Theater in the Street: Being Safe with Vehicles

Post date: Aug 19, 2012 12:27:32 PM

Can all places be made safe? Some people might not think so. Sometimes, the only place to have a class is outdoors and in a public area. By some standards (especially those in the US) where there are resources for space, teachers my look with fear and shock that a class would be held on a public street. It is possible. As in the picture above, this Bogota public street was used for a "street theater" class when space was not available for the class. During the week of the class children and teachers saw horses, motorcycles, trucks, cars and even an ice cream truck drive through a class that was in progress. It is important to note that in Colombia, pedestrians do not have the right of way with traffic, as in other countries. What made this work?

• The space was marked in the street (notice the chairs)
• The space was home territory for the children
• The street was a basic "dead-end" at the end of the block (left) so there was not fast through traffic
• The class established "look-out" roles for teachers and students who then guided the class to pick up and move when traffic approached.
• While rain presented a threat, a much smaller indoor place was very near.