Reflections on a Docudrama and Dance Project

One of the joys I get from teaching the Arts at the secondary level is when I see in a student something that just clicks—a shift in outlook from where working in the art form grows from being merely an interest to more of a passion. I see this every semester as a dance and drama teacher. My colleague feels the same way, so when we began to collaborate in the spring semester of 2023, part of the goal was to see if we could show an even larger world of the arts to students who are just now beginning to narrow their focus. That is, take a dance student and have them incorporate acting methods into their work, and take a drama student and show them how movement can inform a story. What emerged from this idea wasn’t just students successfully stepping out of their artistic comfort zones; it was an undertaking that empowered them to discover and investigate issues that were deeply important to them, and it was an outlet for many of our international and English Language Learner (ELL) students to tell their stories and find comfort in a new home. What emerged from this exploration was the Docudrama Dance Project. 

Description of the Project and Definition of Docudrama/Documentary Theatre

The Docudrama Dance Project was adapted from a Docudrama research project used previously by another drama teacher and involved me and my colleague bringing together two of our classes to work together every day for a month-and-a-half to develop an interdisciplinary performance piece. We know as educators that scheduling classes such as these can sometimes be a project in and of themselves, so for this pilot project, fate brought together students of different grade levels: my grade 10 Open Dance class, and my colleague’s grade 11/12 University/College Preparation Drama class. While I did feel that many of my younger students would be focused and up to the task—and for the most part they delivered—ultimately, I would suggest grade 11 or 12 students from both disciplines for this project.

The Docudrama, sometimes referred to as documentary theatre when performed on stage , is something we’re all familiar with. But for the purposes of teaching how to create one, it’s important to know what it entails: 

Broadly conceived, documentary theatre is fact-based performance composed using archival materials such as trial transcripts, official or government documents, iconic visual images or video footage, newspaper reporting, historical writing and recorded interviews. Documentary performances often emerge in response to social or political crises; documentary playwrights offer their audiences a theatrical presentation of real events to inspire critical questions about history, memory and justice as well as provoke social action to change the world outside the [theatre] walls. (Odendhal-James, 2011, as cited in Marin, 2014)

The original Docudrama research project, as it was presented to me in a handout, tasks students to “…work closely together in communities where everyone takes on acting, production, and research roles to create an ensemble piece,” with the goal to “…educate, to deliver a message, or to raise awareness of a social issue. The research and production process is driven by a guiding question, something that the creators want to explore through the process of researching, creating and performing their piece” (Docudrama Performance Project, n.d.). For example, the guiding question of one of our Docudrama groups was: How does war affect refugees of war? 

What follows is a reflection of my experience collaborating on this project. I have also attached an assignment outline, rubrics, and a couple of student group scrapbooks for any interested educators. 

The Goal of the Docudrama Dance Project

The Docudrama Dance Project was an interdisciplinary study that brought together students from our drama and dance classes to create a performance piece combining the skills from both art forms. Bringing students together from disciplines outside of their personal comfort zones is not without its challenges, and the way that my counterpart and I succeeded was to encourage them to become activists through performance: creating pieces to bring awareness to subjects relevant and important to them personally. With the goal of interweaving dance and drama with social and political themes that relate to themselves and to the world around them, students were given latitude to choose subjects important to them. We provided the following guiding questions to inspire their critical inquiry, research and creative process:

How can dance and drama forms be used to bring real life issues to the stage? 

How do we stage research?

What social justice issues do we most care about?

How can dance and drama be used as tools for social change? 

In the end, we saw captivating works on subjects as broad as war and refugees, to the power and pitfalls of social media and artificial intelligence, to the stages of loving relationships as well as ones destroyed through domestic abuse. 

Culturally Responsive and Relevant Teaching

Culturally responsive and relevant teaching is grounded in constructivist views of learning, in which students weave together their prior knowledge, experience, perspectives, and new knowledge discovered through inquiry and research. 

Through this project, students were able to interweave their prior socio-cultural knowledge, with new knowledge acquired through reflection, sharing stories, and additional research. They were also empowered to choose topics they were concerned about, which led to engagement in all aspects of the creative process and with the final goal of becoming activists for social change by spreading awareness of personally important topics. They engaged in both the critical analysis and creative process to develop deeper understandings of complex issues. In this way, the project fostered two key dimensions of culturally responsive and relevant pedagogy, as outlined in a monograph published by the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat (2013).

1)  The development of social consciousness- an awareness of how socio-cultural structures impact individual experiences and opportunities.

2) Students’ desire to make a difference; to see themselves as change agents working towards more equity.

The Value in This Project

Creating a significant work of art and performance from scratch is no easy task.  After researching their subject, students have to trust their impulses and begin to give artistic shape to their research findings. They must connect to the world around them, and ultimately piece together their scenes, songs, and choreography together to send a strong message that spreads awareness on a topic and promotes positive change. Through collaboration, students are given the chance to strengthen their teamwork and diplomacy skills. 

The benefits of arts activities on youths have been widely studied. In a systematic literature review, Zarobe and Bungay “…found that participating in arts activities can have a positive effect on self-confidence, self-esteem, relationship building and a sense of belonging, qualities which have been associated with resilience and mental wellbeing” (2017).  This sense of community is even more essential for English Language Learners, as these students are navigating new environments and some are missing loved ones or dealing with traumas. Our respective classes had several English Language Learners that were new to our country—quite a few of them from Ukraine—who were keenly aware of the strife faced by friends and family back home. But movement and dance are universal languages. Through this project, I witnessed these newcomers—some of whom were at the very beginning stages of learning English—become more comfortable in their new environment and become a part of the community through collaboration and by sharing their stories. 

Diversity of Student Voice and Activism

This project also takes into account student voice and the voices of various communities around the world. At the beginning of the project students were able to choose a subject from a list that called to them or that they were interested in learning more about. One of them was War and Refugees.  Several Ukrainian students chose this, and shared their experiences and struggles in their war-torn country and then seeking refuge here in Canada. One Ukrainian student shared that prior to war being declared, she lived with her mother, stepfather, and father in Kiev. She explained that on the first day war was declared with Russia, the Ukrainian military told civilians to pack a small bag and have them ready in case they needed to escape a sudden Russian invasion or bombings. Air raid sirens were a common occurrence and her family was always scared and anxious. She told us of Ukrainian children who are trained at schools to shelter in cases of bombings, and the fear of being told by your teachers that any day that threat could come raining from above. This student and her mother were thankfully able to move to a safer region of Ukraine, but still witnessed many bombings and showed us pictures of devastated buildings and streets, and even a picture of her apartment in Kiev which was bombed and destroyed after she relocated.  Her father and stepfather had to join the Ukrainian army and she still has not heard from them today. It’s been approximately two years; she doesn’t know if they are alive. This firsthand account of the Ukrainian/Russian War and the experience of civilians fleeing conflict was used to inspire a written scene in one student group’s Docudrama performance piece shared with the public on Arts Night. Sharing the stories, experiences and feelings of diverse communities including ones of new immigrants to Canada through performance art can promote empathy, teach tolerance, and highlight our shared humanity. 

The docudrama themes further allowed the pieces to connect to historical facts. So, in the above instance, not only did students share and express their experiences of conflict zones and immigration, but they also reflected on and embodied past refugee voyages such as the journey of Jewish refugees to Canada aboard the MS St. Louis. The students embodied this boat voyage through choreographed movement. They also reflected on what it would be like to escape the persecution of Nazis on board the MS St. Louis, to be hopeful about a new future in Canada, and to then be rejected in seeking asylum.

Student Mental Health and Engagement

Studies and many conversations with students over the past few years about struggles with mental health have emphasized the importance of the Arts to promote student voice, self-esteem, and belonging, which are traits linked with resilience and mental health (Zarobe & Bungay, 2017). The Docudrama Dance Project was a demonstration of these truths, with individual creations acting as a mode of catharsis for various students. There is something about the connection of mind and body, and the combination of self-expression and creativity that for many leads to joy. For me, it is the freedom to be fully present in the moment, equally in both mind and body, while at the same time expressing a specific character or diverse themes and feelings through movement. I saw this kind of joy in my students, and so much more. They were able to finally share their personal stories, opinions, and feelings through this dance and drama project. On the day of our school’s annual Arts Night, students were already showing excitement and wanted to “get ready” and be in costume during their first periods of class, hours before the performance. A couple of these same students had been struggling with attendance issues and poor grades. If the Arts and projects such as these can inspire in them even a sliver of engagement in school, it is vital we offer them every semester.

Families, friends, and members of the community were invited to attend Arts Night. The performances they saw further brought awareness and sent strong messages about what students, individuals, and societies are experiencing around the world. Telling a story—a personally-important story—to an audience not just of supporters but those of differing viewpoints helps develop empathy, teaches tolerance and pushes people to become activists. 

The Docudrama Dance Project brought together students of different disciplines, different backgrounds, different languages, and different points of view. What emerged were vital stories told in movement and voice. They were presented to the public with the goal to inform awareness and foster change, and in doing so I hope they also do one more thing. Art subjects have traditionally been the ones to be cut first from the budget. If the public can be moved by this sort of work by students who had been previously struggling, I hope a broader message is delivered that these courses and programs are important for us all. As educators of the arts, our goal is to help students develop socially, emotionally, academically, and creatively. But we are also shouldered with the uncommon duty of demonstrating our value to the public at large. The Docudrama Dance Project can help.

References

Docudrama Performance Project [Assignment outline]. (n.d.). 

Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat, Culturally Responsive Pedagogy-Toward Equity and Inclusivity in Ontario Schools (2013). Retrieved 2024, from https://www.onted.ca/monographs/capacity-building-series/culturally-responsive-pedagogy.

Marin, C. (2014). Enacting Engagement: Theatre as a Pedagogical Tool for Human Rights Education. Youth Theatre Journal, 28(1), 32–43. https://doi.org/10.1080/08929092.2013.779619

Zarobe, L., & Bungay, H. (2017). The role of arts activities in developing resilience and mental wellbeing in children and young people a rapid review of the literature. Perspectives in Public Health, 137(6), 337–347. https://doi.org/10.1177/1757913917712283

Docudrama Performance Project: Student Overview and Success Criteria 

Docudrama is distinctly Canadian. From 1960 to 1970 there was a revival of political and experimental theatre in Canada. Docudrama was a direct result of this time, driven by ideas of collective creation. Creators of docudrama work closely together in communities where everyone takes on acting, production, and research roles to create an ensemble piece. These collective creations made a name for Canada throughout the world of performing arts. 

What is a docudrama?

Docudrama combines the word “documentary” with the word “drama.” It is the first word that distinguishes this form of performance from other forms. Docudrama involves gathering, ordering, dramatizing factual and historical material. It is a theater of reportage where letters, speeches, interviews, photos, articles, biography, newspaper stories, history texts, statistics, etc. are transformed into a performance. 

Why are we doing docudrama?

The performances that arise from docudrama usually serve a specific purpose - they aim to educate, to deliver a message, or to raise awareness of a social issue. The research and production process is driven by a guiding question, something that the creators want to explore through the process of creating and performing their piece.  

In creating our own docudrama performances, we can tackle the big issues and ideas that are important to us. We can use our voices to say something that matters.

The Process of Creating a Docudrama

On the following page is a list of broad subjects that you could explore through docudrama. Groups will be decided based on interest in these subject(s). Once groups have been decided, you will work together to research, create, and perform a docudrama performance piece. 

Narrow down the topic

• Based on their subject, each group will decide on a guiding question for their docudrama. This question will help narrow down the research. The guiding question should be specific, summarizing the idea the group wants to explore through the creation and performance of their piece. Push beyond the superficial!

 Research the topic

• Groups will complete in-depth research based on their guiding question. This research can take a variety of forms (e.g., conducting interviews, reading articles or books, viewing films, visiting museums, etc.) Students must research primary and secondary sources, including reference books, newspapers, letters, film/video, personal interviews and many others. All sources must be factual. The research will be compiled in a scrapbook that will be submitted at the end of the process.

Create a performance that explores the topic

• Each group will compile and dramatize the findings of their research, leading to the creation and performance of a docudrama that explores their guiding question. Based on their research, each group selects potential characters, storylines, and emotional and thematic moments to transform into their own artistic production that uses a variety of theatre and movement techniques and styles, such as mime, tableau, dance, movement pieces, choral speaking, monologues, and scenes. Use of technology is encouraged.

Create a Guiding Question

A brief guide to guiding questions:

Guiding questions should be specific but open-ended questions that prompt research and exploration. They should not have a simple answer. Guiding questions often begin with "how" or "why" and seek out explanations, connections, and impacts of complex but precise issues.  

Example of how to create a guiding question: 

If you are struggling to come up with your question, look first at what interests you. 

For the broad subject of  "poverty and the housing crisis," the list of what interests the group could be:

- youth & young adults

- the safety of affordable housing

- local stories from Toronto

From that list of interests, we can formulate a question. A good guiding question for this group might be:

"How do challenges finding safe and affordable housing affect young adults in Toronto?"

Requirements:

*Your docudrama must be 12-15 minutes in length.

*Your docudrama must include at least three parts:

*one part focused on drama/theatrical performance

*one part focused on movement/dance

*one part that combines both vocal/theatrical performance & movement/dance

*all group members must perform together for the combined part; the other parts do not need all members to actively perform

*The scenes/parts of the docudrama should be cohesively knitted together and the script/scene outline should be clearly assembled, edited and polished

*Each group must submit a scrapbook/website that clearly states their guiding question and compiles their research

*Each student must have at least 2 sources (show what each person has done)

**You do not need to use all the research in your performance piece!

*The scrapbook must also include: 

• photos of the rehearsal process

• copy of the script(s) and/or scene outline(s)

• a props and costume list

• the MLA Works Cited List for all sources

Potential Subjects:

Number your top three choices - we will use this to decide the groups. These are broad subjects that could be interesting to explore. Groups will narrow down their topic and create a specific guiding question.

1. Sexism / gender inequality

2. Gender identity & sexuality / sexual orientation

3. Dating, romantic relationships, marriage & divorce

4. Domestic violence and abuse

5. Poverty & the housing crisis

6. Employment issues & workers’ rights

7. Immigration, xenophobia & racism

8. War and remembrance

9. Social media

10. Technology & Artificial Intelligence

Success Criteria for Drama and Dance Docudrama

Process

• We explored and experimented with various drama and dance forms made carefully considered artistic choices to tell our story

• We made well-considered artistic decisions to tell our story.

• We worked through each stage of the creative process

• We critically analysed our research sources

• We made personal and research-based connections to our theme/topic

Performance

• The themes and ideas are presented in a way that evokes thought and feeling in the audience

• The research is presented in a creative way, using drama and dance forms

• I am expressive in my role:  communicating ideas and emotions through facial expression, body expression, and expressive speech (clear diction, variation in intonation, loud enough obe heard by audience) 

Reflection

I can:

• Explain the artistic intention behind our selected drama and dance forms

• Summarize our research and explain it clearly