Getting ‘stronger together’ through arts

Blenheim’s youth have until Monday to register for the Expression Sessions being held at the Marlborough Youth Trust over the next six weeks in the lead up to NZ Youth Week in May.

‘We are stronger together’ is the theme for this year’s youth week, which will be celebrated across the country from May 8-16.

Expression sessions give young people an opportunity to express Youth Week in a form of art they can relate to, whether photography, dance or painting.

Amy Bain has attended the sessions for the last two years. ‘‘I did the ‘spoken word’ workshops both years and they were really helpful at opening myself up to deeper parts of myself and to growing friendships with other people,’’ she said.

Taylah Rasmussen also did the spoken word workshop and said ‘‘it helped me build my confidence and make great friends.’’

During this year’s sessions, youth will have an opportunity to work together with local artist Vonny Paul to create a new mural to be displayed on the outside wall of the youth trust.

The mural will be sketched out in full size and then cut up into blocks, with each participant completing their own block. It will then be pieced back together.

Photographer Bridgette Knox has been working with the youth trust for the past three years, and will once again present her popular photographic sessions.

‘Mindfulness Through Dance’ workshops will be facilitated by Sheldon Rua. Rua was part of the band ‘Reciprocate’ that won the regional final of Smokefree Rockquest.

He is at home on a stage whether he is speaking, dancing, making music or performing spoken word poetry.

‘‘Through the mindful movements workshops we’ll be looking at developing self awareness and mindfulness through movement and dance,’’ Rua said.

‘‘We will identify where in our bodies we feel certain emotions, and look at journaling about that experience and then expressing it through movement.’’

All workshops will focus on the ‘We are stronger together’ theme and attempt to illustrate the concept.

The song Marlborough Youth Trust has chosen to partner with the theme is We’re All In This Together from the film High School Musical.

To register for the sessions email youthworker@myt.org.nz.

HELEN NICKISSON/STUFF Sheldon Rua (centre) will present ‘Mindfulness Through Dance’ workshops at the Marlborough Youth Trust’s Expression Sessions. Taylah Rasmussen, left, and Amy Bain said they had benefited greatly from attending previous sessions.