Training in the Street

BACKGROUND

After the January Revolution in Egypt, artists wanted to go down the street. But most of them didn’t have perceptions of what’s right for the arts on the street. They were also confused in the choices of topics to be raised. Not knowing what was allowed and what was forbidden in street’s culture. That’s why we proposed a new strategy to get art into the street, it’s known as TRAINING IN THE STREET

What Training in The Street is about?

Training in The Street fostered the idea of creating art in the low-income areas which have no cultural facilities. Thus, allowing the residents to become partners in the artistic industry. Starting from choosing the topic to be tackled in the performance, encouraging the residents to participate in the training. In addition to advocating for the performance itself and the technical and logistical support for the its location, and they even take a part in performing.

People, particularly youth in low-income areas saw how artists work, how they train, and how they plan for the artwork. This has completely changed their view of art and culture. They never thought how much it takes to produce an artwork. They couldn’t imagine how difficult it was for artists to work. At the same time artists understood that art and culture aren’t only made by experts, but that ordinary people can participate in the production of art and culture in some way. They also learned how to apply this in their lives to strive for the best.

OUTCOME

Years

Workshops

Performances

Trainee

From Egypt, North Africa, Europe and the United States all participated in the activities.

Editions

Young Artists

Men & Women

From the population of low income areas that we worked within. Training in the street has become an important practice of cultural and artistic work with society.

Selected performances and activities from the three editions

Performing and Improvising the Story (House of Tales)

Storytelling as a basic skill focuses on producing tales from daily life details and documenting the human, social and moral phase of the revolution. A six-days workshop with the participation of 15 artists and 25 residents, producing an animated show in the downtown areas; Kom Eldeka and Karmooz in Alexandria. The show was consisted tales, songs and dances. The Trainer is the social artist: Mohamed Abdel Fattah (Egypt).

Storytelling Performance (On Egypt's Name)

The late great artist (Mahmoud Masoud) also participated with a performance titled: "On Egypt's Name". It’s a long poem written by Salah Gaheen. It was a quite special participation.

People’s Tales and Portraits on the street

"Values for the future." What values should be dealt with in the future? Does political and economic pressure mean no values? How to tell real stories about absence. We worked here on tales of loss, and what does memory leave us with? What it means to miss someone in our lives. Does it also mean perishing the values that this person has represented? Or are they then perpetuated? And for two weeks, after a training of both artists and residents, we presented a show,(Beads). The trainers are the social artists: Ahmed Saleh, Emad Farouq, Aliaa Elgreedy, Khaled Raouf

Musical Performance (The Knight Goes Down The Field)

It's a musical that combine folk and contemporary music. Joint singing by artists, where Folk artists sing depending on a singing challenge between two. It's called the Knight Goes Down the Field, and accompanied by a modern youth band.

Revolutionary Clowns

They are artists who spread out across the world, particularly Europe. They focus on the daily incidents and social issues, on their own special way. This project was the first of its kind in Egypt and it created a new generation of Clowns in Egypt who worked on their skills through innovative methods. These methods combine between traditional clown art and direct peaceful action and introduce joy into the context of street events. This project's trainers are the two social artists: Hanz Stetar (Holland), Mathias Heilbren (Germany).

Street Dancing and Parkour

Modern dance with Parkour art represented on the streets in an attractive way that's connected to people's lives, and public spaces. Dance in general and dramatic dance in particular have been trained, performance Skills growth and Support! Training on group and team performance. Analyzing and enhancing the understanding of the idea. In addition to working on the show with the participation of the citizens which is performed on streets and in public spaces. The participants also learned how to choose the prober public spaces and how to adapt accordingly. In addition to learning choreography. Trained by the two social artists: Eric Kayl (US), Helen (Holland).

Collage and Painting Workshop

The usage of Collage technique in the streets, to present the idea of freedom and to express the imagination and aspirations of local neighborhoods and its residents, by using artifacts and photography. It discusses several topics such as freedom, peace, diversity. An open exhibition was made in one of the region's streets and the residents were able to take art works free of charge. Trained by the social artist: Amany Mabrouk (Egypt).

Interactive Theatre (Al Shakmageya)

Training artists and citizens on direct interaction skills in public spaces. The training was based on getting the subjects from residents of a local neighborhood and to develop them to be presented. The main theme of the stories was the tracing of generations and their relationships. These stories tackle; social relationships, new values and the extent to which older generations understand them and the new emerged issues. After that, they presented an interactive theatrical performance under the name "Al Shakmagya". Trained by the two Egyptian social artists: Mostafa Fatooh, Mohamed Elsweafy (Egypt).

Group Storytelling Workshop (The Life is Changing)

Group Storytelling training has been conducted in public spaces, focusing on how to make the story interesting, fun and with a clear purpose. This workshop also focused on the stories of the participations from Karmooz residents themselves, and developed them into a public performance. Combining between storytelling, music and singing. The main theme of the stories is, "Life Changes". It tackles stories about our sense of change in Karmooz. For example, "The region's structure changes" "Friendships change" "Region's reputation and new issues" "Our desire to change". The final performance was titled: "The return of Ashoor Elnagy". Another story was presented by a Sheikh titled: "I am from Karmooz". Trained by the Egyptian social artist: Mohamed Abdelwahed (Egypt).

Theater of Participation

A mix of musical and Pantomime. An orchestra composed of 15 young men and women, presented music from the tools used in coffee shops, and presented funny performances about society's problems. The trainers are the social artists: Hossam El Azazy (Egypt) Fransisco Kbodzo (Spain).

Interactive Theatre (Al Shakmageya)

The idea of a reportage theatre depends on living with people from a marginalized area, and to process on how we are going to tell those stories to the audience. We try to bring cultures together to give a voice to the voiceless, to those who suffer injustice, oppression and poverty Only the real stories will find its way to the audience. Reportage Theatre must be done realistically, and not through interviews. It's done through living with the people and sharing everything with them, good and bad. Including their culture, music, food and their stories. There were two performances, first one was: "Dreams' Lottery" It was performed on a moving vehicle. The other one was titled: "We Are Here". Trained by the social artists: Annit Haniman (Italy), Mahmoud Badr (Egypt)

Multimedia and Public Spaces

To train on multimedia, storytelling, and produce a show in public arenas, integrate the following aspects: writing, photographing the arenas and the buildings’ residents. The show consisted of a photo album of the residents and was presented in the area of a popular neighborhood on one of the ancient buildings there. It included a video show and tales by residents of the area. It was presented in Sayed Darwish square in Kom Eldekka. The trainers are the social artists: Alexander kobenzol- France, Emad Farouq- Egypt, Ahmed Saleh- Egypt