Thank you for visiting Chocmint. We work in schools around the world performing creating writing, cartooning, self-esteem, confidence and passion for living workshops for children of all ages. Our commitment is to make a profound, positive difference to the lives of young people by making education FUN!

Please scroll down the page a little to find our most recent feedback from schools in the UK, New Zealand and Australia.

For our most recent cartoons, created with young people from primary and high schools in New Zealand, please CLICK HERE.  Click on the image to make it larger, and to make it bigger use the magnifying icon at the top of each image.

Below you'll find feedback from Seven Sisters Primary School in London, some from the recent New Zealand trip and our tour around NSW and Western Australia in the latter part of 2007.

Currently we are in the middle of an exciting Australian tour. This time it is the Dan and John tour! John Arnott is from Newcastle, UK but lives in the beautiful city of Edinburgh. John is a musician, magician, artist and presenter who is a talented cartoonist and a natural with young people of all ages. To see some of John's extraordinary artwork please visit: www.jtarnott.co.uk

        Nora Goodridge Management for more about Dan and Dave and to secure bookings in Australian and New Zealand schools.

        Chocmint Management To book Dan and Dave outside of Australia and New Zealand, and for details about other extraordinary motivators and artists who work with us and available for bookings worldwide, please visit 

"Danny’s agility and positive manner kept everyone in the hall fixed on what he had to say, in awe, in suspense and in fits of laughter. He is a great showman with a passion to deliver his message; that everyone can achieve their ambitions if they keep on trying, even when they make mistakes.  
     Dave’s cartooning skills made the children’s stories come alive in a way that I had never seen before.  He made the activity so simple that even the least confident artists realized that they too could create a masterpiece of their own.  
     Not a single child or adult said that they couldn’t draw and all wanted their picture to be seen and explained. The older children and adults also took part in an inspired writing session. The concentration in the room throughout the day was phenomenal.
    Danny and Dave were an inspiration to us all, as for weeks after, children were still talking about the day and drawing their tales. I am so glad we invited them to our school."
Dee Coppen
Seven Sisters Primary School, London, England
March 2008

"10 out of 10! Absolutely transfixed and motivated."
Would you recommend this performance? HIGHLY!
Elinor Scarlett, Sacred Heart Primary School, Wellington, New Zealand

"10 out of 10! The students loved every minute of their experience. The vitality of Dan was infectious and everyone one of our students were drawn into his performance. Dave was a hit with his drawing skills and students were amazed at how easily they could cartoon. What a huge impact Dan and Dave has had on so many of our students, especially the students who don't always get the support and enthusiasm from home they should.
Thank you for the Nora Goodridge Management for ringing me and encouraging me to get Dan and Dave to our school.
Would you recommend this performance? HIGHLY!
Louise Taylor, Deputy Principal, Napier Intermediate School.

"10 out of 10! A GREAT show! Very entertaining and educational. Children really enjoyed participating and it was great to see everyone's positive attitude. Great messages too!
'Awsome show' - Jacob aged 9
'Dave is an excellent artist' - Connor aged 9
'Dan's actiing was great' - Rhys aged 9
'Dave was really creative' - Andrew aged 10
'A really funny show' - Jake aged 9
'Dan makes me giggle' - Shannon aged 9
Children are still practicing their cartooning. Great motivation. Children are really buzzing, very positive feedback and they all understood the (motivational, self esteem) messages.
Would you recommend this performance? HIGHLY!
Staff and children at Greenmeadows Primary School, Greenmeadows, Napier, New Zealand.

9 out of 10! The children are very excited, proud of their work and energised by Dan and Dave's performance. Powerful messages, to have a go, cant get it wrong, make mistakes, using imagination - all clearly enounciated and reinforced. Good crowd control, brought the kids up and down again.
Would you recommend this performance? HIGHLY!
Bridget Bear, Cockle Bay School, Howick, Auckland, NZ

"10 out of 10! Enthusiastic! The children's imaginations have been captured and this has been observed by teachers and parents. The concepts used to empower the children were fantastic and we will continue to use these in class."
Would you recommend this performance? HIGHLY!
K. Cairns, Glenbervie Primary School, Whangerei, NZ

"9 out of 10! Amazing! Students totally involved, enthusiastic, learning in a NEW way to improve writing, drawing, values/social skills.
Superb, innovative production and presentation. Great resources provided. It is lovely to have the magnificent artwork cartoons to keep. We are laminating them to display in our school hall."
Would you recommend this performance? HIGHLY!
Sandra Peter, Principal, Linwood North School, Christchurch, NZ

"9 out of 10! Students LOVED the humour of Dan. He grabbed their attention so easily. Dave's art skills really impressed the audience. Looking around the school/classrooms I see lots of follow up from this show, and kids realising it really is so easy to draw. Sadly we ran out of time!

Youije Klaricich, Te akaura o Otangerei School, Kensington, Whangarei, NZ

 

Feedback Quotes by teachers, deputies and principals from our recent tour of Western Australia and New South Wales. Up to 300 pre-primary to year 7 students (aged 4 - 12) in each group, boys and girls.

Out of 10 - "Off the scale! The best performance/learning experience I have seen in 10 years of education. Every child was engaged and hanging off every word and laughing at every action. They also produced amazing artworks (the students and Dave) and were all excited about their stories.”
A student(Tegan) told me afterwards: “I could never start a story the way I liked, but doing what Dan asked us to do I got a brilliant story starter.”
Would you recommend this performance? HIGHLY!
Belynda Seale, Deputy Principal Falls Road Primary, Lesmurdie, Perth, Western Australia.

"10 out of 10! The students AND staff were all highly motivated by the performance. An EXCELLENT show and we will be recommending it to other schools. I was very impressed with Dan and Dave not rushing off straight after the performance but spending time with the students (talking, looking at their work and signing autographs etc)."
Would you recommend this performance? HIGHLY!
Trish Ryan, Dardanup Primary School

10 out of 10! Relaxation in the form of a series of wonderful belly laughs! Thank you - kids ALWAYS need to hear that mistakes are not mistakes. We all need to hear it!
Would you recommend this performance? HIGHLY!
Osborne Park Primary School

10 out of 10! Absolutely delighted and totally enthralled! The children found the performance very funny, and the show incorporated most of our learning areas beautifully.
Would you recommend this performance? HIGHLY!
Jane Watt, Osborne Park Primary School

10 out of 10! They LOVED it - ALL OF THEM were so excited! Wonderful and a very worthwhile experience!
Would you recommend this performance? HIGHLY!
Jacinta Petersen, St Mathews School, Narogin

10 out of 10! Very positive - all students listened with care and participated at the appropriate moments. Great idea generation and the artwork was FANTASTIC!
Thank You - A GREAT performance appreciated by all.
Would you recommend this performance? HIGHLY!
Dan Cross, North Fremantle Primary School

10 out of 10! JUST LOVED IT! A fantastic performance, very energetic - it was great to hearing the children laughing so much.
Would you recommend this performance? HIGHLY!
Letty Stossen

9 out of 10! We enjoyed the whole presentation! The children were actively involved in the discussions, responded well to the drawing and writing activities. All the adults thoroughly enjoyed the performance as well!
Would you recommend this performance? HIGHLY!
Karen Armstrong

9 out of 10! Children were engaged and very motivated by the performance. They thoroughly enjoyed themselves throughout the show and were ken to have a go at all the various activities.
Would you recommend this performance? HIGHLY!
Mary-Anne Stenning, St Mathews School, Windsor

10 out of 10! We are all THRILLED! The interaction was fantastic and our students are still talking about the performance long after it finished.
The performers were very constructive and accommodating, especially as we have space restrictions and the weather was a little cool to have an outdoor performance!
Would you recommend this performance? HIGHLY!
Paula, All Saints Gramma School

9 out of 10! The children were VERY involved throughout, were excited and interactive. They were all keen to ‘have a go’ at drawing and writing.
A VERY creative way to encourage children to overcome fear of failure and take risks. Good discipline and consideration taken for children’s individual needs.
Would you recommend this performance? HIGHLY!
Taree Christian Community School

9 out of 10! The students were wholly involved and were highly motivated to write and draw after the introduction, which the students were involved in constructing.
ALL levels of ability were motivated to participate.
The children LOVED it and remembered so much of what was taught. Wonderfully entertaining, great for both students and teachers.
Would you recommend this performance? HIGHLY!
Tare Christian Community School

9 out of 10! The students were VERY keen, lots of participation. Some were reluctant at first to ‘have a go’ - inherent fear of making mistakes - so this was good for them and soon overcome.
The team was early, well prepared and very enthusiastic. The students were all attentive, a most enjoyable, high energy performance!
Would you recommend this performance? HIGHLY!
Ms Watt, Parramatta Public School

9 out of 10! The students found the performance inspiring and entertaining. At the start they became quite excited, but the performance staff quickly gained their attention and cooperation.
Would you recommend this performance? HIGHLY!
Kath Walker/Kerrie Tregoning, TIGS

10 out of 10! It was SO good. Dan was REALLY funny. A bit like Mr Bean sometimes!
Top Notch! Dan could make a story about anything. Well structured, totally engaging, excellent control of a BIG crowd.
Would you recommend this performance? HIGHLY!
Taree Christian Community School

The agent also asked staff what areas of the school curriculum did the performance support?
English (all aspects), language, creative writing, art, performance, self confidence, self esteem, art, talking, listening, cartooning, resilience, narrative text, visual arts, theatre, improvisation, CAPA (drama, art, craft), storytelling, book writing.

 

After returning from three shows in Tottenham, London to Australia for ten days, I met up with Dave in New Zealand. We have just finished and come home after a five week, fifty show adventure with the great kids and teachers we met in both the North and South Islands of New Zealand.

Keep writing to us and sending us your work and ideas, or just to say hello. We had a wonderful time in your beautiful looking country, but it was meeting you all and sharing your imagination and inspiration that gave us the trip of our lives.

- Dan and Dave, 2008