Stomp – The Sequel!

Overview

The final performance is done in front of a live audience and recorded for posterity and assessment purposes. Whilst this lesson isn’t essential to the overall unit, it is important if you have parents that were unable to be present at the ‘Flash’ performance. It also gives students the opportunity to experiment with audience participation!

Description

Play the video of the initial Stomp performance again. Ask students to concentrate on how the audience reacts and interacts during the performance. Discuss with them if and how this adds to the overall experience.

Ask each group to perform again. As one group performs, ask the others to assess if, when and how they could interact with that group’s composition e.g. could they cheer or clap at a specific high point or generate more excitement as a crescendo builds by adding an escalating cheer? Practise this several times so that each performance has it’s own ‘interactive’ audience segments. Explain to the students that the aim is to get parents and other attendees at their forthcoming performance to join in, thus creating a genuine Stomp-style experience.

Whilst they are doing the above students should also be given time to plan the launch of their performance. Inform them that they should think of as many ways as possible to involve parents e.g. they could leave feedback on a Padlet Wall during the performance http://padlet.com or they could Tweet their reactions in real time on Twitter. They should also design and send out e-invitations via email, Facebook etc. as well as sending print copies of their invitations home. We love using http://comiclife.com to create innovative and striking flyers, invitations and posters.

On performance night, ask individual students to record the evening in full – from parents arriving at the school full of chatter and anticipation to (hopefully) the standing ovation and general congratulation at the end of the evening. This recording can (if you wish) be used in several ways: pupils can watch it back and assess their performances, they can edit the footage to create a commemorative film/DVD of the evening and/or it can be uploaded to the school website, students’ blogs and YouTube.

Time needed 3-4 hours to practice.

Resources

Devices with Internet access.
Video recording device.
Formal performance space.

Hints and tips

If you live in a country, like the UK, where there is a ‘rigorous’ (read that how you will) and demanding school inspection system, this recording is an excellent source of evidence to show school inspectors!
Unless you have the necessary permissions, remind parents that they should not take photographs of the students on performance night.

–> Music Maestros