KERRY JONES

RUFFLED FEATHERS

Ruffled Feathers workshops and events offer participants the opportunity to create their own puppets, masks, costumes and parades. Our workshops focus on allowing creative development within a safe and structured framework, using clear and simple techniques ensuring that all participants achieve their desired goals and of course have a wholly enjoyable learning experience together. As a group of artists from various backgrounds we use our skills and passion to enable visions and characters to come to life providing high quality, fulfilling, educational and fun activities for all.

All our workshops have recycled materials at their core. By using common everyday waste packaging such as plastic milk bottles, participants are challenged to create something extraordainary from the ordainary encouraging new visual perceptions and possiblites. Our versatile dancing junk marionette puppet workshops are very popular with all ages with no two puppets looking the same.

Ruffled Feathers always like to offer a “finale” to our workshops wether it is:
•A visually vibrant parade on any scale and in any setting. Led by our fantastic giant puppets: a dancing chinese dragon; a beautiful exotic bird; our funky hoodie’s Nigel and Doris and involve music from workshop made percussion to our own Bug Band or Bug Piper.
Inspired by global community celebrations, these parades whatever size, offer a sense of unity and achievement that make them special for everyone involved.
•To compliment our shadow or rod puppet workshops – a short, simple performance devised by the participants during the “making” workshops.

Formats:
Ruffled Feathers workshops vary from one off 2hr sessions, festival weekends to projects.

We also offer special themed workshops involving our giant puppets please see our website for further details including "The End is Nigel" an Awards for All funded project:

Ruffled feathers have 8 years experience of:
• Facilitating “kids tent” spaces at various festivals and community events in Scotland and North England - including Solfest (winner Best Family Festival 2007) - providing fun packed weekends of workshops, giant puppet walkabout, parades, toy dog show’s & circus skills.
• After school clubs in the Scottish Borders and Mid Lothians offering: junk puppets; shadow puppets & rod puppet workshops.
• Training sessions for community group leaders, after school facillitators & Playscotland Conferences.
• Designing, constructing and performing with our giant puppets – currently including Chinese Dragon, Nigel the Giant Hoodie And his girlfriend Doris.
We have received Lottery funding for a number of community projects. Including a Level 2 Unltd award (2005) for our festival, community and giant puppet projects.

• Northern Scotland
• Southern Scotland
• Northwest
• North East
• London