| Why do we all love Fairy Tales? In our hearts we | | | | sign their parts. |
| know the answer. It's because morally good | | | | However, theraputic dance drama does not always |
| characters are rewarded and the evil ones punished. | | | | have to include dialogue. We could also use mime. We |
| The morally good are always beautiful or handsome. | | | | need to view mime as another means of using the |
| But the beauty correctly understood is never just | | | | arts to help children with emotional and learning |
| skin deep and external. It is a beauty of character | | | | difficulties. We have all heard of world famous mimes |
| reflecting from inside outwards into the world. | | | | such as Charlie Chaplin, Lloyd and Buster Keaton of |
| Likewise all evil characters are ugly by reason of their | | | | silent movie fame and in more recent times of Marcel |
| immoral inner life. | | | | Marceau and his stage performances. |
| To hear or read the words "Once upon a time..." tells | | | | Clearly the origins of mime like dance and drama |
| us that in the end all will come right and every | | | | would seem to be both spiritual and practical and to |
| character will receive his or her just reward or | | | | lie in our far distant past. Mime may very well |
| punishmenmt. We need fairy stories now more than | | | | pre-date speech. |
| ever because we are seeking reassurance that | | | | Basically there are two main forms of mime - the |
| Justice, Peace, Beauty and Love will triumph against | | | | literal and abstract or a combination of the two.The |
| all the odds. | | | | first form is mainly used for comedy and story telling. |
| For the first time ever we are aware of the | | | | Abstract mime is used to generate feeling, thoughts |
| enormous damage that our greedy, selfish, power | | | | and images about a serious topic or issue. It is not |
| seeking lives have caused. We have brought Mother | | | | usual in this form to have a plot or a central |
| Earth to her knees. Belatedly we are realizing that her | | | | character. This type of performance calls for an |
| sickness is our sickness and if she dies so do we. | | | | intuitive response |
| There are world huge numbers of people in the world | | | | Why do I advocate incorporating mime into dance |
| who are consumed by fear but their fears are often | | | | therapy sessions for children with disabilities? There |
| subconscious. They seek relief in displacement | | | | are two main reasons. Like dance, mime uses the |
| activities of the most materialistic kind. This, of | | | | whole body expressively which is a healthy thing for |
| course, fails to bring relief. | | | | all of us. The other reason is that everyone, and |
| Others are well aware of why they are afraid but | | | | especially children, need to learn to appreciate silence |
| feel helpless to influence events. Politicians clearly do | | | | and the spiritual and emotional peace which this can |
| not have the answers. But if each of us takes | | | | bring. Our everyday world is full of competing sounds, |
| responsibility for ourself and alters our thinking about | | | | some of which we want to associate with and |
| life then changes of great magnitude are brought | | | | others which we wish we could permanently escape. |
| about. | | | | Large numbers of children with problems are often |
| "Goodwill" is an enormously creative and powerful | | | | very sensitive to sound. For such children working in |
| force for change. Goodwill transcends cultures and | | | | complete silence can be a very powerful experience. |
| religion. It is something every single human being can | | | | Mime gives children an additional opportunity to play, |
| agree is essential to a harmonious and productive life. | | | | explore and invent. Children mime naturally when they |
| It may sound simplistic but it isn't. | | | | play games such as shops, going to the dentist etc. |
| You may be wondering if there is any relevance to | | | | etc. When young children do not have the necessary |
| this long introduction to an article which is supposed | | | | objects or cannot express themselves they mime. |
| to be about helping your special needs child by | | | | Children need to be encouraged in ways that help |
| introducing fairy stories into dance and movement | | | | them to make their inner life visible without words. A |
| therapy and by doing so creating dance drama. | | | | session of mime fits very well into a dance and |
| If you introduce a story element to the dance | | | | movement session. |
| movement session you can enable your child to | | | | The question now arises what about steps and |
| make a significant contribution to its' content. He or | | | | music? Its' important that the child relates to the |
| she could make up a story to dance. This woud allow | | | | music. If there are sufficient children perhaps they |
| children to express their own interests, emotions and | | | | could form a percussion orchestra and give their own |
| movement needs. | | | | "colour" to the proceedings. Help him or her to find |
| You yourself could use dance drama therapy | | | | movements and steps that are expressive of the |
| sessions as an opportunity to work on problems or | | | | various aspects of the story. This can be great fun |
| to encourage certain aspects of behaviour. Even | | | | and very stimulating. A child may have very limited |
| educational themes like numbers or spelling coud be | | | | movement but do encourage exploration and |
| used as a topic Creating a dance drama for children | | | | experimentation within his or her limitations. |
| with special needs allows them to create their own | | | | I am presently working on a dance-drama for |
| dialogue. Children with hearing or speech problems can | | | | Children with Special Needs. |