HOLIDAY WORKSHOP FOR YOUNGSTERS

Jane Linley-Thomas of ECR to host exclusive and enlightened holiday workshop.

Jane Linley-Thomas of East Coast Radio will host an exclusive and enlightened holiday workshop for creative youngsters aged between 6 and 10 years from September 28 to October 2 when they will be involved in a variety of exciting and educational activities.

While music relaxation will be provided by Jane Linley-Thomas, workshop leaders will be Shayna De Kock, Karen Nichols, Jacobus Van Heerden, Suzie Manson and Bryan Hiles as well as Gareth Pretorius and Tatho Oliphant.

Creative Movement by Shayna De Kock: Shayna has a BA Honours Cum Laude in drama and dance, and is qualified in teaching and educational dance. Shay is currently in her third year of teaching at the Open Air School where she runs a disability dance project. In 2007, she went to Senegal to train under the world renowned Germaine Acogny. Currently with the Flatfoot Dance Company that she joined in 2008, she has taught in various outreach dance projects as well as performed in many dance seasons, the last being Jomba! 2009.

Art and Craft - using recyclable material as well as mosaic and beads - Karen Nichols: Foxy Creations was started in 2003. From humble beginnings as a home industry; it has now become synonymous with wonderful mosaic commissions, such as are to be seen at the Rainbow Head Office, Northwood School and St. Francis College. Special projects have included children, moms and grannies workshops, where crafters are taught the skills needed to create mosaic objects d’art themselves. Foxy is a family-run business headed up by Karen Nichols, with designs and project management being provided by her husband Rod. Loads of other private commissions make up the other side of the business where clients can either commission or purchase exclusive one-off pieces that include platters, candle balls planters, mirror frames and mosaic tables. Several projects have included showers, floors and walls - nothing is exempt from the creative touch of Foxy Creations. More information at www.foxycreations.co.za

Magic show - Jacobus Van Heerden: The co-founder of the award-winning Neon Anthems, a theatre company that has been touring productions around South Africa for the past five years. Jacobus has co-written and produced a number of shows including; Tokoloshe come and go, Catch! and the NATV Xmas Show. He has played the role of Hamlet at the Playhouse and has also starred in a number of productions including The Little Shop of Horrors, Abbamaniacs and Sleeping Beauty.

Yoga4kids - Suzie Manson: Yoga4Kids started in South Africa five years ago and now has an enrolment of 450 children in the Northern Suburbs of Johannesburg, as well as a national following in Cape Town and KwaZulu-Natal. Suzanne Manson, the founder of Yoga4Kids, trained and studied with one of the forerunner’s of Children’s Yoga, Fenella Lindsell, in London. Part of her known path is to empower children to live out their true destinies in becoming all they are meant to be. Suzanne is accredited with the Art of Health & Yoga Institute in Britain and with the Yoga Fellowship in South Africa. She is currently doing her Honours in Psychology and has completed a two-year Teacher’s training course at the Ishta School of Yoga in Johannesburg. She recently attained her RCYP Certificates Levels 1 and 2 with Shakta Kauer Khalsa, who is a world renowned Kundalini Child Yoga Instructress and author or many children's yoga books. Michelle Hendrikz, a trained and qualified Yoga4Kids instructor, will be the yoga teacher at the workshop.

Storytelling - Bryan Hiles: Bryan's professional debut was in 1996 with the Cape Town based touring company, The Story Spinning Theatre. This experience prompted him to study drama in Durban. After completing his studies, Bryan spent a short time in Johannesburg, followed by his return to Durban to perform in Hamlet - that was in 2003 and he still hasn't left! Well-known for his involvement in the annual family pantomimes as Buttons, Tom Trueshot, Huckleby Hopscotch and Wishee Washee, he also wowed audiences big and small as the rubber-legged Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz. Not stopping there, Bryan also played the lead in Little Shop of Horrors and is currently involved in the hit farce, Noises Off. Bryan may also be remembered as the grumpy old Junkshop owner in his one-man show (with many puppets), Grandpa Grump and the Magical Junkshop, which has toured many festivals and schools in South Africa. Another of Bryan’s one-man shows is Jakob, which tells the story of a young boy who steals light, this show has also toured extensively throughout South Africa. Bryan is an occasional voice-over artist for both radio and television; and in a Forest Gumpesque twist of fate, he received Springbok colours for hip-hop dance.

Daily Educational Interactive Performance – Gareth Pretorius and Tatho Oliphant: Gareth has an honours degree in drama. He also trained in Nigeria with the African contemporary dance champs, Ijodee Dance Company. Gareth worked in Russia for seven months with the Poteshny Show Theatre. He then ran the highly successful Cape Town children's theatre company, The Skomoroki Theatre, that specialized in puppetry and clowning. He has performed at numerous festivals and now runs an environmental-theatre company called On The Edge in Durban. Tatho is a multilingual highly, talented actor and dancer who has an honours degree in Drama from UKZN and is currently a member of Flatfoot Dance Training Company and is an artist with On The Edge.

The workshop takes place from September 28 to October 2 at The Lightness of Being, 22 Portland Place, Durban North. Fee of R450 per child per day includes lunch and snacks. Places are limited as groups will be kept small to allow for one-on-one interaction with the artists. Each day will carry a unique theme. Bookings are essential.

Daily registration and drop-off will be between 07h30 and 08h30. Creative sessions will run from 09h00 to 16h00, Arrangements can be made for late pickups. Contact Jane on 073 471 6711 or email mrsthomas1979@gmail.com