A Culture That Cultivates Story Tellers

Today, I was honored to be a judge at the Fine Arts Festival (FEA - Festival Estudiantil de los Artes); my two friends and I were sent by the theatre as representatives.  Each school and high school in Costa Rica holds their own festival at this time of year.  The students qualify at their local levels and then eventually go on to compete at a national level in San Jose.

There are many categories, ranging from Story Telling of Traditional Costa Rican Tales to Photography.  There was even a boy who painted himself silver and froze as a statue in various poses as music played.

Even a puppet show about bullying and tolerance :]

Mis Compañeros del Teatro Copaza

One of the things that really struck me as I was watching these young children perform is that it is clear to me that this country cultivates story tellers.  Even the small children seem to have gifts of sharing tales with such dynamic expression that I haven't seen before in all my days doing drama with kids.  I wonder if this is one of the reasons my beginning improvisers don't seem to start out as such beginners.  It is already inside of them to entertain: to tell funny stories about what happened when they were at the hospital, or in a collectivo... with all the different voices and characters and everything.  I know I definitely have friends here with this gift. Come to think of it, people I talk to on the bus tell me stories with this excitement.  No wonder I feel at home when story swapping with Ticos :]  

Even the rubrics we used as judges impressed me.  It was as if a drama teacher wrote them.  They had all the necessary categories for critiquing a performance.  It even had a section for dramaturgy, which  I thought was odd.  And this was a form given out by the Ministry of Public Education.  How organized is it to have a festival like this in every school!?  The only thing similar that I have seen in the US has been a festival we created at the University for high schools to attend.  That was put on by an outside entity... I can't imagine trying to make the festival happen within every school.

And it's interesting to me because, here, they don't often have drama classes (if at all) ... but somehow it seems to be built in.  I guess they do a lot of skits and such in their regular classes?  Some of the teachers came up to us afterwards and begged my friends and I from the theatre to give them classes on how to teach drama because they don't know how.

Which brings me to another announcement:

This week, I will be realizing more of my dream of being here by starting a drama class at a school in the poorest area around Quepos.  It is called Cocal.  I'm really excited to work with these kids over the next few months and will let you know how it is going.  

My work there is part of a project that the theatre is starting, called "Teatro en la Comunidad."  The goal is to get more dramatic arts in the schools and through that, to help students who are at risk choose productive activities and of course - develop so many skills.  :]

Oh, and I was telling someone the other day how at the end of the day, I'm often surprised at what happened ... because much of it is not planned when I wake up in the morning.  I'm also surprised at what people give me the opportunity to do or of what I get put in charge of.  Judging for this festival was one of those experiences.  I guess sometimes it takes others assuming you have the abilities to make you realize that in fact, they were right :]  You are qualified.  Well, except in "traditional Costa Rican dance," which they probably realized and didn't have me judge ;]  jajajaja. 

This is the traditional dance I wasn't expected to judge ;]

The paper mache dog that made me laugh.  It looks like all dogs here.... hot!