The three performers from Junkyard Beats introduced themselves as siblings from the faraway planet Junklandia who were out on a mission to Earth to teach its inhabitants the Junklandian ways of music and creative recycling. For this, they transformed ordinary household items into musical instruments to create a toe-tapping, electric atmosphere that soon had the primary school children dancing away under the stage.
The interactive school show was also a lesson in sustainability where children learnt that everyday objects that are often discarded - barrels, waste bins, water cans, paint buckets and the like -- can become snazzy musical instruments. The explosive beats, dynamic dance, and circus tricks were just the heady mix of non-stop fun the children needed to boost their day.
The female lead of the group introduced children to the oldest musical instrument – the body – and demonstrated how they could make different sounds by cupping one’s palm and clapping over the mouth. The next performance used everyday kitchen utensils like pans, scrapers, and ladles to produce sounds that had a musical twang to them.
Improvised buckets, cardboard boxes and long-handled brooms were next in line engaging and inspiring the tiny tots while also giving them lessons in creativity, teamwork, and sustainability. They clapped and laughed and danced as the show raged on with never a dull moment in it. It was also a revelation that one man’s junk can be another’s treasure and source of joy, and to find happiness in the ordinary.
Taking place from April 23 to May 4 at Expo Centre Sharjah, the 16th edition of SCRF promises an immersive experience under the theme “Dive into Books”. Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), this year’s agenda will feature 133 guests from 70 countries, and 122 Arab and international publishing houses from 22 nations.
For more information on this free-to-attend event, visit
www.scrf.ae.
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