If You Go Down to the Woods Today...
Class 5A at Penryn Junior School (otherwise known as the dance group 'Trollversity') took a troll dance to Trelissick Gardens as part of the Festival of Landscape and Dance. I was delighted both to witness the dance and finally get the chance to meet the two dozen children, aged 9 and 10, who have been doing a project on real trolls.
Trollversity
The project, which arose after the class read The Troll Trap earlier this year, included making salt clay trolls, writing gruesome troll descriptions, drawing trolls in the style of illustrator Katie W. Stewart, writing short stories about problematic trolls and the creation and performance of a troll dance.
Although I'd been in contact with the class by email and post, this was the first time I'd met them face to face. So, I was thrilled to get the chance to talk to the children about their short stories and put names to smells.
We discussed the cola flavour jelly bean, the children's future career plans (several authors, a footballer and One Direction's PA.) and debated how brave Rufus Sebbleford is. My paper mache horns, a copy of my next troll book, and an iPad with the children's work in eBook form, were passed around. I also learnt some tips on making disgusting troll make up.
While others schools performed butterflies hatching out of cocoons, Trollversity performed trolls stomping, yelling and trying to eat sleeping children.
One of my favourite routines from the dance
Some truly gruesome troll make up
A smelly troll terrorises an unsuspecting child
A writer of the future has her nose in a book ('Mr Splendiferous and the Troublesome Trolls' to be precise!)
And finally... Trollversity and me.
As you can tell, the rather brilliant dance was both hilarious and a little bit scary. There was a lot going on at once and my only regret is that I only got to see it twice.
Soon I will be showing off some of the best bits from Trollversity's creative writing, but I think that's quite enough for now, except to thank the class and their teacher, for all their hard work.
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2 comments
Fantastic and scary! That picture of the troll terrorising a sleeping child is TERRIFYING! Looks like a really fun time for everyone, the author included!
That's very cool!