention to
working in unison and travelling in a straight line.
Pirate group - stationary
Task 1 (10 mins)
In small groups, experiment with different gestures/actions a pirate may do and decide
on your 4 favourite (eg. rowing, drinking etc.).
Task 2 (5 mins)
Decide on an order and how to link them together to create a sequence.
Task 3 (5 mins)
Consider:
 Group formation (eg. line, square, bunch etc)
 Timing and speed of action
 Direction
 Levels
The Lost Boys
As with the Pirates, the Lost Boys appear very much
as a group and their character is demonstrated
through their movement vocabulary, which includes
gesture. This is apparent in scenes where they are
story, as their literal shaking and fear is reflected in
the quality and dynamic of their movement. The
dinner scenes rely on gestures and pedestrian
actions as the basis of the choreography. Devices
such as unison and canon are demonstrated clearly
in their sections.
Warm up could include finding different shapes (eg. small, large, curved, spiky, twisted,
open etc)
Fear
Task 1 (5 mins)
er legs, curved around side, under arm etc) as if hiding.
Dictate when they swap roles (several times in quick succession) so they have to
improvise responding quickly.
Task 2 (5 mins)
Pairs decide
should be on a different level/using a different space.
Task 3 (5 mins)
Order and link together to create a sequence
ABAB.
Task 4 (5 mins)
Experiment with the speed of the transitions focusing on the idea of trying not to be
seen (slow creeping movements or a quick dash).
This idea can be developed/adapted to work with small groups (A, B, C, D) or even the
whole class (half As, half Bs). The transitions between shapes can be experimented with,
performing them in unison, canon or randomly at different times.
Dinner time
Task 1 (5 mins)
Individually, find 3 gestures the Lost Boys might make at dinner time. These could be
preparing dinner, feeling hungry, eating, cleaning up after, relaxing afterwards.
Exaggerate making the movements large, whole body actions.
Task 2 (5 mins)
In groups, share ideas and decide on 6. Place in a logical order (ie start with being
hungry or preparing dinner) and practice as a group in unison.
Task 3 (5 mins)
Decide on group formation (ie in a line, circle etc) and whether you perform the whole
sequence in unison, canon or a mixture.
Photographs as a stimulus for Dance
This session is based on the following 8 photographs of the production. It may be useful
to begin by asking the pupils to describe the images, drawing attention to:
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Number of dancers caught in the picture
Contact between dancers
Position of the dancers body
Where the dancer is looking
Areas of focus or interest in the photograph
The emotion suggested by the photograph
Task 1 (5 mins)
Choose 4 positions from the photographs and practice performing them. Decide which
order you are going to perform them in.
Task 2 (10 mins)
Find ways of linking the movements together, possibly including travelling
movements, turns, jumps, a change in level etc. Decide how many counts each
movement will take (it may useful to set the time for the whole sequence to fit 16
counts).
Task 3 (10 mins)
to form one sequence.
Task 4 (10 mins)
Share the work with the rest of the pupils and encourage to identify which photographs
have been used and in what order.
Bibliography
Ahad, Nick Yorkshire Post (North Yorkshire Edition) pg 11, 15th December 2004
Apter, Kelly The Scotsman pg 21, 19th February 2005
Barrie J.M (1991) Peter Pan in Kensington Garden/Peter and Wendy: Oxford University
Press, Oxford
Crips, Charlotte The Independent: Review pg 18, 17th March 2005
Jack R.D.S (1990) The Manuscript of Peter Pan: Yale University Press.
Penfold, Phil The Stage pg 22, 7th April 2005
Rose Jacqueline (1984)
Macmillan Press Lt, London.
Website
www.northernballett.com/ppstephenwarbeck.html
Photo Credits:
Alistair Muir
Brian Slater
Linda Rich
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