At Lusher Alternative Elementary School in New Orleans, Louisiana, a kindergarten class and a fourth-grade class studied various aspects of Cirque du Soleil’s Quidam over several months. Classroom teachers and dance and theatre teachers used Quidam to help teach a variety of subjects.

As a culminating activity, the students created an original performance piece inspired by Quidam, following the classic “hero’s journey” story structure.

Teachers met for planning sessions every week, and the kindergarten and fourth-grade classes met jointly with all the teachers twice a week. The unit began with background lessons in several subject areas, including math, science, English, and the arts. Later, the children watched the videotape of Quidam.

This program includes highlights of the creative process.