Thursday, December 22, 2011

Cinderella Master Class at SPCPA!



On Wednesday December 21st twenty five students from Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Arts participated in a career discussion and master class with Bridget Noltimier, Dance Captain for the Ordway's production of Cinderella! Students learned  the dance from the ballroom scene.

Check out the great pictures!






Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Support the Ordway through Give to the Max Day!

Clike Here to Donate Now!
November 16th is “Give to the Max Day,” a 24 hour event that helps grow Minnesota nonprofits by encouraging the giving of charitable e-donations. GiveMN is an organization that is moving philanthropy online – creating an easier, faster, and more convenient way to give – and over $30 million dollars have already been raised for Minnesota nonprofits.  Not only does GiveMN make it easier to give, but it provides some big incentives to donate on Give to the Max Day: $15,000, $10,000 and $7,500 prizes will be awarded to the three nonprofits to receive the most donations on November 16. The nonprofits in ranks 4-10 receive $5,000 each.

How can you help? Gifts start at just $10, and there are a plethora of opportunities for your gift to be amplified. Every hour, Give to the Max will select one donation at random and give $1000 to the recipient nonprofit.  At the end of the 24 hours, one nonprofit will receive a Golden Ticket – a prize grant of $10,000 for one randomly selected donation given on Give to the Max Day.

As an added incentive from the Ordway to Give to the Max, all brand new $100+ donors who contribute through GiveMN on Give to the Max Day will receive one guest pass to the exclusive Securian Contributor's Lounge to use during the 2011-2012 Theater Season.

Whether your gift is big or small, every contribution counts. If you give just $10, you could help the Ordway win up to $15,000!


Thanks for supporting the Ordway, and don't forget to circle November 16th on your calendar.  Give to the Max Day starts at midnight on November 16 and ends at midnight on November 17. 

Friday, October 14, 2011

We Set a Record!


Luna Negra Dance Theater
Did you know that more than 17,000 students will be attending Ordway Education's October performances?

Students and educators will be attending a total of eleven school performances for Luna Negra Dance Theater, Magos Herrara and Vox Lumiere, The Phantom of the Opera,  October 24th through November 1st.
  
That’s a higher student attendance than we typically have at the Flint Hills International Children's Festival!   


Are you bringing students to one of the above school performances?  If so we would love to hear which performance you are attending, why you and your students are excited to see the performance, or how you and your students are preparing for your upcoming performance!  

Please leave a comment below!

If you haven't placed an order for your students, tickets are still available please contact Education Sales at 651-282-3115.



Magos Herrera
Luna Negra Dance Theater
Mon Oct 24 2011 - 10:30 AM - 329 Tickets Available
Mon Oct 24 2011 - 12:30 PM - 318 Tickets Available
Tue Oct 25 2011 - 10:30 AM - 5 Tickets Available
Wed Oct 26 2011 - 10:30 AM - 10 Tickets Available
Wed Oct 26 2011 - 12:30 PM - 134 Tickets Available

Magos Herrera
Thu Oct 27 2011 - 10:30 AM - 153 Tickets Available
Thu Oct 27 2011 - 12:30 PM - 597 Tickets Available



Vox Lumiere - The Phantom of the Opera
Mon Oct 31 2011 - 12:30 PM - 895 Tickets Available
Tue Nov 1 2011 - 12:30 PM - 53 Tickets Available 

Please note performance availability is subject to change at anytime.

Monday, October 10, 2011

New Performance Added of Vox Lumiere's The Phantom of the Opera!


Now’s your chance to bring your school group to experience a unique blend of live performance, original rock music, and the original silent film of the Phantom of the Opera upon the Ordway stage! 

Since there was such high demand for Vox Lumiere's The Phantom of the Opera, we were recently able to work out an agreement with the company to secure another performance date and time.

NEW! Performance Date and Time: Mon, October 31st at 12:30 p.m.

We currently have 500+ tickets available to the Mon, October 31st at 12:30 p.m. performance for only $3.50 a ticket, regardless of group size! We also offer bus reimbursement for all schools to attend a performance at the Ordway.





Also, we recently have had tickets become available for the following performances of Vox Lumiere – The Phantom of the Opera:
Tues, Nov. 1st at 10:30am -1 ticket available
Tues, Nov. 1st at 12:30pm -65 tickets available

Vox Lumiere
The Phantom of the Opera                      
Oct 31 & Nov 1, 2011 | Recommended Grades 6-12 | Music

Return to the world’s most famous opera house, as Vox Lumiere dares to unmask the secrets of the phantom. Ambition, murder and the allure of a dangerous secret come to life in this stirring new production.  Vox Lumiere- The Phantom of the Opera is a unique blend of live performance, original rock music and the original silent film that comes together to create a spellbinding performance of modern theatrical magic!


Please contact Kristie Gaalswyk with any questions or to place an order at 651-282-3143 or kgaalswyk@ordway.org.

TO VIEW PHOTOS AND DESCRIPTIONS OF THE 2011-2012 PERFORMANCES PLEASE VISIT WWW.ORDWAY.ORG/EDUCATION/PERFORMANCES   

 TO REQUEST AN EDUCATION BROCHURE PLEASE VISIT PLEASE VISIT WWW.ORDWAY.ORG/EDUCATION    

Friday, September 16, 2011

Ways to Instill the Arts in Your Child's Life

Throughout the week, we have been focusing on what educators and school leaders can do to ensure students receive an arts education. Today, we are going to focus on how parents can instill an arts rich environment in their child's life.


Dance to Learn Small Group Discussion, Photo by Amy Miller



The American for the Arts lists 10 simple ways to go about doing this.


1. "Enjoy the arts together. Sing, play music, read a book, dance, or draw with your child at home."

2. "Encourage your child to participate in the arts and celebrate their participation in or out of school."

3. "Explore your community’s library and read 'the classics' together—from Mother Goose to Walt Whitman."

4. "Read your local newspaper to find out about attending local arts events like museum exhibits, local plays, festivals, or outdoor concerts."

5. "Tell your child’s teacher, principal, and school leadership that the arts are vital to your child’s success and an important part of a quality education. Find out if your school has sufficient resources for arts education, including qualified teachers and materials. If not, offer to help."

6. "Contact your local arts organizations to inquire about the arts education programs they offer either during school hours or after school. Volunteer to donate time, supplies, or help with their advocacy efforts and connect these services to your child’s school."

7. "Attend a school board or PTA meeting and voice your support for the arts to show them you care and make sure the arts are adequately funded as part of the core curriculum in the school budget."

8. "Explore your child’s dream to sing, to dance, to draw, to act—and encourage them to become the best they can be through the arts."

9. "Be an arts supporter! Contact your elected officials—lawmakers and school board members—to ask them for more arts education funding from the local, state, and federal levels."

10. Sign up to become an activist on the Americans for the Arts website, just a click away!

To read this list in its entirety, click here.

National Arts in Education Week may be coming to a close, but that doesn't mean that your efforts in promoting and using arts education tools has to stop!

Keep educating yourself on how you can do your part in promoting arts education. There are numerous websites and books out there that will give you the tools and evidence you need to further arts education. Check out such resources as the Arts Education Partnership website, ARTSblog, and our Ordway Education News page to find out about grants, ways in which you can instill an arts education in your students, and etc.

Also, October is fast approaching, which is National Arts and Humanities Month. Get a head start on ways in which you can celebrate the arts during this month. American for the Arts has posted 101 things you can do to promote National Arts and Humanities Month and all that it represents.


We want to hear from you!
How are you going to celebrate National Arts and Humanities Month?

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Create an Arts-Rich Learning Environment

During National Arts In Education Week, we have been discussing ways in which one can promote arts education, the benefits to arts education, and also how to make sure students are getting a chance to be hands-on with their skill development in the arts. Today, we have decided to share with you some tips on how you can create an arts-rich learning environment in your very own school.




Students Participating in the Dance to Learn Program, Photo by: Becca Barniskis


What School Leaders Can Do To Increase Arts Education is a great booklet made by the Arts Education Partnership that shows how school leaders can increase arts education in their schools. This is particularly important in our current environment of shrinking school budgets, which unfortunately can result in cuts to the school's arts department.

From this booklet, we are focusing on its section, "Create an Arts-Rich Learning Environment." Here's 5 easy steps that you and your school can do to provide an arts integrated education for your students.

1. Bring the arts into daily classroom instruction.

"As Stephen Noonan, Principal of the High School of Arts, Imagination and Inquiry in New York City puts it, 'We don’t limit student experiences with art to one class or one unit; rather
we find authentic ways to integrate the arts across the curriculum.' But in an already jam-packed day, some teachers might resist integrating arts learning experiences if doing so seems like an 'add-on.' Peg Winkelman, a teacher educator at California State University, East Bay, suggests principals 'eliminate the idea that it is difficult [to integrate the arts.] It may be
there are one or two teachers who already use the arts as part of their instructional practices.' Use their expertise to spark interest among other educators."

2. Provide arts-based professional development.

"Key to effective, high quality professional development is that it should be intensive,
on-going, and aligned with state and district curriculum requirements. At some schools, the arts teachers serve as the school 'lead' in providing or coordinating professional development for classroom teachers. At others, professional development support comes from outside the school, either from the school district or an arts or cultural organization. At Carnation Elementary School, Principal Doug Poage used a combination of both: 'We were able to get a teacher professional development grant from the state for two years. Now, 80% of teachers are trained in using the arts. We created our replica program so that now we train our teachers using our own staff. We also use an artist in our own community, which helps the local community as well as our school.'"

3. Support a school-wide arts learning community.

"Professional development alone doesn’t provide sufficient support for creating a school-wide
arts learning community that engages the entire staff—classroom teachers, specialist teachers, administrators, and school leaders. School principals can help build staff capacity by reinforcing the commitment to the arts through a school-wide arts theme, the sharing of arts-related books and articles and incorporating the topic into staff meetings."

4. Incorporate the arts into staffing and hiring decisions.

"Develop job descriptions for new hires that let candidates know arts coursework or experience using the arts in teaching is an expectation. Then, follow it up by asking arts-related questions in job interviews with prospective teachers. School principals also can reinforce the emphasis on using the arts in teaching by making it a part of classroom observations, teacher discussions and the evaluation process."

5. Involve the local arts community.

"Reaching beyond the school walls to arts and cultural organizations can produce many lasting benefits. Teaching artists—professional artists from cultural institutions or from the community—can play a key role in providing workshops, consultations, teaching demonstrations, assessment techniques and assistance in the development of curricular materials. Forming partnerships with the local arts community can help infuse the school with rich, comprehensive programs—not simply add-on experiences that can come and go with the availability of resources."


This article taken from What School Leaders Can Do To Increase Arts Education, Washington, D.C., May 2011.

To read the entire booklet, click here. You can also visit the AEP website at http://www.aep-arts.org/ for references and additional resources.


We want to hear from you!
How will you create an arts-rich learning environment in your school?

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Give Students the Freedom to be Creative, Collaborative, and Innovative

Throughout Arts in Education Week, we, as arts advocates, set out to show the benefits that the arts can bring to a student's growth and development, which includes developing skills in "creativity, collaboration, and innovation." However, it is important to ensure that we are giving students the freedom to actually use these skills we claim to nurture through the arts.

As Mark Slavkin, Vice President for Education at the Music Center: Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County, discusses this in his article, "Helping Students Find Their Own Voices in the Arts."

"We need to look at our own practice and make sure we are consistently cultivating the benefits we claim for arts education. Are we giving kids license to be truly creative?

For example, in the performing arts, how often are students provided opportunities to compose original music or choreograph a new dance piece? How often are students encouraged to pursue their own ideas in the arts, as opposed to following the very explicit rules and directions from the teacher?

Since the rewards system for arts teachers gives enormous weight to the final show/performance, it is no surprise to see teachers focus their limited hours with students on rehearsing for the coming show or festival. Such events help garner support from parents and principals and serve as a source of pride for the school community.

The hard work, discipline, and teamwork on display are often quite impressive. But what about our claims concerning creativity and innovation? When do the band kids get to explore their own interests and ideas in music? Of course, the same pressures and patterns are also evident in the dance studio or theater stage. Contrary to our rhetoric, I worry we may be cultivating more “rule followers” in the arts classroom.

Clearly, there is an important part of arts education that involves honing basic technique and learning the work of great masters in each discipline.

I am simply suggesting we make more space for students to explore and find their own voice in the arts. If we want to cultivate true artists, and not mere technicians, we need to start somewhere."

We need to give students the chance to put the skills we set out to develop through the arts to use. This can be done by putting more focus on the actual creating and collaborative process of art, rather than just the final piece or performance. Just something to ponder during National Arts in Education Week.

If you want to read Slavkin's entire article, click here to read it on the Arts Education Network, a program of American for the Arts, blog.





We want to hear from you!
In what ways do you cultivate creativity, collaboration, and innovation in your classroom?

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Ways You Can Support Arts Education

What better way to celebrate National Arts In Education week than with some tips on how you can help promote arts education. Whether you're an educator, parent, student, or concerned citizen, these tips will give you the tools you need to get out there and support the arts for future generations.



Kristen Engebretsen from Arts Education Network, a program of American for the Arts, has 10 ways in which you can get involved. Here's what she suggests:





10. Volunteer your time, resources, skills: Many schools would appreciate your time as a chaperone, your skill as a teaching artist, or your donations of money, costumes, rehearsal space, etc.

9. Know the facts: Stay on top of current arts education research, trends, and news articles. Start with Reinvesting in Arts Education, which summarizes research on the topic. Use this data in your messaging when you speak to elected officials or school leaders.

8. Get involved politically: Tell your elected officials why arts education is important. Ask your members of Congress to keep the arts listed as a core subject during the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

7. Pack a one, two punch: Your message to elected officials and school leaders should contain both a warm and fuzzy anecdote AND hard hitting data. Practice your message. Keep it brief. Know who your audience is, and tailor your message to them.

6. Increase visibility of the issue: Host a community conversation or speaker series on the topic, coordinate community fundraisers, write an Op-Ed piece for your local paper, screen a documentary about arts education, and include the arts in school communications (newspapers, newsletters, displays, letters to parents, etc.).

5. Assess your school/community strengths and gaps: First assess your needs: No fourth graders receive music instruction, no dance is offered, high school theater has been cut in half, etc. Then, take stock of your resources: parent volunteers, afterschool programs, teachers with talents or degrees in the arts, schools with unused stages in the cafeteria, nearby museums or cultural institutions, etc. Now, utilize your assets to strategically address your needs.

4. Forge partnerships: With 93% of Americans agreeing that arts education is important, you are likely to find allies. Create a community team to come up with a plan for arts education based on the above strengths/gaps assessment. Include business leaders, teachers, principals, school board members, superintendents, parents, students, arts organizations, etc. See how Kristen Engebretsen the TakePART program benefits students and families across an entire region—beyond what can be accomplished within individual schools.

3. Talk to school leaders: Testify at school board meetings. Request meetings with superintendents and/or principals. Use these brochures to start conversations: What School Leaders Can Do to Increase Arts Education by the Arts Education Partnership and My Child, the Arts, and Learning by the Center for Arts Education.

2. Measure your school district’s infrastructure: Arts education in a school district needs a sound infrastructure and can be measured by these 5 indicators:
1) an arts education policy adopted by the school board
2) a plan for arts education
3) 5 percent of the general budget to implement the plan
4) a district level arts coordinator to oversee, implement, and evaluate the plan
5) a student to art teacher ratio no higher than 400 to 1
Advocate for these five things. Use these indicators as goals. Measure progress by these goals. Thanks to Arts for All, for their extensive, research-based, ground-breaking work on this front, and for shaping how I think about supporting arts education.

1. Be the solution: As you approach school leaders with your message in support of arts education, don’t just insist that principals offer arts education overnight. School leaders are facing tough situations. Offer solutions that help solve these problems. Is the principal having an attendance issue at her school? Show her research that says that the arts can be her solution because they increase student engagement. Offer concrete ways that the arts can be a tool in improving overall education.

** This article originally appeared on ARTSblog on August 26, 2011. To see original article click here.










We want to hear from you!
How will you promote the arts in education?

Monday, September 12, 2011

Happy Arts In Education Week!

To commemorate the second annual National Arts in Education Week, we will be posting a variety of information on arts education; including evidence showing the benefits of an arts integrated education as well as ways in which you can help promote the arts in your own school or educational group.



Here are a couple of studies that have proven how important the arts are in a student's education:

The Center for Arts Education published a report in 2009 that suggests arts education may improve graduation rates.

"Taking a look at the role of arts education in New York public schools, this report found that schools with the lowest access also had the highest dropout rates. Conversely, those with the highest graduation rates also had the greatest access to arts education and resources. While there are undoubtedly a number of other factors that play into graduation rates, the research in this study and others like it (most notably The Role of the Fine and Performing Arts in High School Dropout Prevention, which you can read here) has found that many at-risk students cite participation in the arts as their reason for staying. Participation in these activities has a quantifiable impact on levels of delinquency, truancy and academic performance" (http://www.onlinecolleges.net/).

A 2011 study called "Reinvesting in Arts Education" found that integrating arts with other subjects can help raise achievement levels.

"Arts education may not just help raise test scores, but also the learning process itself, as a recent study revealed. This report on the Maryland school system found that skills learned in the visual arts could help improve reading and the counterparts fostered in playing an instrument could be applied to math. Researchers and school officials believe that arts education can be a valuable education reform tool, and classroom integration of creative opportunities could be key to motivating students and improving standardized test scores" (http://www.onlinecolleges.net/).

To see other studies showing the benefits of an arts education visit: http://www.onlinecolleges.net/2011/09/06/10-salient-studies-on-the-arts-in-education/

We want to hear from you!
Tell us about a time in which you have witnessed the benefits of an arts integrated education.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

2011-2012 Fall On-Sale This Friday!

The annual Ordway Education fall on-sale will take place this Friday, SEPTEMBER 2, 2011 and will be your first chance to order school performance tickets for the 2012 Flint Hills International Children’s Festival. Tickets are only $3.50 each and there is bus reimbursement for all schools!

Orders will be taken by PHONE & FAX ONLY starting Sept. 2, 2011 at 7:00am
; all mailed and faxed orders arriving on or before Sept. 2, 2011 will be processed at the end of day.

Tickets are also still available for performing arts classroom performances that went on sale in May!

2011-2012 PERFORMING ARTS CLASSROOM SEASON:

Luna Negra Dance Theater
October 24, 25, & 26, 2011
Recommended Grades: 2-8

Luna Negra Dance Theater fills the stage with energy, power and passion, while creating opportunities for Latino choreographers to be a cultural voice for their communities. This performance includes a sampling of three pieces from their repertoire: Flabbergast uses humor to explore our stereotypes and preconceived ideas about new and foreign places; Paloma Querida is an homage to the life and art of Frida Kahlo, reflecting on her Mexican roots; Bate was inspired by the spirit of Brazilian soap operas and the masculine world of Samba, where men express not only their love and devotion to women, but also their troubles and melancholy.


Magos Herrera
October 27, 2011
Recommended Grades: 4-12

Born in Mexico City, Magos Herrera is one of the biggest stars of contemporary Latin American jazz. Herrera, an accomplished singer-songwriter, is known for her rhythmic scatting inflected with soulful Andalusian phrasings. Singing in English, Spanish and Portuguese, Herrera and her live Latin jazz band will captivate audiences with her unique blend of classic jazz styling and Latin melodies.







Vox Lumiere: Phantom of the Opera
October 31 & November 1, 2011
Recommended Grades: 6-12
Return to the world’s most famous opera house, as Vox Lumiere dares to unmask the secrets of the phantom. Ambition, murder and the allure of a dangerous secret come to life in this stirring new production. Vox Lumiere- The Phantom of the Opera is a unique blend of live performance, original rock music and the original silent film that comes together to create a spellbinding performance of modern theatrical magic!





Still Black, Still Proud: An African Tribute to James Brown
November 23, 2011
Recommended Grades: K-8
Celebrating James Brown’s lasting legacy, Still Black Still Proud explores the deep relationship between soul, funk and modern African music. As much as the music of Africa influenced Brown’s style, he likewise inspired an entire generation of African artists. Join Pee Wee Ellis and a host of musicians including Vusi Mahlasela and Maceo Parker as they uncover the points at which African and American music influence and inspire one another through an unforgettable concert!





Ronald K. Brown Evidence A Dance Company
January 12, 2012
Recommended Grades: 4-12
Through the fusion of modern dance, traditional African dance and spoken word, Evidence strives to promote understanding of the human experience in the African Diaspora. The contemporary dance piece they will present, On Earth Together, serves as a testimony and commitment to making the world a better place: a loving and compassionate place that celebrates a greater world-view. The music of Stevie Wonder is the inspiration behind this piece and allows dancers to intimately express relationships between individuals and the world at large.




VocalEssence WITNESS
February 21 & 22, 2012
Recommended Grades: 4-12
Join VocalEssence in celebrating the return of Hannibal Lokumbe (Dear Mrs. Parks) with the premiere of his piece, In the Spirit of Being. Performed by VocalEssence, children’s choir, Jazz Quintet and Hannibal Lokumbe on trumpet, this work shows how we are interconnected through our past, present and future regardless of cultural background. Through this journey, students will be challenged to embrace a greater appreciation for the gift of life, gain confidence to overcome whatever struggles they may face, and be inspired in the peace attained through forgiveness.









Ballet of the Dolls
May 2 & 3, 2012
Recommended Grades: 6-12
Live music, singers and dancers will join together in Minneapolis-based Ballet of the Dolls’, new production of Faith, originally performed in 1991. Inspired by a near death experience of a friend, artistic director Myron Johnson explores the meaning of faith through multiple perspectives rather than a single religion in the new production of Faith. Through the creative process, Johnson will reflect on the crossing over between the physical and non-physical world, including the imagery within hospitals and the focus on the role that caregivers play in the journey between life and death.










2012 FLINT HILLS INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL PERFORMANCES:

World of Rhythm
May 29 - June 1, 2012
Recommended Grades K-8
Explore the world of percussion with Drums United’s explosive performances of World of Rhythm. Drums United is made up of nine percussionists from seven different countries including Bangladesh, Senegal, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Surinam, and Venezuela. This exciting show mixes African, Latin, Spanish, and Indian drum traditions with Western drumming and uses contemporary electronic sounds that are sure to get you moving in your seat! The performance not only gives the audience an opportunity to listen and watch top players, but also imparts the underlying message that people from widely varying nationalities can work well together.





Zorro
May 29-June 1, 2012
Recommended Grades 3-8
A mysterious figure has arrived in town. A flurry of a cape, the glint of a sword and a flash of a mask; who is this baffling character? Exciting friend or formidable foe? Watch as our masked champion ricochets from one sticky situation to another in a world where justice is the name and adventure is the game! Join Visible Fictions on the epic adventure of the classic swashbuckler in 17th century California.










The Wolf and the Goat
May 29-June 1, 2012
Recommended Grades: 4-8
This magical story is about a wolf and a goat that meet on a dark night far away from home, but don’t recognize each other. Forgetting that they are usually enemies, they discover that they are closer than they imagined. Will the goat really be brave and the wolf frightened? Or maybe nothing changes and the wolf will eat the goat? Or maybe the frightened goat will escape? Like the wolf and the goat, we don’t know what is going to happen - do you? Inspired by the Japanese novel One Stormy Night by Yuichi Kimura, this captivating tale will keep you spellbound.








BAM
May 29-June 1, 2012
Recommended Grades PreK-2

Join Théâtre des Petites Âmes on a great adventure in the land of Tran Tran Troo! Meet the most famous person in Tran Tran Troo, the Great Lady La, who can make the water sing. One hot summer night, the land of Tran Tran Troo dries up and the Great Lady La is left without a voice. Luckily for our story, the Great Lady La’s two children, Lilou and Lalou, set out to find a new source of water to hear their mother’s song again. And so begins a great adventure which takes place here, there and everywhere.











Monday, August 22, 2011

GRANTS: Act Now to Apply for a Target Field Trip Grant for the 2011-2012 School Year!


Learning opportunities extend far beyond the classroom. But many schools are finding it more and more difficult to bring students to theaters, museums, historical sites and cultural organizations. Field Trip Grants help give children these unique, firsthand learning experiences.

Check out the Target® Field Trip Grants program. 

Target is working with non-profit organizations to spread the word about Field Trip Grants. This year, Target will award 5,000 grants of up to $700 to help fund field trips to great educational destinations—like the Ordway's Center for the Performing Arts, for example!

The grant deadline is only 38 days away!
Visit Target.com/grants for details. 

If you have any questions about how to organize a fun, memorable field trip with us, call the Ordway Education hot line at 651-282-3115!

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Announcing the 2012 Flint Hills International Children's Festival Performances!

Tickets go on sale on September 2nd at 7am for the 2012 Flint Hills International Children's Festival School Performances & Workshops!

Tickets are just $3.50 each and bus reimbursement is available for all schools!

Watch your mailbox for the new brochure or call the education hotline at 651-282-3115 with any questions!


2012 Festival Performances


World of Rhythm
MAY 29 - JUNE 1 
Recommended Grades K-8
Explore the world of percussion with Drums United’s explosive performances of World of Rhythm. Drums United is made up of nine percussionists from seven different countries includingBangladesh, Senegal, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Surinam, and Venezuela. This exciting show mixes African, Latin, Spanish, and Indian drum traditions with Western drumming and usescontemporary electronic sounds that are sure to get you moving in your seat! The performance not only gives the audience an opportunity to listen and watch top players, but also imparts the underlying message that people from widely varying nationalities can work well together.
drumsunited.com

Zorro
MAY 29 - JUNE 1 
Recommended Grades 3-8
A mysterious figure has arrived in town. A flurry of a cape, the glint of a sword and a flash of a mask; who is this baffling character? Exciting friend or formidable foe? Watch as our masked champion ricochets from one sticky situation to another in a world where justice is the name and adventure is the game! Join Visible Fictions on the epic adventure of the classic swashbuckler in 17th century California.
visiblefictions.co.uk



The Wolf and the Goat
MAY 29 - JUNE 1 
Recommended Grades 4-8
This magical story is about a wolf and a goat that meet on a dark night far away from home, but don’t recognize each other. Forgetting that they are usually enemies, they discover that they are closer than they imagined. Will the goat really be brave and the wolf frightened? Or maybe nothing changes and the wolf will eat the goat? Or maybe the frightened goat will escape? Like the wolf and the goat, we don’t know what is going to happen - do you?

Inspired by the Japanese novel One Stormy Night by Yuichi Kimura, this captivating tale will keep you spellbound.
rodisio.it
BAM
MAY 29 - JUNE 1
 
Please note: 45 minute performance including a question and answer with the performers.
Recommended Grades PK-2
Join Théâtre des Petites Âmes on a great adventure in the land of Tran Tran Troo! Meet the most famous person in Tran Tran Troo, the Great Lady La, who can make the water sing. One hot summer night, the land of Tran Tran Troo dries up and the Great Lady La is left without a voice. Luckily for our story, the Great Lady La’s two children, Lilou and Lalou, set out to find a new source of water to hear their mother’s song again. And so begins a great adventure which takes place here, there and everywhere.
theatredespetitesames.com







Festival Global Arts Workshops
Engage your students in hands-on Global Arts Workshops during the Flint Hills International Children’s Festival. These one-hour workshops are taught by Twin Cities’ artists, and cost just $3.50 per student!
All Festival Workshops go on sale Sept. 2, 2011 with the Festival school performances. 
Latin American Folkloric Music
May 29, 2012
Suggested Grades 2-6
Explore the music and instruments of Latin American folkloric music with Ecuadorian educator and performer Leo Lara. Students will learn the text and meaning of traditional songs and rhythms of Latin
American countries through interactive demonstrations and instrument try-outs!

 

Mexihca Culture & Dance
May 30, 2012
Suggested Grades 2-6
In this all-abilities dance workshop, students will learn the traditions, history and art of
dance of the Mexihca (Aztec)
culture with Kalpulli Yaocenoxtli.
Latin Social Dance
May 31, 2012
Suggested Grades 2-6
Cowles Center instructor Giselle Mejia will teach a wide variety of social dances born out of
Latin America. Styles include salsa, merengue, bachata, cumbia, and mambo. Students
get ready to move, as we will learn the basic steps to each dance style.



West African Movement

May 31, 2012
Suggested Grades 3-8
Explore the movements that became the fundamentals for hip-hop, jazz, and many other modern dance styles through an experiential class on traditional West African dance with Fatawu Sayibu, director of Tiyumba Dance Company.




Taiko Drumming
June 1, 2012
Suggested Grades 3-8
Learn the techniques and history of taiko drumming with a taiko performing artist. Students get the opportunity to play on a taiko practice drum with a Mu Performing Arts instructor!

 


NEW! Hip-Hop Dance
June 1, 2012
Suggested Grades 2-6
Join teaching artist Leah Nelson as she introduces students to the history of hip-hop dance
culture through instruction in the fundamentals of popping, locking, and breaking.