On The Move with the Ombak-Ombak Rentak Kids 2008

Opera Pasar. Ombak-Ombak Rentak Kids - pictures by Edwina Michelle Augustin

I have been back and working on the Rentak Penang New Dance Workshop for the young Ombakians since early August this year. After 2 series of 6 week workshop, the children begin to work towards developing a collection of compositions for the Rentak December workshop showcase based on their tour and impressions of the Campbell Street Market. It has been an enjoyable learning process for the kids. We chose Market as the theme and subject for our final expedition study to explore memory capture of movement and daily working and effort actions of the market to inspire simple dramatic compositions. Market is the thematic direction of the Anak-Anak Kota Music Rentak Workshop proposed by Sooi Beng, and the dance group were asked if we could also develop the workshop showcase towards a similar theme, and the kids and we agreed. So below are pictures of the initial process of developing short compositions for Opera Pasar that was presented on Dec 6 and 7 along the Campbell Street Market and at the Little Penang Street Market.

A TRIP TO THE CAMPBELL MARKET OCTOBER 2008

THE KIDS BEGIN TO CREATE A MINIATURE PASAR WITH PLASTICINE.



WORKING ON OUR FIRST CHICKEN SCENE. The kids were well aware that Chicken Fights are not legal and never conducted in a local Malaysian Market, but they were happy to say that they were representing a scene of a Market in Indonesia for example.... they were very imaginative. We had a wonderful playtime. It is simply fantastic to be able to give our adult self up to Play with children and experience to be the child they are. And it is just awesome, to have absolutely all the time in the world to give, serve, educate, develop and create .... watching and absorbing their learning process, their confidence build and insecurities overcome. Such intimacy, sharing and bonding with the kids about life and struggles, work and survival and about the cycle of birth and death. I was proud of them, like a sports coach, I had to be stern and disciplined,... but like a mother, I engaged them to indulge in appreciating the beauty and benefits of mental, physical and spiritual health thru relating dance with the living nature. Something, a child can never get if left facing the computer, tv or going to the mall daily and living in a world of materialistic values, or drilled only intellectually, without the opportuity for participation or integration of senses and awareness of others.

I care for the mental health of our kids today. Not so much in producing them to be excellent performers, but to understand the responsibility, commitment, team work spirit, give and take, tolerance, respect and understanding ... and more, the challenges they have to experience to attain the qualities to be a great and successful individual. I am proud when I see my kids growing into a towering personality. To achieve that,... we have to commit ourselves entirely into the mission. Thank you children for being patient, thank you Ombak-Ombak and thank you parents. I wished my son Marjaan was part of the workshop too, but his time will come, soon.