Regular Features...
Kids on the Block...and Around the World
Meet Some of the Kids on the
Block
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Daniel Cole
Puppetry Problems? Exercise Your Training Options!The art of making puppets come to life for an audience of children takes enthusiasm and skill. Enthusiasm is something your puppeteers have to possess from within. You need individuals who want to educate children and help them walk away from a performance having learned something new about a particular topic and about themselves. The skills needed to use The Kids on the Block puppets have to be learned. The Kids on the Block style of puppetry is loosely based on the Japanese theatre form called Bunraku (pronounced Boon-rah-koo). In Japanese Bunraku, several puppeteers manipulate a single puppet. Two of the puppeteers dress in black and wear a hood to cover their faces. The lead puppeteer may choose to do the same, wear bright colors or eliminate the hood. In both Japanese Bunraku and the Kids on the Block puppetry, the puppeteers are soon forgotten as they fade behind the puppets who seem to come to life. A great way to launch or even improve your local KOB program is to arrange a training with The Kids on the Block International Headquarters staff. KOB offers three exciting, hands-on training options that can provide your puppeteers with a solid foundation in puppetry techniques. WE CAN COME TO YOU... The International Performing Troupe can conduct a one or two day, beginning, advanced or combination training workshop at your location for up to 25 puppeteers. The trainers can individualize the training by highlighting the KOB programs your organization performs. The workshop is a morale booster: it can lead to better rehearsals and performances! YOU CAN COME TO US... By coming to our International Headquarters in Columbia, Maryland, you can receive a four hour training and tour our puppet design workshop. Due to space limitations, only 2-6 puppeteers can be trained, but this allows for more one-to-one interaction between trainer and trainee. WE CAN COME TOGETHER... Associate troupes are notified through mailings, the KOB newsletter and our website about Regional Training Conferences that are conducted once or twice a year at selected locations. There are separate workshops available for beginning puppeteers, intermediate/advanced puppeteers and even coordinators. This training provides an opportunity to network with other KOB associate troupes. All trainings conducted by the KOB International staff provide instruction on the four basic features of puppetry-- lip sync, eye focus, posture and gesture as well as "The Art of Answering Questions" with the puppet characters. Each trainee receives a puppeteer training workbook to help him/her continue to apply the skills learned and a certificate of training. A video featuring the puppetry techniques is also available for purchase through KOB. After years of experience, The Kids on the Block International Headquarters staff has developed a fun, comprehensive and creative puppetry training program. For further infomation or to schedule a training call the Kids on the Block at 1-800-368-5437. Sara Qureshi |
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