Puppet Making Skills Gained in Alps Come Home to Nashville
by Emily Holt, art teacher
Thanks to the Helen Meador Travel Grant, I was able to attend a 10 day processional puppet workshop in the tiny Alpine village of Morinesio, Italy.
Thanks to the Helen Meador Travel Grant, I was able to attend a 10 day processional puppet workshop in the tiny Alpine village of Morinesio, Italy.
The village is part of the Maira Valley in the Piedmont region. There are several other small villages just a few miles apart that are linked together by hiking trails.
See a pdf of the presentation about the workshop I shared with the USN faculty in August.
See a pdf of the presentation about the workshop I shared with the USN faculty in August.
The puppet workshop was led by two master puppeteers, Alex Kahn and Sophia Michahelles of Processional Arts Workshop (a non-profit organization focused on building community through art). During the workshop I learned how to build large scale puppets, some reaching about 12 to 15 feet tall. In addition to learning the skills and techniques of constructing giant puppets, masks, banners, lanterns and musical instruments for the procession, I also learned methodologies for organizing an interactive community event.
The procession in Morinesio celebrates and preserves the unique Occitan culture in this part of Italy. This distinct culture, which spreads from northwestern Italy through Provencal France to Catalan Spain, has its own language, the Langue d'Oc, still spoken by 2 million people.
The themes for the procession, based on oral histories, folklore, and agrarian rituals, grow out of an ongoing dialogue with local villagers. Throughout the week, we were visited by children of the village who helped us create all the puppets and visual elements in time for the procession.
The themes for the procession, based on oral histories, folklore, and agrarian rituals, grow out of an ongoing dialogue with local villagers. Throughout the week, we were visited by children of the village who helped us create all the puppets and visual elements in time for the procession.
At the end of the workshop there were two separate celebratory events: a night-time Procession of Light and the Midsummer Pageant the following day. The Procession of Light was a serene walk to the cliffside Church of Santa Maria, illuminated entirely by handmade lanterns. There were accordion musicians and people singing as we gathered and passed out the lanterns. The Midsummer Pageant on the following afternoon was more raucous and festive. The giant puppets were brought to life by the workshop participants and the hundreds of local residents. Traditional Occitan musicians led the way through the same path we took the night before.
I am so thankful to have had this experience and am excited to bring everything I learned to my classes and the USN community. My high school Intro to 3-D classes and my middle school Exploring 3-D art classes are making lanterns now. We hope to have them ready to display during Fall Fest.
We will be working all year on building giant puppets, taking it slowly so as many students as possible can participate.
We will be working all year on building giant puppets, taking it slowly so as many students as possible can participate.
School News
List of 3 news stories.
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Through play, Josephine Huang teaches Chinese and molds lifelong learners
Middle School and High School Chinese Teacher Josephine Huang has been involved with USN as a volunteer, a parent, and a teacher. Now in her 20th year as a faculty member, Huang's innovative lessons and belief in relationships continue to instill in students a lifelong love of learning.Read More
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Stokes earns Excellence in Auxiliary Award
Read MoreDirector of Auxiliary Services Rebecca Stokes was given the Summer Programs and Auxiliary Revenue Collaborative’s award for her work including students in the selection of a new playground, transitioning the school bookstore, refining registration systems and processes for summer camps & enrichment activities, and expanding the school’s cultural and holiday celebrations to be inclusive of USN’s diverse student body. -
Preview USN on November 14
University School of Nashville welcomes prospective families to tour the Edgehill Campus, speak with students, faculty, and administrators, and learn about our K-12 school's academic, athletic, and arts offerings. Sessions will take place at 9:30 a.m. for Middle & High Schools and 1 p.m. for Lower School. Let us know you are coming at usn.org/preview.Read More
Athletics News
List of 3 news stories.
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Mountain Bike Team Takes on Winged Deer Trails, HS Makes Podium Appearance
Read MoreWinged Deer Park and trails in Johnson City hosted our 4th race on Sunday October 11th, and despite a bit of hurricane outwash winds and showers - and reduced team numbers due to fall break and distance from Nashville - our racers utilized all available skills and speed which helped “wing" Sophomore Claire Dehner to a 4th place podium spot, our first podium appearance and medal for the season. -
HS athletics recaps for September 11-17
Tiger golfers have officially qualified for the region tournament, and our other teams are not far behind. Volleyball sits near the top of the district, finishing up regular season play next week with Senior Night. Girls soccer continues to hold first place in the district after another 9-0 win, and our cross country runners are chasing after some school records. To round it all out, our mountain bike team traveled to Oakfield to continue to improve on their times for the season. There’s plenty more where that came from- so be sure to come out to the River Campus, Sperling Gym, or out on the road to cheer on our Tigers before their seasons end.Read More -
MS athletics recaps for September 11-17
Middle School volleyball and tennis teams are nearing the final games of their seasons, with the competition heating up while the Tigers play to determine their HVAC rankings. Cross country was finally able to race at the River Campus despite the heat, and our mountain biking team traveled to Oakfield, Tennessee, for a high-temperature race weekend.Read More
Contact
Edgehill Campus
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
USN Mission:
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.