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Little ones get in the groove

 

January 4, 2008

Andrea Rieniets tries to teach kids how to connect, writes Fiona Scott-Norman.

You’d think, if you looked at the Wiggles and Hi-5, that the secret to children’s entertainment is bright coloured skivvies or dressing like a kindy whore (and a warehouse full of tie-in, high-end merchandising). Andrea Rieniets, one of Australia’s most respected cabaret performers and composers, has discovered her own secret weapon — the ukulele.

“I only got it last year and it’s the happiest instrument. I can be sitting on a property, no kids visible but the minute I take it out and start playing, they come from nowhere, tearing towards me, running full pelt, and start dancing in front of me.

“A guitar just doesn’t have the same effect. There’s something about the energy of the ukulele, it pulls little boys especially out of the woodwork.”

The power of the uke (and who among us has not quailed before the magnificence of Tiny Tim or George Formby?) is in full display on Rieniets’ children’s CD, Up in the Sky, which she’s released under the secret identity of Cha Cha Sam (who, incidentally, is a dog who dances with his front paws full of maracas).

The songs on Up in the Sky are not just about the infectious groove, however.

Rieniets knows all about getting people to dance, being, among other things, Australia’s pre-eminent Tom Jones interpreter but her intention with Cha Cha Sam is to use the songs to give kids some emotional intelligence and life skills that they can use to move more easily through the world.

“It’s about getting children to say hello and goodbye — you know, make eye contact and not just enter a space and do their own thing. It’s about making a game of those wonderful bonding rituals that help us all be connected.

“I think there’s an enormous amount of encouragement in this society to be separate. There’s a lot of money to be made from people thinking that doing your own thing and having your own stuff is the way to go. I think the notion of sharing, a sense of shared purpose, is so much more satisfying. I want to give kids some experiences of wisdom early, stuff that flies in the face of messages that they’re inundated with now of ‘me me me’ and ‘how can I get more stuff?’.”

Apart from the hello and goodbye songs, there’s Go Little Fish, which encourages water play in the bath, especially for littlies who are distressed at bathtime, another that teaches 10 basic Auslan signs, Up in the Sky about the imagination and Ask Me a Question, which is as much for the grown-ups as the children.

“It’s about adults not assuming kids’ preferences. What kids like changes every day, so ask them their favourite colour today. Their best friend today.”

Rieniets doesn’t have children herself but there are a couple of reasons why she’s still able to turn out a cracking, joyful CD for the youngsters. One, her main career path outside of cabaret is as a composer who works with groups such as Relationships Australia. She’s an expert in using music to heal and forge connections. She also grew up surrounded by children in a housing commission flat in North Shepparton.

“I’ve always had children in my life. I’m the middle of five kids and I always had a baby on my lap that needed looking after. I’m an aunty of 10 kids and my girlfriend’s niece comes to stay once a week. I’ve always had a deep urge to help people connect. I love the world of children, it’s so eccentric. I did a CD signing and this little boy comes up. I ask him who he wants me to sign it for, and he says ‘to Super Wonder Dog’. How brilliant.”

Cha Cha Sam (aka Rieniets) will be performing at Gasworks Theatre on January 21 and 22 at 11am.

Bookings:Telephone 9699 3253 or book online at Gasworks

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Tuesday October 11, 2007

Cha Cha Sam redefines the term ‘Parental Guidance Recommended.’

In Geelong last week a group of adult party goers were seen dancing to a new album for kids by Melbourne singer Cha Cha Sam. The album had been taken from the children of two adults attending the party and was used during the evening’s dancing. The children were reportedly unaware of their parents’ actions.

Says Cha Cha Sam ‘This has all happened before we’ve even launched. We may have to rethink our security approach.’

Kaye Colly of Williamstown said ‘I had no idea it was kids’ music. It was put on in the middle of a dance set and I loved it. It made me dance more than anything else they’d played. I was so shocked to find that someone had stolen it from their kids. But I honestly had no idea and either did anyone else. It was a moment of innocent fun and no harm was done.’

The CD ‘Up in the Sky’ by Cha Cha Sam is a new generation of music for kids and their grownups created with specialists in children’s education, health and disability to encourage children to communicate creatively and develop emotional intelligence.

Cha Cha Sam said ‘I’m not surprised that this has happened. We made it the best music we could. There’s no lame kiddies’ plinky-plonk. It’s just regrettable that the CD was taken without permission from the kids. We didn’t have that in mind when we included adults in the three month trial period to make sure the songs worked as both education and music. We have to rethink the whole concept of Parental Guidance. It’s ironic that a CD that’s made to help communication should be something that adults pinch without consulting their kids.’

Though the CD called ‘Up in the Sky’ by Cha Cha Sam was retrieved and returned to the owners, the community has been called to be alert but not alarmed for any future disappearances of the CD from children’s music collection and its use in adult dance parties.

Copies can be obtained through the website http://ww.chachasam.com.au or at the official launch weekend as part of Melbourne Fringe on October 6th and 7th 2007.