Basic 6 · Creative Arts · Planning, Making and Composing

Experimenting with Performing Arts Media and Techniques

In this topic you will experiment with performing arts media and techniques, such as voice, body, instruments, improvisation and call-and-response, to create performances.

By the end of these notes you should be able to:

Identify media used in performing arts
Experiment with techniques such as improvisation, mime and call-and-response
Create a short performance piece

What you already know

International performing artists

Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.

Strand: Performing Arts
Sub-strand: Planning, Making and Composing
Indicator: B6.2.2.2.1 – Experiment with available performing arts media and techniques to create performing artworks

Introduction

Visual artists use paint and clay; performing artists use their voices, bodies, instruments and the stage. By experimenting, performers discover new ways to express ideas.

1. Performing Arts Media

Media in performing arts

Medium	Examples
voice	singing, speaking, chanting
body	movement, gestures, facial expressions, dance
instruments	drums, xylophone (gyil), flute, bells, guitar
props and costumes	stools, calabashes, cloth, masks
space and sound	stage, lighting, microphones

2. Techniques to Experiment With

Performing arts techniques

Technique	Meaning	Example
call-and-response	a leader sings or speaks and the group answers	many Ghanaian folk songs
improvisation	making up music, words or movement on the spot	jazz solos, drama games
mime	telling a story with actions and no words	acting out cooking or fishing
polyrhythm	several rhythms played at the same time	Ghanaian drum ensembles
tableau	a frozen picture made by actors	showing a scene in a story
dynamics	changing from loud to soft	building excitement in a song

A lead drummer and a group of pupils responding with drums and voices — Figure 1: Call-and-response Write a short call-and-response chant.Illustration: Sirbus

3. Polyrhythm in Ghanaian Music

Ghanaian drum music often layers different rhythms. In a simple example, the bell (gankogui) plays a steady pattern, a supporting drum repeats a short rhythm, and the master drummer plays changing patterns that signal dancers. Together they create a rich, exciting sound.

4. Creating a Short Piece

Choose a theme (e.g. a market day or a rainstorm).
Experiment: make rain sounds with fingers, palms and feet; add drums for thunder.
Use dynamics: start softly, grow louder, then fade away.
Add movement or mime to show people running from the rain.
Rehearse and perform for the class.

New words

medium: The material or means used to create art.
call-and-response: A leader's call answered by a group.
improvisation: Creating on the spot without preparation.
mime: Acting without words.
polyrhythm: Several rhythms played together.
tableau: A still picture formed by performers.

Summary

Performing arts use voice, body, instruments, props and space.
Techniques include call-and-response, improvisation, mime and polyrhythm.
Ghanaian drumming uses rich polyrhythms.
Experimenting helps create original performances.

Class activity: Rainstorm Performance

Create a two-minute "rainstorm" using body percussion, drums and mime.
Use dynamics from soft to loud to soft.
Perform it and explain the techniques used.

You need: Locally made drum, Gourd shaker, Printed photographs of Ghanaian, African performances

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

1. Acting without words is…
- A. mime
- B. singing
- C. drumming
- D. chanting
Show answer
Answer: mimeActions only.
2. A leader sings and the group answers. This is…
- A. call-and-response
- B. tableau
- C. improvisation
- D. polyrhythm
Show answer
Answer: call-and-responseCommon in Ghana.
3. Several rhythms played at the same time is…
- A. polyrhythm
- B. silence
- C. solo
- D. tempo
Show answer
Answer: polyrhythmLayered rhythms.
4. The body can be a medium in performing arts.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueMovement and gesture.
5. Improvisation means reading a fixed script.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: FalseIt means making it up on the spot.
6. A still picture formed by performers is a ______.
Show answer
Answer: tableauA frozen scene.
7. Name three performing arts techniques.
Show answer
Answer: Call-and-response, mime, improvisation (or polyrhythm, tableau).Any three.
8. How can dynamics make a performance more exciting?
Show answer
Answer: Changing from soft to loud builds tension and excitement, and fading out creates a strong ending.Contrast.

Homework

Create a short call-and-response song about a school rule.