New Victory Arts Break: Europe – Create

Welcome to the “Create” week of our European exploration! In our “Discover” post, we met Ellie as she took us around her neighborhood, showed us her home and shared her favorite snack! This week, let’s look closer at Oily Cart’s work and their ongoing mission to make theater more inclusive with their fun new show, Doorstep Jamboree. We will see their work and create a personalized jamboree look inspired by our favorite textures, smells and feelings!

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Let’s see what Oily Cart has been working on recently as they share with us their newest project: Doorstep Jamboree!

Grab Your New Victory Notebook. Let’s note some things we saw in this video.

• A jamboree is a huge celebration! What would your jamboree look like? Who or what would it be celebrating?
• Did you notice your favorite color represented at all in the performers’ costumes? What else did you notice about their outfits?
• What instrument in the jamboree band would you like to play?
• What else did you notice about the performance other than the instruments and costumes?

Keep these notes handy—you’ll need them later!

We’re going to throw a big ol’ bash! Let’s begin bringing our celebration to life by designing our costumes. These costumes will tell a personal story and can be filled with all the things that make you you. Follow along with New Victory Teaching Artist Sofiya Cheyenne as she teaches us a bit about creating personalized costume pieces for our jamboree.

Before you start constructing, grab your New Victory Notebook and start sketching out some jamboree hat ideas. Inspiration can come from anywhere. Think about some of your favorite things and how you can incorporate them into it.

Here is what we are thinking!

What does your jamboree hat look like?

We’ve spent a lot of time celebrating our senses, but, admittedly, sometimes our senses can get overloaded. Sometimes sounds are overwhelming and textures don’t feel so great—everyone experiences the world in a different way. Oily Cart wants their work to invite everyone to feel comfortable and cared for—and so do we!

Take a look at this animated explainer from the Amazing Things Project, which promotes awareness, understanding, and acceptance of people with sensory sensitivities and kids with autism.

Grab your New Victory Notebook. Let’s start by celebrating some sensory experiences and identifying ones that we don’t like as much.

Recreate this Sensory Exploration Sheet in your notebook!

Step One: Before you begin, list out the five senses: See – Smell – Taste – Hear – Touch

Now, explore each of these senses in the space you are in right now.

• Open your eyes. What three details can you notice?
• Take in a good sniff. What can you smell?
• Smack your lips. Is there anything to taste in the room?
• Close your eyes. What can you hear?
• Feel three things in the room. What can you touch?

Interview a friend or family member to find out their favorite sensory experiences. Then, ask them what their least favorite sensory experiences are.

Step Two: Think about your favorite sensory experiences as you fill out the sheet.

• Name something you like to look at that makes you feel happy. Describe it.
• What is a smell that you love? Can you describe the smell?
• What is your favorite taste? Do you associate this taste with a special day? A special person?
• What is a sound that brings you comfort? Where are you when you hear that sound?
• What textures do you like to touch? Soft things? Fluffy things? Gooey things?

Next, think about your least favorite sensory experiences.

• Name something you see in this room that makes you feel sad or frightened. Describe it.
• What is a smell that you hate? Can you describe the smell?
• What taste disgusts you? Do you associate this taste with a specific activity?
• What is a sound that really annoys you? Where are you when you hear that sound?
• What textures do you find unpleasant? Slippery things? Pointy things?

Step Three: Now, looking at this list, what are some ways you can edit your jamboree costumes to celebrate the favorites and avoid the least favorites?

For example, if you love the sound of maracas, the color yellow, the feeling of clay and the taste of chocolate, then maybe your outfit would look something like this!

Want more sensory explorations? Here are some fun online resources that explore senses of sound and sight.

• Sensory Soothing Visual Therapy from Shelly R. Richard
• Relaxing Lanterns – Calming Music, Stress Relief from Hey Bear Sensory
• Oddly Satisfying Slime ASMR for Kids from The Best Satisfying
• Kinetic Sand Cutting ASMR Video from Sand Tagious

How do these examples make you feel? Share these videos with people in your household and ask them how they feel. What is similar? What is different? What can you learn about each other from your (dis)similar experiences?

Until next time! Thanks for creating along with us during this week’s adventures. Come back next week to learn more about expressing your creativity through play and movement from our New Victory Teaching Artists!

New Victory Arts Break Supporters

New Victory Arts Break is funded, in part, by the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.