croydonnow

2007-12-20T21:47:00.000Z

HEY GIRLS n GUYSSS!!!

Just wud like 2 wish all u LOVELY JUBELY ppl a MERRY CHRISTMAS n HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

MWAAAAAAAAHHH!!!

Cya SOON xxx

ARTS AMBASSADORS WORKSHOP PROGRAMME (AUTUMN)

2007-08-07T17:02:00.000Z

Here are dates and details of all the workshops in the workshop programme ambassadors have organised:

September

14 - Urban Street Dance (Court)
22 - Guerilla Film-making (CAR)
28 - Laughter Workout (CAR)

October

11 - Performance Poetry (CAR)
18 - Drama (CAR)
25 - Stand Up Comedy (CAR)

November

3 - Croydon Fashion Fanzine (CAR)
8 - Capoeira Dance (Court)
24 - Manga Art (Workshop 1)

December

1 - African Drumming (Court)
6 - Drawing Cartoons (CAR)
13 - Reclaimed Fashion (CAR)

the YOF/YCF fund

2007-07-01T19:25:00.000Z

hi, ive only just been able to get a new account or whatever so thats why i havn't written for a very long time lol

the youth opportunity fund is all about helping disadvantaged young people in croydon so we really should look deeper into this when chosing what we should do. i met a gril the other week who has been living in a home nearly all her life and had recently moved into a hostile. she told us about all the young people who have given up on life and don't see the point on making an effort. working on the management team has taught me alot about what it means to be disadvataged and that is exactly what this money which has been given to us is all about. weve been given this money to help disadvantaged young people and so when deciding on the activities were going to be programing i think that we should look at what people really want. maybe we should ask people what kind of events people would want? if were going to make these workshops a success then i think that we need to do alot more market research and actually go out there and ask people what they want! maybe we could do questionnaires or something and invite people from hostiles and that and get them involved in things from the clocktower aswell as our workshops.

its just an idea but it really fits in with the aims of the YOF fund and i think we should really take them into consideration maybe ?!?

loVe Jess

p.s. im sorry i havn't been to the last couple of meetings, i had my last exam and then went away to a uni summer school thing.

Workshops etc

2007-06-25T13:44:00.000Z

Despite not being able to make it to the last meeting (I went to a lecture that turned out to be phenomenally boring, but I did get to look in the House of Lords), I've found out I can't come tomorrow either. D: I'm going to see Forgotten Voices at the Riverside Studios, which is all about WW1 and at least arts-related, so I feel like I have quite a good excuse. I feel bad about not coming twice in a row, though, sorry about that, but I'll be there on the 6th for laughing yoga.

Anyway, with regards to workshops, Olly said I ought to give feedback here since I won't be in the meeting. For what it's worth: JOHN COOPER CLARK IS MADE OF WIN, LET'S GET HIM IN, and I also love the sound of the scriptwriting workshop. So, er, yeah, if either of those work out? I'd be ecstatic.

In an internet cafe...

2007-06-21T11:11:00.000Z

Hello everyone! I'm still alive and stuff.
Maddie W and I went to see 'Food' the other night in the Braithwaite Hall and it was really good but there were only about 25 people there! They deserved a bigger audience! So now everyone's got a card let's all go to things and....stuff. Woo!
Hope everyone is well and not dying from the boredom of being back at school.
Gabrielle x

logo idea...>.<

2007-06-20T17:33:00.000Z

can be in one colour (nt neceserily this color)

this is an idea for the "arts ambass..." logo...

what do you think?

.....some more suggestions

2007-06-20T10:37:00.000Z

I got some more suggestions for artists and things for the programme. So I have updated our list of possible artists and companies....Check them out! I have emailed all of them and I have more details and prices for them...we can look at these on Tuesday. CLICK ON THE LINKS. Don't be afaid :)

Dance:
BLEMA ETREY (Street/Hip Hop)
URBAN STRIDES (Street/Hip Hop)
JONZI-D (Street/Hip Hop)
TAVAZIVA (Contemporary/World)
BOY BLUE (Street/Hip Hop)
ACE DANCE (Contemporary/World)

African Drumming:
mastercompo.com
jali-djembe.com
sewa-education.org

Film-making:
Chocolate Films (gorilla style film-making: plan, make and edit a film in one day!)
antoncalifano.com (maybe more long-term projects?)
Actiondog (multimedia workshop where you would mix music videos with film)

Urban Fashion:
Emma Hart (you nearly all know her! She runs t-shirt making workshops at Tate Modern and Whitechapel Gallery all the time - so is an expert at this now!) She also has an idea about commenting on urban fashion - could young people make a crodyon fashion fanzine - lots of collage, photos, drawings, designs, and photocopies (maybe screen prints) which could combine with screen printed t-shirts to produce a weekly fanzine/magazine for a short period about urban fashion now, croydon's own vogue? and given out free?)....could be interesting?!
onless.krata.co.uk (make a recycled bag workshops?!?!?!)
reclaimfashion.com (making clothes out of recyled materials......very cool I think)

Music
Charlie Dark (DJ workshops, o yes it's true!)
Lillie McKenzie (we can develop a session for young people with her - tell her what we want!)
Lynieve Austin (will run a vocal masterclass. I was thinking this would be good for someone like Shanique who has skills but would like professional advice and direction?).

Spoken Word:
Yemisi Blake (Very likable, really good with de yong peepl)
Francesca Beard (We know her work. Very funky, clever and so on)
Zena Edwards (Highly regarded)
John Cooper Clark (Mad, old punk poet, rebel; gonna perform at Clocktower in September)

Scriptwriting:
Mark Hunter (writing for film & theatre)

Art & (Knitting?!):
Melissa Beagley (She does something called the ART ARENA!)

Also, check out these three links:

Second Wave (This project is based in Lewisham, near New Cross and their flyer ain't too bad - they offer workshops in the arts more as training than as one off experiences. Once you have had the training then you get a chance to audition to be in their showcase! So it's kinda similar to our group but perhaps not as multi-dimensional).

Se1 United (A youth project or enterprise based in London Bridge area. They are a group similar to yours but a bit different in that they programme events in different areas not just the arts! It seems their website is a bit new and still under construction but the design ain't too bad?!)

Lekker Design (ok, maybe a bit dull this one but basically they are good designers and maybe they would negotiate a price for our flyer/poster design?)

I still have a video copy of this from the early 90's.......amazing!

2007-06-15T23:29:00.000Z

@ Last Night's Meeting

2007-06-13T09:32:00.000Z

6 were there 6 weren't. Kim was ill and I had hayfever (so did Berni actually).

Ok what else........

Well I told everyone what is in the main programme for Autumn (Sep-Dec) and there's some pretty good stuff!

I handed out some info about artists and companies y'all should seriously consider.....they will all run quality workshops in areas of the arts on your most wanted lists.

I'll email y'all this list....

Quick quiz then........who can name all these people?

YELLLLLLLLLLOOOOOO

2007-06-12T19:01:00.001Z

HOWDYYYYYYYYYYY im bored :D

jksdhfnsdbf<3

2007-06-12T18:54:00.001Z

weopifrhaksdng<3

Dodgy picture

2007-05-30T11:50:00.001Z

Most of us posing at the award celebration on May 4th at Fairfield Halls - where we collected our certificate for the funding! The shiny blinding thing is the certificate!

NEWS!!!!!

2007-04-25T13:54:00.000Z

Ambassadors,

Can you come and support the show this Friday at 8pm? It’s a company called Blue Eyed Soul, it’s contemporary dance. I know your ID cards have expired and I am working on getting you new ones! So bare with me and let me know by email/text or phone if you wanna go and I’ll reserve ‘em for ya! It would be good if you could support the company though as tickets aren’t selling brilliantly and they are very very good!!!

As for next week:

Next Wednesday is Beautiful Octopus Club! If you can make it you will surely get some ideas and inspiration for your own Ambassadors’ Club Night!! There will be music, film, dance, open mic etc etc……normally they’re sold out but as we’re so understaffed right now there was no time to produce a flyer and consequently it has not sold out!! SO you won’t see it in all its glory!!! But nevermind you will get the right idea! If you can come, around 8pm and stay as long as you can.

Next Thursday we are invited to perform at the celebration event for the YOF (Youth Opportunity Fund), in celebration that we got funding! We will have to entertain around 100 young people I’m guessing??!! So, let’s do it well!!! Here are the proposed teams/performances:

Duelling Ukeleles: (Maddie W/Maddie B/Andy/Gab)

MC’ing: (Rohan/Jocelyn)

Devised performance: (sarah/Jamin/Kirsty/Jonathan/Berni/Rosina/Jess)

HOPEFULLY YOU ALL CAN DOOOOO IT!!!!

Also can you let me know soooooooon if you wanna come see the following shows with us at other venues (need to buy tickets asap):

Tom Cream (in London) on Thur May 10

Hysteria (in Brighton) on Thur May 24

Over and out!

Bellowhead Concert Review for Arts Awar

2007-03-21T20:39:00.000Z

On Friday the 23rd February, I went to see Bellowhead live in concert at the Mick Jagger Centre in Dartford.

Bellowhead are an eleven-piece folk-big-band, whose popularity has rapidly snowballed in the past two years. This band, who call their style "English World Music", have won the prestigious "Best live act" award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in both 2005 and 2007.

Having only heard one song by Bellowhead before the concert, I was a bit cautious as to whether I would enjoy it or not. For me, folk music is either fantastically brilliant and I can't get enough or I can't stand it. At this point, I did not know about the awards the band had won, but I would soon find out why they had won them.

As soon as I entered the venue, I could feel an atmosphere in the building of excitement. The bar was full of "folkies" having a laugh, giving the whole place a friendly environment.

We all packed into the hall, and awaited the band to arrive on stage. When they came out, a huge uproar of approval sprang from the crowd. Opening with the fan favourite "Rigs of the Times", they got the crowd singing along, clapping and even dancing. There was huge electricity in their playing which made it an awesome experience. My other favourite songs were "London Town", a song "about ripping off a prostitute" according to the lead singer, Jon Boden, and "Sloe Gin", a instrumental folk jig that had people in the Balcony, including myself, jumping out of their seats and trying to "jig". They closed with the powerful ballad "Jordan", with almost the whole band singing the anthemic chorus and the whole crowd singing it back at them.

I have been to two folk festivals, and concerts of more "well known" bands such as Panic! At The Disco and My Chemical Romance, but I can say that the atmosphere and electricity flowing around the venue that night mixed with the incredible music being played made this the best concert I have ever been to.

If you ever get the chance to see this band live, do. It may not appeal to people who listen to rap or garage, but if you like any sort of pop, rock or folk music, go and see this band and you will be astounded, and I can guarantee that it will be one of the best nights out of your year, if not your life.

2007-03-14T14:12:00.000Z

Am I here now?

The Ambassadors reviewed

2007-03-08T13:16:00.000Z

Here is the review that appears in the Croydon Advertiser this week:

Young Arts Ambassadors and Friends
The Ambassadors
20th February 2007
Theo Spring
****

This ad hoc group of youngsters between the ages of 14 – 19 presented a varied programme of entertainment at the Braithwaite Hall, for one night only.
A series of ‘turns’ brought vocals in various styles – rap, pop, a cappella and comedy – each chosen to showcase the talent of the performers.
Andy and Maddie, each on guitar, accompanied Andy’s vocals which included Andy’s version of Moon Dance and the Colour Blind Blues – a clever piece written by Maddie.
Rohan Jocelyn and Shanique brought rap to the evening – sung just a little too fast for me to catch all the words which was a shame as those I did hear spoke volumes.
Two dance groups were both very well rehearsed and very different. Loud had clockwork movements down to a T and gave an opportunity for each member to solo their own speciality, but, as in many of the acts, no formal finish had been rehearsed. A simple bow, in a line, is all that is required, and it lets the audience know that their applause is then welcome. Sadly, many performers simply drifted off the stage at the end of their piece.
The Three Non-Blondes looked great in their black shorts and red tops and brought a more fluid kind of choreography to their dance – all of which was done with very serious faces.
The back stage crew did a very good job sorting out the microphones, seats etc and it was the film Off the Record which attracted gremlins and we were unable to see the full piece. Based on vox pop in and around Croydon, it asked some interesting questions and was well edited, although suffered from the considerable back-ground noise of the shopping centres in which it was filmed.
Rewind – a well-acted drama, was cleverly based on the temptations of easy money from selling drugs and its consequences, and involved the cast, literally, rewinding themselves having made the wrong decision, to then take the right one.
Sam sang a gentle solo and Shanique tackled a cappella but it was the two ukulele-playing Maddies who won the day for me with excellent harmony in the Beatles’ Help and sent us all home laughing with the silly words of I’m Ironing My Goldfish Flat from the BBC Four comedy series I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again.
Kirsty and Jocelyn were bright and lively MC’s, with some good interaction with the audience.

Happy Birthday Blog

2007-03-03T14:05:00.000Z

Hey ya'll!! the blog has officially been in use for one year....yesterday!! wayhey!

any ways......in case ya didnt get my email here my copy and pasted version

"Was wondering if those who had that to complete it (the arts award) could meet this tuesday or something and go through it together, it would probs help us all."

i dont think oly's in untill thursday..or so his automatic emailing service says so we could blag a room or something???

luv yoooooooossseeee

Sarah xxxxx lady_tropical03@yahoo.co.uk

Forgot to say this on Tuesday.

2007-03-02T17:03:00.000Z

Hello - this is my first ever post! That's really bad actually...

To echo what the other Maddie said, yay for the review! Well done everyone :D

The woman who reviewed us is actually a friend of my gran (she threatened to cross her off the Christmas card list if she wrote anything bad about us...only joking) and she said to me on the night that something that would have improved the evening was if there had been a programme available, because she didn't know anybody's surname to put in the review. Other than that she loved it though, obviously!

So just a bit more feedback there.

Hope you all have a good weekend,

MB

xxx

in which we are reviewed

2007-03-02T14:35:00.000Z

DEAR EVERYONE: BUY THE CROYDON ADVERTISER, OMG.

There's a review of the showcase on page 22 of The Guide. We got four stars! Seriously! (We beat, er, The Woman In White, which only got three, and the only thing to beat us with five stars was an actual proper production of The Rocky Horry Show.)

If anyone can't get hold of it, I am happy to type up the review, but I won't put it up yet because I don't want to spoil it for anybody.

In conclusion, we are awesome, k.

Arts Award

2007-02-28T14:33:00.000Z

Hey who has now finished or nearly finished their Arts Award? I'm sure at least 4 of you have reached the stage of nearly being finished? It might just mean you have to start collecting everything together? Can you email me if you think you have everything just need to tie it together! Then we can look at it - it would be great to get it over with before we start on our next project! What do you think......?

LAST NIGHT

2007-02-28T14:22:00.000Z

At last night's meeting you gave feedback about your show:

Everyone said they could do better next time now they have had the experience
Need much more of the hosts coz they are gr8 (i.e. spend longer on stage in between acts)
Better communication needed (i.e. no one knew there would be an encore!)
Could have been far more varied in terms of types/styles of acts (what about steel pans, less mainstream music/different kinds of dance/singing and definitely a more rounded and organised drama performance)
It was very popular and people tended to have favourite acts
Next year the programming should be stricter and more attention paid to quality of performers (i.e. if performers are not ready or do not seem ready by the auditions deadline, do not include them)
Everyone enjoyed it yeaaghhhhh

Stage Hands

2007-02-19T01:18:00.000Z

What the stage hands have to do!

Act one Dancing
Act two Guitars Chair x 1, Amp x 2, Mic (S) x 2
Act three MCing Mic (C) x 2
Act four Ukuleles Chair x 2, Mic (D) x 2
Act five Play Chair x 1

Interval

Act six Guitar Chair x 1, Amp x 2, Mic (S) x 2
Act seven Dancing Chair x 3
Act eight Film
Act nine Singing Mic (S) x 1
Act ten Singing Mic (S) x 1
Act eleven Singing Mic (C) x 2
Act twelve Ukuleles Chair x 2, Mic (D) x 2

Running Order

2007-02-19T01:15:00.000Z

Running Order

Loud

Andy & Maddie

Rohan & Jocelyn

Maddie & Maddie

Group play

Interval

Andy & Maddie

Jo, Chris and Alisa

Sarah & Nina’s Film

Shanique

Sam

Sam & Shanique

Maddie & Maddie

Everyone comes on stage as it ends, waves and cheers at the end song!

help!!!!!!!

2007-02-17T12:55:00.000Z

hey people

sorry i havn't been coming to the meetings but i have been doing another show at school. anyway whats happening with this show?!? becuase i have had no contact with no one and so don't know when next meetings are or anything!! so can some one please fill me in in what i have missed.

thankyou :))

love JeSs xxxx

Current setlist

2007-01-26T14:22:00.000Z

Ok, since people seem to be pulling out left, right and centre, we probably ought to sort the contract thing out so that they won't do that any more. I have the contract on my computer--does someone want me to email it to them so they can bring some along next Tuesday, or something?

SETLIST. The times here are approximate, and in some cases quite possibly completely wrong. Tell me if you know I'm way out on something, and I'll change it.

ACT ONE
- Rapping // Rohand and Jocelyn // 5 minutes
- Guitars, part one // Andy and Maddie W // 10 minutes
- Dancing // Shanique's troupe // 5 minutes
- Ukuleles, part one // Maddies B and W // 10 minutes
- Play // the lady who Olly knows and various Ambassadors // 10 minutes

INTERVAL // 15 minutes

ACT TWO
- Guitars, part two // Andy and Maddie W // 10 minutes
- Dancing // Jo and Chris // 3 minutes
- Film // Sarah and Nina // 10 minutes
- Singing // Shanique and Samantha // 10 minutes
- Ukuleles, part two // Maddies B and W // 5 minutes

I have not included Nic's singing, because I don't know if this is happening. Any word on that, Sarah? If she does decide to do it, I propose putting her between Guitars (part one) and the dance troupe.