group fursan


Introduction to Workshops…………………………………. 3 - 4

Artist and Workshop Biography…………………………… 5 – 6

Lead Artist Profile……………………………………………. 7 – 8

Recent Projects………………………………………………... 9 – 10

Employer Comments………………………………………… 11

Workshops E-Flyer…………………………………………… 12

Workshops Summary………………………………………... 13 - 14

Live Performances…………………………………………….. 15

Contact Details………………………………………………… 16



Fursan | Introduction to Workshops

Who are ‘Fursan’?

‘Fursan’ is a world music and performance entertainment group, who facilitate a

variety of workshops in schools, communities and corporate organisations. The group

consists of three members - Abdula Khir, Farid Hamrat and Abdullah Shariff – who

together possess a variety of qualifications and have over 10 years experience of

working within the arts and education. These artists apply their expert knowledge and

skills to creatively educate and inspire the youth of today.

(Please see ‘Fursan’ Biography for detailed background information about ‘Fursan’.)

Aims and objectives

“Our aim is to inspire and engage individuals through the arts and creative

education.” – ‘Fursan’

Furthermore, ‘Fursan’ not only use their workshops to teach the mastering of specific

arts, such as: performance poetry, theatre and African drumming; they also aim to use

these arts as a tool to engage individuals in social and educational topics.

What do ‘Fursan’ offer?

‘Fursan’ facilitate a variety of workshops suitable for all age ranges, from primary and

secondary school youth to university and professional adults. Their workshops focus

on the arts and through these workshops ‘Fursan’ use their talents as tools to engage

students in a variety of social and educational themes. ‘Fursan’ have previously

designed workshops focusing on a variety of themes, such as: bullying, racism,

poetry, drama and Islam to name a few. These specific topics are often chosen by the

school/organisation and a workshop catered to the organisation’s need is then created.



Which skills do ‘Fursan’ help participants to develop?

- Performance Poetry and Slams

- Creative Writing

- African Drumming

- Contemporary Dance

How will your organisation benefit?

Schools and organisations will have the opportunity to offer their students a

successful and creative approach to education as well as a chance for teachers and

artists to work alongside one another. Furthermore, workshops are catered and

designed specific to request - this means that a school may request an educational

topic of their interest, e.g. bullying, which ‘Fursan’ can teach through performance

poetry and slams. Alternatively, a school or organisation could simply request a

drumming workshop to enhance general artistic and musical skills.

How will students benefit?

Fursan’s creative approach to tackling and teaching important topics to young people

has thus far been a great success. Students who have taken part in previous workshops

not only gain transferable skills, such as: confidence, teamwork and a more eloquent

style of communication; students also leave workshops with a greater understanding

and knowledge of the workshop’s key educational topic - whether this was a

teamwork and communication focus or an exercise in adjectives and poetry. ‘Fursan’

believe that when the arts are employed in a positive and inspiring way, this has a

snowball effect in enhancing a student’s overall development and openness to

learning.

Fursan | Artist and Workshops Biography



Abdullah is an experienced artist of several creative fields. Practicing within, poetry,

music, short stories, contemporary dance and drama/theatre, Abdullah had been short-

listed for Birmingham’s Poet Laureate position 07/08, nominated for the Short Story

award at the Muslim Writers Awards (2007), has been nominated as a judge for

several youth poetry slams and has performed throughout the UK and Europe as a

professional artist with his group Fursan. Abdullah is an experienced workshop co-

ordinator, due to his work under and alongside practitioners such as Richard Grant

(aka Dreadlockalien), Giovanni ‘Spoz’ Esposito and Martin Gleynn since January

2007. Whilst working alongside such practitioners Abdullah has worked at all key

stage levels whilst also having run workshops and mentored 16 – 20 year olds,

through projects with Birmingham Central Libraries.

Abdullah is a head practitioner of school and community workshops although he often

works with an artistic group, consisting of himself, Abdula Khir (an experienced poet

and theatre actor) and Faird Hamrat (a talented singer and Djembe player). Working

together they are often titled by the group name ‘Fursan’. The group is artistically and

educationally diverse, as all three artists root from varying backgrounds and an ode to

this is the 8 different languages which they possess between themselves. The group of

artists have already performed at various venues, aiding charity events, been part of

the Islam, Hip-Hop and Social Change – The Debate tour, host a Spoken Word Poetry

show on Unity 93.5 FM and have run literacy and drama/performance workshops to

educate about culture, religion and social behavior in schools at key stage 2 and 3,

including the schools of Burntree, Waverly and Great Barr.

The group practice and deliver workshops by fusing together curriculum requested

education with the arts, using the art of spoken word, singing, djembe playing, theatre

acting, story telling and more within games and activities to enhance literacy skills,

creatively teach curriculum and social; topics (e.g. cultures, Islam or bullying) and

develop transferrable skills in students (e.g. confidence, teamwork, responsibility.) at

key stage 2, 3 and 4.

The group possesses activities and games which engage and teach children

successfully, which can be adapted and molded around requested topics from schools



and teachers. Moreover new and innovative activities are created and implemented in

workshops by request of teachers and schools, as the group also apply their

workshops to help create theatre, music and poetry pieces with classes to be

performed in assembly’s and school plays.

- Fursan at Broadway School -

Abdullah Shariff | Lead Artist Profile



Personal ProfileAn enthused writer, Abdullah Shariff is a distinguished performing artist and one

third of the popular world music group ‘Fursan’. He has previously been

shortlisted for Birmingham’s Poet Laureate post, Muslim Writer’s short story

award and has been published by Anchor Books. Amongst working with young

people and children, he works with many charities and youth initiatives as a

performer, workshop facilitator and keynote speaker. As an artist Abdullah

regularly conducts arts workshops in schools and communities while continuing

to travel, tour and perform across the world.

Personal DetailsName: Abdullah Shariff

Email: [email protected]

Contact No: 07759088589

Website: www.groupfursan.com

Art Specialisation: Creative workshop facilitator in varied arts

and educational fields:

Poetry/Literature/Rap | Drama | Contemporary

Dance | African Drumming/Percussion | Sports

Coaching |

Training and Education2005 – 2008 Birmingham University

BA (Hons) Sports Management Degree

2003 – 2005 Stafford College, Stafford

AVCE Leisure & Recreation | AS Business Studies |

AS English: Language and Literature

Other Qualifications

Silver Arts Award (Aug 2010)

First Aid (At Work, Children’s and Emergency) (April

2010)

VRQ Level 2 Fitness Instructors (December 2009)

FA Football Coaching Level 1 (June 2006)

Training

Trained in contemporary dance with infuse dance (2010)

Trained in Djembe percussion with Mother Hubbard and

Farid Hamrat (2008 – 2010)



Mentored and trained as workshop facilitator under

Giovanni ‘Spoz’ Esposito and Richard ‘Dreadlockalien’

Grant. (2007- 2009)

Lead Arts Workshop Training with arts organisation Aliss

(2008)

References References

Giovanni ‘Spoz’ Esposito Juaharah Salim

Bostin Productions Proprietor Warrington Youth Worker

07789 600 645 07762944786

- Abdullah at a fundraising dinner for Haiti -

Fursan | Recent Projects

Dec 2010 – The Broadway Aston School: Workshop (Birmingham)



Performance Poetry: Attributes of Positive Behaviour

Nov 2010 – Eid in Scotland (Glasgow & Edinburgh) Live Performance

Nov 2010 – Oxfam: Fighting for Justice (Birmingham) Keynote Speech and Performance

Nov 2010 – Islamic Awareness Week (Birmingham) Live Performance

Oct 2010 – The Mac: Radiu5 Project Launch (Birmingham) Live performance

Sept 2010 – The Mac: Gallery 37 (Birmingham) Media, free running and contemporary dance workshops and showcase

Aug 2010 – University of Chester: Engaging with Youth Workshop (Manchester) Performance Poetry and African Drumming

July 2010 – King Edwards Grammar School: Cultures Workshop (Birmingham) Performance Poetry/Singing and African Drumming

July 2010 – The Broadway School: Workshop for SEN Students (Birmingham) Performance Poetry & Drama Workshop

June 2010 – MJD Activities Camp (Bar Orb, Germany) Live Performance

May 2010 – Secours Islamique (Paris & Strasbourg, France) Live Performance and Fundraising

May 2010 – Karima School Workshop (High Wycombe) Drama and Percussion Instrument

April 2010 - Burntwood Primary: English Literature Workshop (Birmingham) Poetry Writing and Live Performance

April 2010 – Islamic Relief (Geneva, Switzerland) Live Performance

March 2010 – Lyon Special Burns Unit Hospital (Lyon, France) Live Performance and Guest Visit

March 2010 – Secours Islamique (Lyon, France)Live Performance and Clean Water Fundraiser

March 2010 – Karima Poetry Slam (High Wycombe)Performance/Stage Workshop & Live Performance

March 2010 – 1st Witness Afghanistan Fundraiser (London)



Live Performance and Fundraising

Feb 2010 – Birmingham Citizens Haiti Fundraiser (Birmingham) Live Performance and Fundraising

Feb 2010 – Interpal Gaza Fundraiser (Birmingham) Live Performance

Dec 2009 – YMUK Talent Search Project Finale (London) Project Management: Event Planning and Co-ordination

Nov 2009 – YMUK Finalists Workshop (Manchester & London) Performance Skills and Enhancement Workshop

Nov 2009 – YMUK Talent Search Project (Manchester & Birmingham) Project Management: Event Planning and Co-ordination

Nov 2009 – West Midlands Police: Islamic Awareness Initiative (Birmingham) Project Management: Event Planning and Co-ordination

- Farid and Abdula working with ‘YMUK’ talent search finalists -

Fursan | Employer Comments



''Fursan did an incredible job of differentiating the work to meet everybody's needs and the students responded by producing fantastic material.''

- Miss Danielle Moore, English Teacher (Broadway School)

''Fursan have a great talent that works well with today’s youth, they engaged their attention for hours and produced fantastic stage performances from all the young people that attended - Thank You Fursan!''

- Muslim Youth Work Team (University of Chester)

''The feedback which we received from the students indicates that they enjoyed your workshop mainly because you made it participatory and because they felt that they had learnt or made something by the end''

– C. Parker, Headmaster (King Edward VI Aston School)

''Fursan provide inspiring and entertaining drumming workshops for children, full of energy and fun, led by three dynamic and culturally diverse artists, with an added bonus of being great role models for chlidren of all backgrounds''

- Shemiza Rashid, Director of the Creative Muslim Network

''The students were amazed that they were able to produce a poem that reflected on life and serious issues such as poverty, suffering, morality, freedom and responsibility, while developing an appreciation for literature''

- Miss Saleha Begum, Senoir Supervisory Cover (Broadway School)

Fursan | Workshops Flyer



Fursan | Workshops Summary

Workshops



‘Fursan Workshops’ are a creative approach to education. The workshops

engage students in social and educational topics through the medium of

the arts.

The workshops are headed by experienced practitioners who possess the

qualifications and abilities to engage students through a wide range of

activities, games and workshops for creative learning.

The workshops practically involve the children and teachers in:

Fun ice breakers, team work and communication activities.

Poetry Slam competitions!

Writing and performing positive poetry

Contemporary dance

African drumming and other percussion

Dialogue and thoughts facing current social issues

A final workshop performance

…which are all flexible and adjustable to needs as requested by

your organisation.

Duration of Workshops:

Workshops are flexible to needs, varying from an hour to an entire school

day and can even be booked over a number of days if required for the

creation of an artistic assembly/school show. Please feel free to contact

us to discuss your needs and aims.

Cost:

Workshop costs will vary depending on requirements and are flexible for

schools and centres, in order to give all students a fairer chance at

creative education. Please contact us for further information on cost with

your choice of workshop.*

Head Artist/Educator:

The workshops are headed by experienced performance poet, writer and

theatre actor Abdullah Shariff (aka DoubLe). Who has been shortlisted for

the Birmingham Poet Laureateship 2007/2008, Muslim Writers Awards



2007 and has worked in schools, libraries and community centres

throughout the UK alongside Birmingham Poet Laureates Giovanni ‘Spoz’

Esposito (Bostin Productions) and Richard Grant aka Dreadlockalien

(Dreadlockalien productions).

*We understand some schools have private/varied funding structures

which may cause exclusion from creative education, to give all students a

fairer education, we can make exceptions on pricing, so please do not be

afraid to contact us!

- Fursan in Trafalgar Square, London -

Fursan | Live Performances

‘Fursan’ are a world music group who provide live entertainment at a

wide variety of events for a variety of organisations including charities,



corporate organisations and schools. To find further information on

Fursan’s live performance work or for bookings please visit

www.groupfursan.com or contact Fursan via the details provided below.

- Fursan performing for ‘Secours Islamique’ -

Fursan | Contact Details

Fursan work with a variety of organisation types, from schools to charities to

corporate organisations. The group can be booked for a live performance or to

facilitate a workshop to your request.


http://www.groupfursan.com/


For more information, bookings and for any queries please contact Fursan via the

following information:

Phone: +44 (0) 7759088589

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.groupfursan.com

‘’A bright idea for our world’’


mailto:[email protected]

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