With finals week approaching, a diverse group of students and teachers came together in Hendricks Chapel on Tuesday night to participate in an evening of group games, breathing exercises and rapping.

A workshop, entitled “Reshaping Realities: An Arts & Activism Workshop,” was facilitated by YaliniDream and Jendog Lonewolf. The purpose of the workshop was to engage students in creative and artistic games that would help promote their individuality. YaliniDream, whose roots trace back to Sri Lanka, is an activist for social justice causes and uses these workshops to implement her personal beliefs. Jendog, hailing from Brooklyn, N.Y., is a hip-hop artist who uses her music as a platform for social activism.

Together, they blended their artistic abilities into one workshop where the simple goal was to make a difference in someone’s life.

As everyone settled in their seats, YaliniDream positioned the chairs so that everyone sat in a circle, which made her seem more engaging and personal. A trailer for a documentary that discussed the issues of Bangladeshi and Indian women domestic workers in Queens, N.Y. played when everyone was seated.

The first activity involved splitting the room into two smaller circles and having every person recite their name while making a movement of their choice. The rest of the circle would then follow.

The next activity involved volunteers of eight, where one person pretended to be a goat while another was a tiger. The remaining volunteers were to protect the goat from the tiger without speaking to each other. Afterwards, the entire group was asked to participate in different breathing exercises, working on the diaphragm, lungs, vocal cords and the mouth.

In between each activity, YaliniDream asked the group how they felt the exercises could work as a form of activism. One student shared a personal poem about love after the meditation period, while a teacher from the Community Folk Art Center saw the goat and tiger activity to be a metaphor for a college kid working towards his or her degree while random life battles stopped them.

“I want to serve as a catalyst for students to step into their own power and learn to be themselves in whatever art form is comfortable for them,” YaliniDream said.

The activities created a robust discussion on strength, achieving goals and many other personal subjects. While the first half of the workshop was reflective and tranquil, the second half became more upbeat.

“I’m sure no one has written rhymes before they got here. But I want students to tap into their voices and see that everyone can be creative,” Jendog said. “When stepping into a new situation, you have to rid yourself of thinking that you can’t and just try it. My mother always told me before she passed — don’t say you can’t, just do.”

Jendog started her part of the workshop by explaining what hip-hop is and discussing her beginnings with the musical genre and lifestyle.

“I am hip-hop,” she said, while talking about her first encounters with the music while growing up in Brooklyn.

After playing some of her songs and teaching the mechanics of rhyming, everyone in the audience took a few minutes to write their own rhymes. Some were playful, while others took a more serious approach. Nonetheless, the room was filled with smiles and laughter as everyone recited their rhymes.

“I break out of my shell every time I participate in Jendog’s activities and get so much inspiration from a different style. It affirms that everyone has something to offer,” YaliniDream said.

The audience left with plenty of experiences to talk about. Michelle Dibernardo, lead adviser for theater at the Community Folk Art Center, said she hopes the duo will hold more workshops in the Syracuse community.

Said Dibernardo: “First of all I learned what a bar (in hip-hop) is, but overall I loved the workshop.”

Published on April 16, 2014 at 2:00 am

Contact Bodeline: bkdautru@syr.edu