Morgan Hartley attended our Illuminate Conference at LIPA last month. Here’s their recap of the sessions on offer, and a reflection on how useful they found it.
On Friday 21st June, I had the privilege of spending the day at the Illuminate North Drama Teachers Conference 2024 at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA). Hosted by Open Drama UK, the event was a real treasure trove of creativity and professional development, featuring workshops led by industry leaders, including: Frantic Assembly, The Wardrobe Ensemble, The Paper Birds, and The Federation of Drama Schools.
My day began with a session delivered by The Wardrobe Ensemble, whose approach to devising theatre was both refreshing and accessible for all. Tom and Jesse shared practical strategies for helping students create original work, including an opinion continuum (underpinned by their goal of ‘finding the heat’) and freewriting, emphasising the importance of storytelling and ensemble work. The hands-on activities and insightful discussions left me brimming with new ideas to implement in my first teaching job in September. As I look back on the day, this session was my favourite due to the range of material I took away.
The Paper Birds’ workshop was next and was another highlight of the day. Known for their socially engaged theatre, The Paper Birds provided us with tools to help students explore complex social issues through drama. Their focus on verbatim performance opened new avenues for my teaching, encouraging students to use their own voices and experiences as a basis for creating meaningful work.Our discussion with Kylie around which aspects of their work were real, reported dialogue, and which aspects we though thought might be imagined (i.e. added in for dramatic effect) was particularly useful. I enjoyed exploring issues with mixing real dialogue with imagined moments and left with some great questions to pose to my KS4 groups next year.
After lunch (which I have to say was one of the best conference lunches I’ve ever had!), the day continued with an invaluable session from the LIPA team on behalf of the Federation of Drama Schools. Caroline and Stuart offered insights into preparing students for drama school auditions. The practical advice and real-world tips were incredibly beneficial, giving me a clearer understanding of how to guide students towards their future aspirations. Although we didn’t quite have enough time to look at filming self-tapes with the cameras they had brought with them, walking away with a bank of monologues for young people was great.
The day concluded with a dynamic workshop by Frantic Assembly. Known for their innovative approach to physical theatre, Frantic Assembly’s session was a masterclass in movement and collaboration. We explored new ways to bring physicality into our classrooms, breaking down barriers and creating powerful, expressive performances. The exercises were not only engaging (even after a full-on day of workshops; at this point we were beginning to feel exhausted – in the best way) but also highly adaptable for students of all ages and abilities.
Aside from the workshops, the most rewarding aspects of the day was getting the opportunity to network with fellow Drama teachers. Sharing experiences, challenges, and successes with colleagues from across the region and in such varying points in their careers was both useful and affirming. Itwas heart-warming to know that I am becoming part of a supportive and passionate community dedicated to nurturing the next generation of performers and theatre-makers.
By the end of the day, I think I can speak on behalf of everyone and say that we each felt a renewed sense of excitement for the upcoming school year. The Illuminate North Drama Teachers Conference equipped us all with new skills and ideas, and reignited our love for teaching Drama at a point in the academic year when many of us felt as though we were crawling towards the finish-line. I left LIPA feeling more prepared for September, and more committed to my students, than ever before.
Thank you, Open Drama UK, for an incredible day of learning, inspiration, and connection. I can’t wait to see how these new insights will transform my classroom, and I look forward to the next one!