KE 2017 - The Story of Descending the Long Slopes of Valparaíso

So, the very last show of the CCA 2017 at the Kyoto Experiment Festival was The Story of Descending the Long Slopes of Valparaíso by Yudai Kamisato and Okazaki Art Theatre. We went again to the Kyoto Art Center and enjoyed the evening.

Riko noticed that her outfit looks like a Minion today. 

KE 2017 - Marcelo Evelin / Demolition Incorporada: Sick Dance

Today a few kids saw Sick Dance by Marcelo Evelin/Demolition Incorporada. The show is advertised as 18+ or anyone under the age of 12 being accompanied by a parent. So, we had parents with us too, yay!

Although the show had some challenging subject matter, the Jury still was interested in watching it. With their parents beside them, they braved the dark, uncomfortable sounds, and strange (and sometimes disturbing) movements. Afterwards the kids were a bit speechless but opened up a bit when they got to meet the dancers and Marcelo, himself. One of the dancers told me "...confused is a feeling, too".

KE 2017 - Trisha Brown Dance Company, Anthology: Trisha Brown

Today we saw an amazing dance performance by Trisha Brown Dance Company; Anthology: Trisha Brown. The jury got to see part of the tech rehearsal and was inspired to practice their dance moves before the performance. They ran into the dancers back stage and made quite an impression.

KE 2017 - RAM CAMP

The Jury got a special chance to try the RAM CAMP equipment before they saw the presentation the following day. Each of them got to try it and see what it was like to have a digital-self. Then, the presentation by Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media [YCAM] presented RAM CAMP in Kyoto 2017 Work in Progress Presentation. 

The day started with some candy silliness that Tsukine started by giving colorful candy to Jana.

KE 2017 - Heiner Goebbels & Ensemble Modern: Black on White

We had another double show day. First, we saw Heiner Goebbel's show Black on White.

It was great seeing Heiner after doing CCA at his Ruhrtriennale for three years (2012-2014). He was very welcoming to the VIP and told us that he is curious to hear what new award he will get this time! If you want to know what kind of awards he got from the Children's Choice Awards before, check out his website. He mentions all his awards there! 🏆

KE 2017 - Ryoji Ikeda& Eklekto

Today we went to the Ryoji Ikeda & Eklekto performance music for percussion. It was an exciting day of munching snacks, looking backstage, high-fiving artists, and rhythmic noise making.

Catch a peak of who's in the window...

KE 2017 - Unverinnerlicht

Yesterday we took the jury to Unverinnerlicht by Naoka Tanaka.

Walking the red carpet. The jury is still a bit shy but we'll get there.

Lots of broken chairs on the stage.

KE 2017 - Here Is the Message You Asked For...Don‘t Tell Anyone Else ;-)

Today's show was Here Is the Message You Asked For...Don't Tell Anyone Else ;-)

by Xiaoxing Sun. We were very surprised by the ending of the show and a bit overwhelmed. The jury had a hard time focusing on anything else afterwards. Was that the intention of the show?

On our way to the show we found this giant umbrella 

in front of the Kyoto Art Theater Shunjuza

KE2017 - Researchlight Tour #1

Today the Jury travelled around Kyoto to view the Kyoto Experiment installations by researchlight, SOMETHING HERE. Two of the artists on the project joined us and explained each installation to them along the way.

KE 2017 - Workshop #3 - Choosing the Awards!

We had the 3rd workshop with the Kinrin Elementary School kids: deciding the award categories.  

When Kids Are Loud/Wenn Kinder laut sind

- Die deutsche Fassung befindet sich weiter unten -


When Kids Are Loud

On the whole, the Children's Choice Awards' jury repeatedly impresses both us and the public who sit around us with their behaviour at the shows they see. We've shown this year and in past presentations of this project that not only can kids go see theatre and performance that we "expect" them not to get; that they can enjoy shows we don't think they will; and that they won't ruin the experience of them for the rest of us.

But sometimes... kids are loud. Or distracting. Or annoying. Last weekend, the jury went to a couple of shows where this was the case. Fidgeting, whispering, laughing... it happens, especially when kids are with other kids, in a group of 15, out of school and away from parents, with their friends. We know some of the people around us were annoyed. But this discomfort is part of what the project is about. And ultimately, we want to remind you: it's up to YOU to tell them how you feel.

In 2011, in response to some problems we encountered while doing CCA, Mammalian Diving Reflex's Artistic Director Darren O'Donnell wrote the Mammalian Protocol for Collaborating with Children (click for link), a document that, in effect, outlines the working method we use with the CCA jury. All of Mammalian's collaborations with children have, at one level or another, the theme of the full recognition of children as rights-holders who are “not only entitled to receive protection but also have the right to participate in all matters affecting them, a right which can be considered as the symbol for their recognition as rights holders. This implies, in the long term, changes in political, social, institutional and cultural structures,” that in effect, will create “a new social contract.” This is what all of Mammalian's work with children is about.

The Children's Choice Awards

The inaugural Children's Choice Awards is a decisive intervention that delves into Melbourne Festival: a group of Melbourne kids from the suburb of Footscray are chauffeured from event to event, they check out the art and offer brash, incisive and audacious opinions. And then they hand out a few awards! Watch for the young jury as they crawl all over the Festival, their tender knees protected from the evils of the world by the thinnest of red carpet. Then check out the Award Ceremony and hear their pronouncements.

This blog will document the jury's exploits as they run from event to event to event to event. The fun starts on October 6, so please check back then.

Mammalian Diving Reflex is a Toronto-based research-art atelier dedicated to investigating the social sphere, always on the lookout for contradictions to whip into aesthetically scintillating experiences, producing one-off events, theatre-based performance, theoretical texts and community happenings.

Working with adults and children alike, Mammalian Diving Reflex creates critically-engaged participatory events including Slow Dance with Teacher, Old People Shooting Guns and the international hit Haircuts by Children.