Myths of Giftedness
Myths About Giftedness is a 90 min storytelling show, combined with a lecture about giftedness, performed by Pleun van Vliet, Lara Ricote, Erik Sjøholm, Sem Ten Haaf, and Lauren Maxwell, accompanied by music from Erik Sjøholm.
Myths About Giftedness premiered in the Dutch Week of Giftedness on March 12th 2021.
The Show
This show was developed as a hybrid of storytelling performances and scientific lecture about the profits and pitfalls of exceptional intellectual giftedness for the annual Dutch Week of Giftedness.
In the show, we first offered a scientific lecture and Q&A of 40 min on common understandings and misconceptions about giftedness by a professional expert.
Then, we performed 5 myths of 10 min each from all over the world (Mesopotamia, Egypt, Ancient Greece, Scandinavia, Japan) that each glorified a significant aspect of individual excellent performance, while at the same time demonstrating on a visceral level how exceptionality makes extremely vulnerable. The stories were intercut with live music and songs.
The Making Of
This show was our first interdisciplinary hybrid endeavor, our first one made during lockdown, and also our first to perform live via a digital medium. At the time, all this was completely new to us, and we were super hyped and nervous! Luckily, Lara had baked her famous bread, Pleun made soothing soup, and Erik was a pleasant as ever.
We worked hard to transform Pleun’s house into a studio that would be worthy of Erik’s superb singing and guitar, and that could be quickly taken down again as well, so everybody could hurry home after the show because of the curfew.
Looking back on those early corona days, it almost feels as if we were in a kind of war zone. The upside of the unusual situation was the sudden need for creativity on all levels, which is always a joy. Yes, guys, we will come to miss corona and Zoom… once… maybe…
Of course, several of our planned storytellers got sick with the virus just before the start of the show (they survived and are well, don’t worry), so we had to improvise there, too, to guarantee our audience a full program.
Luckily, we found Lauren ready to perform her massive “Inanna” story. She also brought her American friends who got out of bed in the middle of the night to listen to our stories. And Sem was so kind to overwhelm us with the origin of the world from a Scandinavian perspective, an ontological explosion that was easily as mind-blowing as the inside of the head of your regular genius. What great friends we have!
Credits
Concept, text & performance: Pleun van Vliet, Lara Ricote, Erik Sjøholm, Sem Ten Haaf, and Lauren Maxwell
Music & lyrics: Erik Sjøholm
Booking Information
Myths About Giftedness is performed by 5 artists: Pleun van Vliet, Lara Ricote, Erik Sjøholm, Sem Ten Haaf, and Lauren Maxwell. The show is accompanied by live music from Erik Sjøholm.
Myths About Giftedness is a 90 min show, combined with a lecture about giftedness by Pleun van Vliet, accompanied by live music.
Myths About Giftedness is performed in English.
This show does not require special technical support.
Myths About Giftedness is not suitable for small children.
The show can also be performed outside, as well as a ‘walking library’ (inside or outside), or via a digital medium, like Zoom.
Upon request.
Please note that artistic performances are charged with an additional 9% VAT.
Prices for performances in the context of seminars and conferences are charged with an additional 21% VAT.
Myths About Giftedness©2021 is an original and personal work, conceptualized and written by Pleun van Vliet, Lara Ricote, Erik Sjøholm, Sem Ten Haaf, and Lauren Maxwell.
By the Dutch Copyright Act (Auteurswet) copyrights for the complete text as well as significant, recognizable findings and parts of the text, and all kinds of visualization of the performance (including photographs and videos for promotional purposes) finally reside with the authors.
It is forbidden by law to copy, distribute, print or publish any written transcripts, quotes from, or pieces of Myths About Giftedness©2021, or photos or videos of its performances without written permission of the authors.
For questions about copyrights of Myths About Giftedness©2021, please contact the authors via stories@mindtraveller.nl.