# Look Around

## Overview
The chapter "Look Around" encourages students to find ideas for theatre and storytelling from the world around them — people, animals, and nature. Through imaginative exercises, dramatic play, and exploration of traditional folk art forms, students learn how to transform ordinary observations into expressive performances. The activities also focus on collaboration, creativity, and voice modulation, while raising awareness about the beauty and importance of nature.

## Key Topics Covered

### 1. Sources of Inspiration
- **People**: Daily interactions and diverse personalities can spark ideas for characters and situations in stories.
- **Animals**: Unique behaviors and characteristics of animals offer exciting elements for performance (e.g., movement, voice).
- **Nature**: Elements like trees, rivers, wind, and mountains evoke feelings of peace and joy, serving as powerful themes for storytelling.

### 2. Theatre in Natural Settings
- **Historical Note**: Over 2600 years ago, plays were performed outdoors amid natural surroundings rather than in modern auditoriums.
- **Reflection**: Students are prompted to think about whether they prefer open-air performances or air-conditioned indoor settings.

### 3. Theatre Activity: Nature Story Creation
- **Group Work**: Students are grouped and given nature-based themes like thunderstorms, oases, rivers, or droughts.
- **Characters**: Could include birds, fish, insects, or animals.
- **Example**: A story about rescuing a puppy during heavy rains. It teaches voice modulation and sound effects (e.g., thunder, wind) using body percussion and props.

### 4. Feedback and Performance Review
- After enacting the stories, teams review each other’s performances based on:
- Integration of theme into the story.
- Relevance and contribution of each character.
- Creative use of props and sound.
- Clarity and smoothness of the presentation.

### 5. Folk Art Forms Inspired by Nature

#### Huli Vesha / Pili Vesha
- **Description**: A dramatic tiger dance where performers paint their bodies with tiger stripes and wear tiger masks.
- **Accompaniment**: Loud drum beats and rhythmic steps.
- **Symbolism**: Often performed to honor Goddess Durga, who rides a tiger.
- **Popularity**: Practiced in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

#### Pasu Nritya / Pashu Mukha
- **Description**: Known as the ‘animal mask dance,’ performed by two dancers in a large, colorful animal costume.
- **Occasion**: Usually presented during festivals as a tribute to the forest goddess.
- **Region**: Commonly seen in Odisha.

### 6. Theatre Trivia: Art in the Olympics
- **Fact**: From 1912 to 1948, art competitions were part of the Olympics, including music, painting, and literature.
- **Discussion Prompt**: Encourages students to reflect on the value of art alongside sports.

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## New Terms and Simple Definitions

| Term | Definition |
|-----------------|------------|
| Inspiration | A good idea you get from something you see or feel. |
| Voice modulation| Changing your voice to sound like someone or something else. |
| Body percussion | Making sounds using body parts like clapping or tapping. |
| Theme | The main subject or idea of a story. |
| Folk art | Traditional art passed down in communities, often linked to nature or culture. |
| Huli Vesha | A tiger dance performed with painted body and drum beats. |
| Pasu Nritya | A colorful dance using large animal masks and costumes. |
| Storytelling | The act of telling or creating stories. |
| Props | Objects used in a play or performance. |
| Feedback | Comments to help improve someone’s work or performance. |

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## Practice Questions

### Easy (3)
1. **Name one source of inspiration mentioned in the chapter.**
→ *People, animals, or nature.*

2. **What is the meaning of ‘voice modulation’?**
→ *Changing your voice to match a character.*

3. **Which state is Huli Vesha popular in?**
→ *Karnataka or Andhra Pradesh.*

### Medium (2)
4. **Describe what happens in the Pasu Nritya performance.**
→ *Two dancers wear a big, colorful animal costume and dance with music.*

5. **Why do performers paint themselves like tigers in Huli Vesha?**
→ *To show the power and energy of a tiger and honor Goddess Durga.*

### Difficult (3)
6. **Create a short story theme using nature. What characters would you use?**
→ *A story set during a drought where animals come together to find water.*

7. **How can sound effects be made in a theatre performance?**
→ *Using tables, chairs, or body percussion to make thunder, rain, etc.*

8. **What should be reviewed after a team performance? List two points.**
→ *How well the theme was used; how each character contributed.*

### Very Difficult (2)
9. **Compare a modern auditorium with a natural outdoor stage. What might be the pros and cons of each?**
→ *Auditoriums are comfortable but less connected to nature; outdoor settings feel natural but may be affected by weather.*

10. **Do you think art competitions should return to the Olympics? Why or why not?**
→ *Yes, because art also shows talent and creativity like sports / No, because it’s hard to judge art fairly.*

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