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1. Description of Our Community
Influenced by a Polish drama master who trained his students in forest, Ruo-yu Liu came back to Taiwan to form U-Theatre and selected Degaoling, Lao-Chuan Mountain, Muzha District, Taipei for performers to live, receive training, and create. The sounds of drums do not affect neighborhood in Lao-Chuan Mountain. And performers can absorb the essence of nature. In 1993, Chih-chun Huang joined U-Theatre to teach drum and integrated meditation and martial arts. Lao-Chuan Mountain brings about endless inspiration of creation to U-Theatre. Members can have a percussion practice with a peaceful mind. It's the best training base.
2. Summary of Our Project
'U-Theatre' is a unique artistic performance group in Taiwan, founded in 1988, which ' combination of Tao (self-improvement) and skill (the learning and maturity of art) ' to present 'serenity in dynamism, dynamism in serenity', dance and beating with nature, and oriental culture with modern aesthetic features, and enjoys reputation on international art circle. After realizing outstanding achievements in art, it started to set up educational system of young and little performers so as to pass down the spirit and art training methods of U-Theatre. It also established 'Art & Life School' at a prison to help adolescent prisoners form 'Drum & Dance Percussion Ensemble' and initiate 'Young Andersen School on the Road'. They conducted education and performance hand in hand in the hope to deeply plant the spirit of U-Theatre in Taiwan. In 2014, it received the special award of the first 'Presidential Innovation Award' and brought new vitality to art.
3. Our Computer and Internet Access
A. Percentage of students using the Internet at home:more than 50%
B. Number of workstations with Internet access in the classroom:2-3
C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dedicated connection
D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:more than 6
E. Additional comments concerning your computer and/or Internet access (Optional):
Internet environment at school: There is a computer classroom in school. Each computer connects to Internet through an optical fiber network, and externally links to Taipei City Education Network Center. We mostly use our lunch break or after school break to discuss, research and print out related information. Internet environment at home: ADSL/Cable/Optical fiber internet Data processing: All members are able to process data at school or at home using the Internet, and access the cloud storage built by our teacher or USB, and integrate research data with internet file transferring. Contact and communication with other members: Via mobile phones, laptops, or personal computers.
4. Problems We Had To Overcome
This Cyberfair project is about to be finished. We have overcome many difficulties. The most difficult part was time. Taipei Fuhsing Private School is a school with diversified education methods. During their spare time, students participate in different associations and teams according to their interests. How to effectively manage time became our first obstacle. Moreover, we had contradictory opinions in group discussion. After communication and exchanges, we understood each other better. Then, we turned into journalists to have interviews on specific topics and appoint time, visited drum manufacturer, made drums by ourselves, and attended the drum training at U-Theatre. We designed posters based on the activities. We faced many professional senior, which made us shy and nervous. And our teachers and parents remove every difficulty to assist us. Finally, we could independently have interview and make comments. This Cyberfair project helped us to challenge our limits and present us the unlimited possibilities of teamwork!
5. Our Project Sound Bite
Through this project of U-Theatre, we found that the members of U-Theatre always finished each performance together. The perfect performances contained their efforts and time for years. Their devotion and efforts made their perseverance and various and endless achievements. During out study, we interviewed people related to the topic here and there. They became experts after experiencing all kinds of hardship. After the interviews, we gained many valuable experiences and learned new knowledge, which could not be learned from textbook. For instance, we learned how to make a drum and a gong and how make them perfect. And we could purify our bodies and hearts through music performed with our favorite instruments.
6. How did your activities and research for this CyberFair Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards?
Language:Through this Cyberfair project, I learned that before an interview, we had to search for the information on the interviewer carefully on the Internet, think about questions, pay attention to interview skills and etiquette, summarized data, and wrote reports. We continued to improve our writing skills. Our logic became clearer and clearer through revision of each chapter. More importantly, our oral expression ability improved greatly. Mathematics:We drew Gantt charts to plan our time and schedule clearly. Social study:In recent years, besides efforts to performances, U-Theatre built a platform for prisoners via donation. We hope that, under the guidance by U-Theatre, more attention could be paid to those who were ignored by the society and lend a helping hand to make a better society. Art and Humanities:We combined art with culture and described the charm and dancing postures of performers completely. Besides, we made big posters, cut, edited, and posted by ourselves in corridor so that students could better understand U-Theatre. Science and LifeTechnology:During this Cyberfair project, we applied knowledge in various aspect. We recorded all the interviews with professional and digital camera, and recording pen. Meanwhile, we searched various data on the internet which was so convenient.
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1) What information tools & technologies did you used to complete your CyberFair project?
Computer related software: Windows 7 Google Chrome-->Searching for related information and video for the project. Microsoft Word 2013-->Integrating writings, reports, and afterthoughts for Cyberfair project. Microsoft Excel 2013-->Making questionnaire statistics charts. Microsoft power point 2013-->Making Presentation for Cyberfair project. Adobe Dreamweaver-->Making project website. iMovie-->Movie Clips
2) In what ways did you act as "ambassadors" and spokespersons for your CyberFair project both on-line and in person.
Since its establishment in 1988, U-Theatre has combined oriental elements and modern aesthetics with performance arts and carried forward to the international art circle. It was invited to perform at 70 cities in the world and offered a total of about 187 performances. It received the title of 'Fantastic Beats from Taiwan'. It promoted Tao and Art to prisons and adolescent school to set up 'Art & Life School'. With courage and love, they extended their care to prisoners, formed 'Drum & Dance Percussion Ensemble' with young prisoners in Changhua Prison, initiated 'Young Andersen School on the Road Plan', and contributed to pacify the society. U-Theatre integrated innovation in four aspects, namely, 'international', 'culture', 'originality', and 'authenticity'. They spared no efforts to art, created the art of life, helped prisoners, and exerted a far-reaching influence on the inheritance and sustainable development of art of Taiwan.
3) What has been the impact of your project on your community?
U-Theatre attracted international attention due to their outstanding drum skills, robust rhythm, and great momentum. It raised the visibility of Taiwan globally and became the pride of Taiwan in the art circle. After training in the mountains of Lao-Chuan Mountain for a long period of time, an opportunity arose for U-Theatre to undertake the task of running the Yong An Art Center where they later founded the Pas36. U-Theatre passed down their performing art skills in the original form to the residents of the nearby communities and also collaborated with Jingshan Senior Middle School as well as other community organizations of the Wenshan District. With these communities as a starting point, U-Theatre hopes to promote their performing arts for educational purposes with the greater goal of creating a platform for international interaction. Art could remove distracting thoughts and purify hearts. Ms. Liu and the performers of U-Theatre went to Changhua Prison to form a drumming band to teach the inmates the art of drumming, meditation, and body movements. They guided the inmates to perform outside the prison walls and the inmates’ performance received recognition from the society. Inmates who remain interested in performing arts were offered a chance to join the group and given a job opportunity after they are released. An art group can not only change music, but also heart. U-Theatre is a best example. With their unique music, they had touched the hearts of many youth in prison, guided them to the right path, and added positive energy to local. U-Theatre is also the best example to 'show the life and vitality of Taiwan'.
4) How did your project involve other members of your community as helpers and volunteers?
All the drums used by U-Theatre were made by Mr. Xi-kun Wang of Xiangrenhe. 'Xiangrenhe' was originated from Buddhist texts of 'Buddha promoted benevolence, abandoned evil doing, and advocated good doing.' Both his master and father and Xi-kun Wang worked together to uphold the spirit of making drum, carry out the art of drum making, and become masters in drum making in Taiwan. U-Theatre assigned Xiangrenhe to make drums for them due to the perseverance, devotion, belief and insistence in making drum of Mr. Xi-kun Wang which were in line with the spirit of U-Theatre. U-Theatre also recommends Xiangrenhe to other teams. Shiao-yun Kuo was the director of 'Road of Hardship' of U-Theatre. School on the Road was her second documentary of U-Theatre. Shiao-yun Kuo was a senior director who deeply believed that documentary was a weapon to change the ideas of people on the world. Kuo was now an independently filmmaker and director. Kuo shot the documentary because of the agreement with the principle of U-Theatre who wanted to contribute to the vulnerable groups. It was difficult to shoot the documentary, but Director Kuo made it an excellent documentary to allow more people to offer care to those in need.
5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)
We mainly studied U-Theatre, a drum troupe. Our study contained two parts. First, it explored the foundation, maintenance, and promotion of U-Theatre. Second, it traced the origin drum and gong, and even drumstick. Although it was a small troupe at the beginning, after the promotion of network and media, through its cooperation with Jingwen Senior Middle School, it raised its members and popularity and became an internationally renowned drum troupe. U-Theatre guided the prisoners at Changhua Prison to the right path through percussion practice and helped the youth at loss to find their direction in life. We learned that music could purify our hearts. Though one had lost its way, he could start a new journey with his passion for music. Though he might suffer from discrimination and failure, he would not give up. Failure is the mother of success. After experiencing failure one by one, one would turn obstacles to stepping-stones! After research, we find that the word 'team' can best describe U-Theatre. They used 'drum' to unite their members. They did all kinds of things together. They are a best team. We can see that unity is of great importance. As the saying goes, 'Unity is strength' and 'Many a little makes a mickle', as long as we unit the strength of a whole team, we can realize a common goals and become invincible.
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View our CyberFair Project
(Project ID: 8219)
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