All specialist schools agree to work in partnership with other local schools to share facilities, special projects and good practice.
KEVICC, as an Arts College, works closely with the 12 primary schools forming the Totnes Academic Council, Teign School and Kingsbridge Community College.
 
 

Projects for the primary age range

Music

SaMS, our Saturday music school, was originally set up with Youth Music funding to provide ensemble opportunities and private lessons for all children within the local catchment area. It has been hugely successful with over one hundred students attending each week to work in fifteen different workshops.

Workshops include brass, choir, drum/rhythm, folk, jazz, percussion, strings and theory.

photographs © Carol Ballenger

Primary Schools are also entitled to a series of half-day workshops run by specialist teachers.

music

dance

 

Dance

Over a two year period John Whitehead, a well known performer and teacher, has offered each Primary School a series of workshops and training sessions, which those who have taken part consider to be inspirational and of huge benefit to their classes, and to themselves as teachers.
 
Year 6 children can join Street Dance Fusion, a Momentum dance project for years 6–8, on Saturday mornings from 5th November 2005.
 

Drama

KEVICC Drama students 'tour' sections of their Drama pieces and productions to groups of local Primary Schools. Primary Schools also visit KEVICC. This year's production, Watership Down, will also feature a Saturday matinee performance. Where possible, KEVICC students and teachers include workshops with this provision.
Primary age students (year 6) are also welcome to join Totnes Young People's Theatre, which runs workshop sessions at KEVICC on three evenings per week, with a session on Wednesdays for years 5 & 6 from 6.00–7.30pm. The Theatre group is led by Tiffany Strawson, who is a very experienced practitioner. TYPT regularly presents its work in the Ariel Centre, as well as around Totnes.

Music in addition to SaMS

Over the last three years, first Kath Healey, and then Peter Scott (of Drumcrazy) have taken an amazing amount of percussion instruments into primary schools and worked with classes of all ages, enjoying exploring rhythm, group dynamics, singing and a great deal more.

Access to the Ariel Centre programme

Primary School students are encouraged to see visiting professional groups. Tickets at concessionary rates are available, and free group tickets are provided for some performances.
 
 

Projects for the secondary age range

Dance

Each school is provided with support to provide dance workshops or enhanced curriculum opportunities.
 
Momentum classes are open to older students.
 

Drama

Totnes Young People's Theatre is also available for older students. The group meets on Monday & Tuesday evenings from 4.00–5.30pm, and on Wednesday from 4.00–6pm.

Music

The Rockzone project is now well established. Led by Colin Spencer, students from each partner school are given musical and organisational training which culminate in a series of real concerts and gigs. Colin also provides each school with music technology training and expertise.

Access to the Ariel Centre Programme

This is the most important feature of our provision. All types of music theatre and dance are now commissioned to perform at the Ariel Centre. The performances are open to the whole community, but the visiting groups also provide high quality workshops and master classes for students from the partner schools. Students work with expert practitioners – are challenged, stimulated and often fired with ambition. We are delighted to be able to offer our students this opportunity for personal development.
 
 

Provision for the Wider Community

Momentum

Momentum, the resident dance company at the Ariel Centre, was founded in 2001 by Amelia Holst and Suzie Reeves-Smith. Rosanna Irvine joined Momentum in 2004. Momentum provides workshop and performance opportunities for our students and the wider community. In return, Momentum have access to rehearsal space at the Ariel Centre.   Over the last four years Momentum has created dance performance works, both with professional dance artists and in community contexts. Momentum hosts annual performance platforms for youth and community dance work and provides a platform for dance research and new choreography. Momentum also teach a range of dance classes which reflect the diverse interests and backgrounds of the group.   Momentum classes are: Thursday    7–9pm   improvising in and out of contact with Rosanna Friday    4–6pm   contemporary technique with Susie Friday    6–9pm   technique and choreography workshop with Amelia Saturday   10–11.30am   Street Dance Fusion (ages 10–13) with Rosanna   To contact Momentum email: momentum_collective@hotmail.co.uk

photograph © Sue Cheney

photograph © Sue Cheney

 

Totnes Jazz Collective

TJC has always had a close relationship with the College. Arts Status funds a series of twelve evening workshops led by Lewis Riley, Mick Green and Sam Richards. Workshops are open to students and the wider community. The results of the workshop are showcased at a Royal Seven Stars Gig.

Evening workshops Thursdays 7pm

Community Drum Circle

Arts Status funded a series of workshops by Drumcrazy to explore the potential for forming a Community Drum circle. There was an amazing response with workshops building up to over 100 participants. Now Peter Scott offers Drumbreaks – African Drumming Classes – on Mondays from 6.30–8.00pm for beginners and 8.00–9.30pm for improvers.

Drumcrazy