We have run "Move in Art Jam" for a number of series with children and adults in Singapore. I have also introduced it to the children with Autism as part of an activity program in the Netherlands, modifying the art segment, taking the dynamic of the group into consideration, exploring the art in paint as a group on the table. In this round, I included the parents in the session with their children. It is a pleasure to collaborate with my friend, Emilia again when she is in Singapore in this visit.
A mum who has attended my "Sharing Dance with your Child" joined us again in the jamming session and this session has brought a shift in her mindset and being comfortable with mess. It also brings about a shift in the relationship with her child. (See below for her sharing.)
I recognise and acknowledge the culture I was raised in - where we are not comfortable with the idea of being messy and getting dirty. However in this creative artistic fun way of exploring and jamming in movement and with paint brought us to a safe place of expression and being comfortable with being messy. One of the rhythms in the KMP, Twisting Rhythm, children are often interested in fine and small things, textures of different materials. They would often touch their food and mess them up. They are seeking sensory input and it is a very important developmental phase for children to let them play, touch, get dirty and messy. Exploring fine little small things is actually developing fine motor skills and interested in tiny details. Thus, when children miss that moment of getting messy, children at the older age, would seek the missing developmental milestone in this "Move in Art Jam". They have so much fun, freedom and the permission to get messy. Two brothers who came for the session, later shared with their mother.
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| "Boys thanked me for giving them the permission
to really have fun and be messy. They said they will remember this day
till adulthood and share this with their own children in future." "You're welcome, boys. I love you." |
In my own personal process, I identify getting messy as chaos. Being able to bear and tolerate chaos and stay calm is an innate resilience I have built over the years - being comfortable with getting messy and being dirty, in the process, being comfortable with chaos, especially working with children. To give children the space and room to express and run is necessary. Children who have come to my sessions often leaving feeling happy, radiating with joy, smiles on their faces because they have the freedom to be free and being themselves which most of the time, they do not have the space to do so. Being a dance movement psychotherapist and Ways of Seeing practitioner, I advocate Dance - Play as part of my program which is so essential and lacking these days. It is not just an ordinary dance-play activities but I also incorporate bonding time between parents and children, individual expression and group togetherness in a creative fun artistic ways, catering to the need of each individual, a client-centered approach, building emotional and social themes in the sessions.
"Looking through the Lens, Into The Inner World" workshop for adults also touches on chaos on 24th August, Sunday, 6 - 8.30pm. Registration is still open if interested on our website, Embodied Movement.
Embodied Movement travels to bring the program to you!
* Sharing from a mum. Thank you Siew Lee for your permission to put it in the blog.
"Elizabeth, thanks for today's session. Me and En Yue really enjoy today's Art Jam.
We really have fun and mess today! In fact, still not consider as extreme mess
but compare as usual, it is messy today. That's why en yue not really comfortable when the mess start especially when she saw Angela's children start having fun and mess. After few minutes, she started to adapt to it. :)
When on the way home just now, she told me that she is very happy today and she wan to play again. I feel so happy too... I didn't expect tat such a mess will bring joy n fun to all of us. May be since young, I am trained to be clean and neat.
Just share with u. Last week, En Yue took a pen and drew a quite huge drawing on one of the room's wall. I didn't know abt it as the room is now vacant and I didn't notice abt that wall. This morning, she tried to stand on the wall and cover it. I just realised there is a drawing on it. At that moment, I didn't scold her and I also didn't know how to react to her abt her drawing on the wall. In my mind, I just know tat she is growing up and coming to another stage.
After today session, I find that the drawing on the wall is nothing big deal anymore. Is just an art and her way to express herself... Is ok to be messy..."
Regards,
Siew Lee
