The Art Vivace company and the DRAC PACA (Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs) have collaborated to offer artistic workshops. These are offered to children in the morning and are related to the group’s activities: singing, music, and percussion.
“I am not your facilitator, I do not look at you, I am with you under the gaze of others.” This small group, consisting of about fifteen children, is expertly guided by Cédric Gonnet and Alexis Belhassen. Together, they are going to adapt the song “La nouvelle fille du métro” from their second album. The aim is that everyone can make up for each other’s shortcomings by helping one another.
An original initiative supported by the government
The principle is as follows: before coming, the children were asked to present a joint project on one of the group’s songs. “For example, they will keep the waltz rhythm, but they have modified the rhythm of the singing, and have a more rhythmic and faster-paced song. We try to maintain this acceleration. We take advantage of those who maintain this articulation because they like the lyrics and the story of the song. We also try to help them understand how the meaning of words is conveyed.”
The idea was initiated by Damien Angius, the director of Paje association’s leisure center. Their premises are located in the Pasteur school in Nice. The goal is to bring culture into disadvantaged neighborhoods where it is nonexistent. “The Ministry of Culture asked us to divide our days into personal work time for the artists and contribution time for the children’s leisure center program. We suggested that the children adapt one of our songs. It allows us to engage with the work of artistic composition. It gives us a different perspective on our works,” says Cédric Gonnet, artist and member of the Art Vivace collective that supports the group “les P’tits Ouvreuses.”
And varied exercises
Between all the stages, the troupe has a small ritual: legs apart, feet touching their neighbors. A mix of rhythmic hand claps, wrist rotations, wide-open jaw yawning, finishing with long arm movements that come to rest in their place. Subsequently, there’s the learning of mime, improvisation singing sessions and imagination, or even trying to think of answers to a journalist’s questions.
