Hello Rennies!
So, at one of my festivals, I have been asked to do a presentation for 30 minutes about Medieval / Renaissance Courtesy and manners. In front of Grade 2 - 8s. About 500 of them. At once.
Should be fun!
While I can stretch the presentation into fashion if needed, I highly doubt I can keep them all focused while I talk about dresses and tunics and hats etc.
We have a feast, and table manners will be addressed there, so I need to stay away from that aspect of manners.
Other than greetings, some basic vocabulary, and bowing / curtseying to those of higher status, what else do you think would be entertaining?
Interactive is good - but perhaps it should be interactive from their seats - they will be seated in the grandstand, I will be across the (horse) racetrack on a stage. While I can have a few of them forward, it isn't practical to wait 5 minutes while Timmy gets out of his seat, finds the stairs, and goes through 2 gates to come to the stage.
Also - does anyone have any resources on how to bow and curtsey "properly" without it being too complicated?
Thanks! Off to do more research!
Good luck with this endeavour, Orphena. Which faire is it for? I'll put my thinking cap on to see if I can offer any help.
I'll be back up north early July and plan to attend Pirate fest with my son and friends. See you then!
I certainly am not a manners expert, but many years ago, I did brass rubbing demonstrations/lectures for the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, and several grades of middle school.
Everybody, male or female, loved hearing about Knights. You may want to work something into your talk about chivalry.
I spoke to school groups for many years as part of my job. Keep in mind the average attention span is about -2.3 seconds! And I'm sure they will be itching to get back out into the faire. Don't worry so much about cramming them full of information as much as making it enjoyable for them. They will take a lot more with them if they had fun.
Interaction is great and you can actually do it without having them come to you. Make up some sort of game where they can raise there hands, yell out as a group, make funny sounds, or similar. Give them instruction on how to do something then have them turn to the person next to them to try it out.
If you have things you can give out as prizes, even something as simple as a pencil, they will do whatever they can to earn it.
Google "Queene Elizabethes Achademy", "Babee's Book of Nurture", and "elizabethan.org_compendium_PDF_compendium.v10".
Oh, and have everyone scoot to the right a bit and then say thank you for cleaning the bleachers! lol
Hope this helps.
Monica - it's for Oxford!
Lady Renee - Thanks, will do! I do a knighting ceremony as well that does some teaching about chivalry, so I will expand on that!
Dinobabe - will definately look up those links - thanks! They are a "captive audience" since they are corralled in the bleachers and have to wait for the next thing (Birds of Prey), same location. I definately want to get them up and moving, and practicing with each other.
Still have 2 weeks before the Education days, will continue to check back for more ideas!
During school events at our faire, my group does Chivalry lessons which consist of courtships etiquette along with some sword fighting. The sword fighting is not an option in your case but the etiquette portion may be useful. We basically get two volunteers, a male and female, to help demonstrate etiquette when a young haberdasher wishes to ask a fetching young lady for a dance. The exchange goes back and forth with her denying the request several times until in the end she considers the request. The audience does enjoy it as it is someone they know or can relate to. Poetry is also something we demonstrate as well with simple reverencing.
In regards to fashion, an option would be to have some volunteers attempt to be dressed in all the garments of the time so they have a better understanding besides just telling them.
To minimize the time it takes for volunteers to take the stage with such a big group, might I suggest possibly getting some volunteers pulled aside ahead of time so they are already waiting in the sidelines.
Thank you all for your replies! Thought I would post an update here for others looking for something similar!
So, my day has evolved (doesn't it always!)
I am to begin with about 10 minutes of welcome and such, wherein I intend to introduce the "Big" crowd to some vocabulary.
Good morrow, Well Met, How Now? as greetings (Have the group repeat them back to me)
How to Bow and Curtsey (Demonstration)
Helpful phrases
How stands the hour?
Whither be the privvies?
Prithee, Attend me! (for the teachers!)
Aye
Nay
Prithee (Please)
Gramercy (Thank you)
Fare thee well
After that I will hold 20 minute audiences with smaller(ish) groups of about 80 - 100 kids at a time, where we will review certain rules such as:
Titles & forms of respect (Cousin, Master / Mistress; Goodman / Goodwife; Sir Knight, My Lord / My Lady; Your Majesty)
How to tell if someone is higher class than you (fashion / titles / age)
Gentlemen, honour all ladies!
Ladies, be worthy of honour!
Code of Chivalry, perhaps followed by a knighting & "ladying" (Which I have on scrolls to read)
Followed by any questions.
Any other suggestions?
Let them know the forms of punishment for a break of the societal norms, Stocks, banishment, beheadings