You Choose: A Folktale Journey for Two
You Choose: A Folktale Journey for Two was written, developed and curated by Fiona Dorn, and took place in Havana, Cuba with CalArts and Cuban collaborators. CalArtians who did not speak Spanish were paired with collaborators who did not speak English.
Each pair was guided on a "choose your own adventure" journey, lead by characters from Cuban and U.S. folktales. The partners were given seven envelopes to open in order of their choosing. Each envelope contained a folktale, a location to travel to, and an activity that did not require verbal communication.
The activities brought partners together, regardless of their backgrounds or languages. The tasks dealt with intimacy, vulnerability, giving and teamwork. Together, the pairs traveled throughout the city, opening the letters as they went. Through the activities, the partners created their own folktale journey by interweaving Cuban and U.S. childhood stories in a manner of their choosing.
CalArtians who spoke both Spanish and English took to the streets to find random people who were willing to participate in the game.
The project proved incredibly successful. CalArtian partners became great friends with Cuban collaborators, and many claimed that it was the highlight of the trip.
On the streets, the venture was just as successful. One CalArtian met a couple of elementary school teachers, who were so excited about the project that they asked if they could take some extra copies to bring to school, to help their children learn to read. Another CalArtian met and played the game with an elderly representative of the blind community, who believed the project was very important, and remained fast friends with the group for the rest of the trip.
The project culminated at an ice cream shop, where CalArtians treated their Cuban collaborators to ice cream, and the now bonded group engaged in an impromptu song and dance jam session.
Letters and pictures from You Choose: A Folktale Journey for Two were showcased at the Plaza de la Raza Gallery in the summer of 2018.
