MAYA

The Illusions We Live

Worth Writing partnered with the Indique Dance Company to showcase young writers in their performance, MAYA: THE ILLUSIONS WE LIVE. This one-night-only performance provided a space for young writers to feature their original art and written works at the South Dallas Cultural Center.

For this production, the Indique Dance Company used dance and storytelling to explore the different ways in which perspective shapes relationships. Here's what they have to say about MAYA: THE ILLUSIONS WE LIVE:

Each person sees the world in a different way. When you look into a kaleidoscope, you see a picture. When you turn the cylinder ever so slightly, you get a completely different picture. Similarly, one small shift in perspective can alter our view of the world and in some instances change our life, or the lives of others. It is human nature to allow our personal biases and assumptions to become a pair of tinted glasses that color everything we see. What happens when we remove the filters, the “Maya,” that clouds our vision? Does this expand our opportunities to step out of our comfort zones and build understanding with each other?

Portrait Poetry

Students from both Central Arts of Bedford and the Thomas Place Community Center considered the meaning and effect of labels and stereotypes as they wrote portrait poems of their own. The use of metaphor, simile, and creative adjectives as tools offered young writers a chance to describe themselves however they wanted, "seeing beyond the labels."

This curriculum was adopted from 826 Digital's Resources to Write Bravely From Anywhere (Grades 1 - 8) lesson: "8 Portrait Poems and Examples" by Art Belliveau. Find more here.

Perspective-bending Lenticular Art

Students created reverse poetry and transformed it into lenticular art. You'll know that you've successfully "seen beyond the illusion" when the two-toned image appears as one.

The innately surprising element of reverse poetry had a profound effect on the students' perspectives. We will not soon forget the looks on the faces of students and patrons as they each experienced their unique "Ah-ha!" moment.

THANK YOU!

A BIG thanks to Indique for the opportunity to capture different perspectives from young writers as they share their stories and change our world.