Storytelling

'Era Uma Vez' ('Once Upon A Time')

...is a colourful performance that use storytelling and dance to tell some of the indigenous myths and legends of Brazil mixing dance music and languages. The audience is transported to Brazil by the diverse characters and their costumes, props and Portuguese language. This show is a collaboration between Fernanda Amaral, the Brazilian Artistic Director of Patuá Dance and Michael Harvey.

Praise for 'Era Uma Vez':
A thrilling performance with stories, dance and music — and all this in Welsh and Portuguese. A never to be forgotten experience for pupils and staff of the school alike.
—Rhian Jones, Headteacher of Ysgol y Berllan Deg

A very interesting performance — all our pupils loved the colourful costumes and props. They were fully absorbed during the whole hour!
—Deputy Head of Christ the King R.C. Primary School

Michael Harvey is an extremely accomplished Welsh storyteller who has been involved with the company since its beginning and has a vast experience performing and leading storytelling/writing workshops. Michael has recently been working in Brazil with Fernanda Amaral, giving him an insight into Brazilian language and culture. Michael will work with elements of Brazilian and Welsh language and culture. He will be telling the children Brazilian myths and legends and will be encouraging them to make comparisons with their own culture and background.

'Era Uma Vez' is available in English and Welsh with elements of Portuguese — the language spoken in Brazil — and can be accompanied by a Brazilian dance workshop and/or writing, and storytelling in second language learning. Fernanda and Michael in their workshops will be encouraging the children to work individually and as a group to create their own dances and stories.

The performances and workshops aim to promote the pupils' own creative self-confidence as individuals and as group members and will address issues of multi-culturalism as well as being directly applicable to the literacy, dance/PE and geography elements of the curriculum.

Both Fernanda and Michael are highly experienced workshop leaders, hold degrees in Vocational Training from Cardiff University and are able to offer INSET training for teachers.