THE LITTLE I-AM-I (Das kleine Ich bin Ich)

“The little I-Am-I” was a musical project for children aged four to ten years with and without physical and / or motor impairments. After an over half-year period of many regularly scheduled meetings, 32 children from various schools in Erfurt (namely, the integrative kindergarten Die kleinen Europäer of CJD, Schule am Andreasried as well as Grundschule am Steigerwald) shaped the story of “The Little I-Am-I” and interpreted it by music and dances in accordance with their interests and capabilities.

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The music and songs were composed, arranged and recorded by the Erfurt musician Andreas Schulze. The text is based on the original artwork. The two dance and music educators Dana Blask and Natasha Scholl worked out the vocal and choreographic arrangements and supported the children with the play. Throughout the process, the children’s ideas were taken into account and had significant influence on the implementation of the story.

The template for the project delivered the homonymous book for children written by Mira Lobe. In a wonderfully childlike way it tells the story of a search for identity: A small colorful animal lives contentedly and happily, until it is suddenly confronted with the the question “Who are you?”. The animal does not know the answer and starts to find out who it was. It asks various animals about his identity – unsuccessfully – until it basically asks about its own existence. However, at the sight of his own reflection, he realizes that it exists, of course, and that it is unique.

In the discussion about the touching story of the little indefinable creature, the children were encouraged to appreciate their own uniqueness and to understand that they are adorable as they are. While this realization was entirely new to some, others felt encouraged once more in their childlike self-confidence.
The majority of the children have known the story already. They have the book itself already on the bookshelf at home respectively the project was prepared in the class or in groups. They altogether collected and organized everything known and designed the script for the musical. The final line-up was chosen just before the performance. It was open to everyone to take on any role and try it on his or her own.

The essential part of the entire work was carried out with music. Singing games, voice formation exercises, listening exercises, and finally song rehearsals were the main parts of each meeting. With amazing patience and endurance the children tried and practiced to play music on their own, produce sounds and sound pads, and provide the scene with music.

Dance is also part of a musical; the story about the little I-Am-I provides numerous approaches for motion studies and dancing pads. About the basic parameter fast-slow and big-small, we obviously worked out unlimitedly many movement opportunities, tried out, and matched different animals.
The theme within this project was the theater itself as well as many duties and background processes which are necessary until the performance on the stage.

The stay in the theater for rehearsal with a view behind all the scenes and in all corridors, corners and wardrobes contributed much to the understanding of this complex phenomenon. In order to feel a little more in this background work on their own and round over the whole preparation of the performance, the children tinkered with some elements of the scenes and decorations.

The project work with the performance of the musical was completed in the theater Die Schotte e. V on 29th September 2012.

You can find the document (German) here or you can contact us via 0361 60 21 515 or office@cge-erfurt.org to order the hardcopy.

Musik baut Brücken – Kulturelles Jahresthema der Stadt Erfurt 2012

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