Celebrating Multicultural Youth Arts
Get Off the Street with XtremeInc and Eight Meter Speaker at the Gaol. FReeZA Committee Eight Meter Speaker are showcasing some top local musos from this king of the castle vantage point over Castlemaine. Off the Street is about interactive entertainment for and by our young people, with some fantastic outcome-based workshops on offer too, including Hip Hop songwriting and dance, parkour and mask painting and design.
Multicultural Hip Hop Songwriting with the talented FLYBZ (aka Fablice Manirakiza)
12.30 to 1.45pm & 2.15 to 3:30pm
Fablice Manirakiza delivers a powerful workshop for young people, beginning by telling his personal story of resilience. Born and raised in a third world country (Burundi), becoming an orphan at the age of 8, child soldier at the age of 11 and then living in a refugee camp before finally migrating to Australia, Fablice has learned a thing or two. The group will have the opportunity to perform on the main stage later in the day.
‘The Collective’ Hip Hop & Contemporary dance with Sarah Cook & Suilvan Byrne (XtremeInc)
Workshops 12.30 to 1.45pm & 2.15 to 3:30pm
The Collective workshops focus on bringing together young people from diverse cultural backgrounds to develop a showcase of dance work drawing on hiphop and contemporary dance forms. Dance and music are an important part of most cultures and using these forms to capture the richness of individual stories will be a huge gift to the participants, their community and Festival audiences. The workshop group will have the opportunity to perform on the main stage later in the day.
Parkour & Free Running Workshop with Flynn Patrao (XtremeInc)
1.00 to 3.00pm
Parkour, also known as free running, is a French-designed form that utilizes obstacle courses, encouraging abilities such as running, jumping, swinging, rolling and climbing. Parkour is fun, builds confidence and fitness, and is something that anyone can try. This will be an exciting workshop run over 2 hours where young people can come in and out as they please, led by Central Victorian Parkour instructors.
Afrobetty Mask of Meaning Workshop
12.30 to 1.45pm & 2.15 to 3:30pm
Afrobetty is a special workshop event that explores the transformative practice and rituals associated with mask painting and design. Participants are invited to explore how masks can either conceal identity through blankness, or disguise or emphasise identity through personalised symbols and story-telling. Inspired by indigenous masks and face painting practices, this fun workshop explores the how deeper personal meaning can be expressed or enhanced using pattern, colour or motif to cover our faces.
‘Shamans believe that when they paint their faces they are conquering notions of limited self to assist them in embracing higher forces’.
Live Music and Performance Stage
The FReeZA Stage overlooks the beautiful town of Castlemaine at the front of the Goal with performances by local young musicians, workshop participants and headline Burundian/Australian act FLYBZ.
