November Gifts

Theatre – alive and well in Maine high schools

One of the best parts about November is that high schools across Maine provide opportunities for students to perform in theatre productions. The added benefits to our state are many! People of all ages can engage in stories, some old and classic, and some newer. The community including parents, children, seniors, retired folks and anyone who lives in the town where the school is located, as well as surrounding towns, have a chance to watch, listen and learn as teens take to the stage. There aren’t many opportunities during a school year for citizens to enter our school buildings. These performances can serve as advocacy for not only theatre programs but dance, music, and visual art since all of the arts are often utilized through the theatre production.

The skills and experiences gained through participation in theatre productions are not learned elsewhere!

CONGRATULATIONS…

…to all the high schoolers taking part in plays. I know that to give your best performance you have practiced for many days and weeks which amount to many hours while still keeping up with attending classes and doing homework. You’ve worked individually and with your peers practicing lines, your position on stage with how and where and when to move. You have collaborated with teachers, actors, light and sound students, costume and make up people. Your success relies on the commitment and cooperation of a huge number of people.

THANK YOU…

…to all the educators who give opening of their time after the normal school day to support the many students who participate in the theatre program. I know we have some Maine schools with theatre teachers who provide classes during the day that contribute to the production but most are doing this work after school. Your patience, kindness, and influence inspiring theatre students is amazing.

SUPPORT…

We know that it takes many people beyond the actors and teachers who help support the production in many different ways. Thank you to all of you lovers of the theatre and students who participate. I encourage everyone reading this blog post to attend a play going on at your local high school. Nothing like a full house to feel appreciated when performing!

The following are a few of the plays that are taking place in the next couple of weeks. If you are aware of others please email me at meartsed@gmail.com and I’d be glad to add them to this blog post. Thanks!

Thornton Academy, Saco presents The Odyssey. MORE INFORMATION!

Camden Hills Regional High School presents Mamma Mia! MORE INFORMATION!

Medomak Valley High School, Waldoboro presents Hello Dolly! MORE INFORMATION!

Waterville Senior High School presents Momma Mia! LEARN MORE!

Belfast High School present Grease. MORE INFORMATION!

Orono High School presents Mamma Mia! MORE INFORMATION!

Mount Desert Island High School presents Oliver! MORE INFORMATION!

Break a leg!

Thornton Academy Choir

Director of vocal music at Thornton Academy, Catherine Murray spent hours learning the program and putting this together for the holiday! Wonderful tribute to her students in the middle of a pandemic.

I Am Grateful for Dance

Thornton Academy Dance program

The dance education program at Thornton Academy is well established and meeting the needs of all learners who are deeply engaged in their learning. Thornton Dance educator and Maine Arts Leadership Initiative Teacher Leader Emma Campbell has high expectations and understands how to connect with all students.

Every year Emma has students respond to the question – What am I grateful for? In a non-Covid year student responses write their gratitude notes on giant cut out leaves and tape them to the mirror in the dance studio.

This year the assignment was adapted to replicate while students are at home this year. They use the Google app called jam board to draft the notes. So everyone contributes a sticky note and then they get to pick from that as groups of that makes sense. Students use this format so there was no need to learn a new concept for the project.

Emma splits the group into breakout rooms to brainstorm thoughts and ideas and recorded one voice from each group and sent Emma the recording. She screen recorded them saying the phrase. Emma takes the footage and voices and does the editing and uploaded it to YouTube. The results are below. A wonderful way to incorporate dance into student thoughts and the outcome is amazing! Thank you Emma and Thornton Academy dancers for sharing your love for dancing and your gratefulness during this season.

Fall Into Dance

Community Dance Performance

One hundred and forty young dancers representing twelve schools and studios participated in the 4th annual Fall Into Dance performance at Thornton Academy on November 16. It was an amazing evening filled with energy, variety, and thought provoking dances. Students were confident, skilled, fun and serious. They danced with their hearts and it was clear that they were invested and passionate about their dancing. I was reminded over and over about how critical dance education is to the development of each young person. I was very impressed!

A great big THANK YOU to Emma Arnestam Campbell, Thornton Academy dance teacher, and Maine Arts Leadership Initiative Teacher Leader (MAL), for her time and energy behind helping to establish this yearly performance. And, thank you to the many dance educators, instructors, and parents who help make the performance possible. And, the students who have dance in their hearts!

The money raised goes directly to the Maine Arts Commission Dance Education Grant. This year, in spite of the snowy weather, the event raised $3,810.00. To date the dance education grant has awarded $17,421.00. Dancers Making a Difference contributing one year to this grant in addition to the funds raised by Fall Into Dance. All of this money goes directly to schools to create a dance education opportunity that works towards establishing dance education programs.

The grant will be available this winter, watch for the announcement in this blog and the weekly email to the arts education list-serv. (Consider subscribing to this blog on the right side of this page so you don’t miss the announcement).

To learn more about the Maine Arts Commission Dance Education grant please go to THIS LINK. 

Students from the following participated:

• Berwick Academy
• Brixham Danceworks
• Community Dance Project
• Dance Moves Maine
• Drouin Dance Center
• Exchange Street Studio
• Miss Annabelle’s Dance
• New England Dance Project
• Portland Youth Dance
• Steppin’ Out Dance Center
• Studio for the Living Arts Dance Complex
• Thornton Academy

Dancers Making a Difference

Dance performance March 4 – Noble High School

Under the direction of Emma Campbell, the Thornton Academy dancers performed at the Southern Maine Regional Finals for Poetry Out Loud which took place on Tuesday, February 28 at Thornton Academy.

The dance education community is amazing. I’ve included information on the blog about the work that has taken place, starting in 2015 that raised funds to establish a dance education grant that the Maine Arts Commission administered. The first round provided money for a dance residency in MSAD #33. You can read all about it on the blog posts from February 9-11. Here is THE LINK to the first of the series.

Now we have an another opportunity to add to the fund and provide more grants, thanks to “Dancers Making a Difference”. The following dance programs will be participating in the performance: Alegria Dance Company, Belletete Ballet Company, Berwick Academy, Brixham Danceworks, Community Dance Project, Corinne’s School of Dance, Fusion Dance Academy, Joy of Dance, New England Dance Project, Portsmouth School of Ballet, Sole City Dance, SonDance Academy, Studio 109, Thornton Academy, and Miss Annabelle’s School of Dance.

Their 5th annual benefit performance takes place tomorrow night, March 4, 7:00 at Noble High School in North Berwick. The money raised will be added to the dance education fund which will provide grants for schools that do not offer dance education during the next year. A GREAT BIG THANK YOU to all of the dance programs who are making a difference in Maine dance education!

If you are interested in learning more about the dance education please email me argy.nestor@maine.gov.

Dance Grant Series 3

Dance education funding – “Hopes for the Future”

This is the third of three blog posts included, February 9 – 11, describing the dance education residency that took place in December 2016 from a special grant called the “Hopes for the Future” funding. Maine Arts Leadership Initiative (MALI) Teacher Leader and dance educator from Thornton Academy Emma Campbell collaborated and planted a seed and it grew into a dance education opportunity for Maine students. Thank you to John Morris, teaching artist and dancer for contributing this post. He describes the work that he did in MSAD #33 with the grant funding. Please note: funding will be available again during 2017. Please watch the blog and the Maine Arts Commission arts education list-serv for information.

A Teaching Artist’s Perspective

John Morris

Thanks to a dance grant created by the Thornton Academy Dance Program and the Maine Arts Commission, in December of 2016 I conducted a week-long arts residency for MSAD #33, in Northern Aroostook County. My approach in working with students in dance is creative, student-centered and standards-based. I give students foundational movement tools to invent and explore their own movement, and I guide them through the process of making their own dances.

In collaboration with visual arts teacher Theresa Cerceo, I worked with a group of middle and high school students, and with S.L.A.M.!, the high school arts advocacy group directed by Ms. Cerceo, to create dances based on a theme of identity and community. The dances were shared during an end of week holiday performance put on at Wisdom Middle/High School.

During the week, I also worked with music classes at the elementary school in the district. Along with music teacher Charles Michaud, we explored connections between the elements of music and dance. In addition, I worked with Ms. Cerceo’s visual arts classes to explore the same theme of identity and community.

It was a full week working with every grade level, from Pre-K through grade six, to explore their class content in movement. The students created dances based on poems and visual art works they had made individually and as a group in the weeks before the residency. Their dances incorporated the elements of dance movement, including use of different shapes, change of speeds, and variation of high, middle and low levels. We worked together to structure their dances with clear beginnings, middles and endings. We also addressed the crucial life skills of collaborating with others, building confidence, and evaluating work – all in one class session.

I encountered students in the elementary school at every age and developmental level who were eager to move, explore, and make connections to other content areas, including music, visual art and language arts. They were curious, inventive, and open to exploring the arts in a structured way to express their thoughts and feelings.

The middle and high school students, having more time together, were able to more deeply explore the dynamics of working collaboratively, the process of making artistic choices, and polishing artistic work for performance.

The week went by in a blur, and before I knew it, the performance (a full house!) was over, and I was making the long drive toward southern Maine. I felt both satisfied and inspired by the students’ work. What made this residency so successful? Three factors, which I believe are important for the success of any arts residency in the schools, stood out.

Planning and prep work in collaboration with the teacher

Ms. Cerceo and I were in contact long before the residency began, brainstorming ideas together using a shared Google Doc that allowed us to work around our busy schedules. We arrived at a theme (identity and community) that would be timely for her students to explore in visual art and writing, and that I could work with easily in dance.

As the residency drew closer, we continued to share documents, trade emails, and supplement with a few timely online conference calls. Ms. Cerceo articulated her plan for exploring the theme with her students before my arrival. I shared an outline of how I would approach the theme in movement based on her work and the student samples she posted online. This step was critical, helping me to be ready with a flexible plan for each class, and know what to expect when I walked into each classroom.

Full support of the school administration

Ms. Cerceo maintained regular contact with her administrators about our plans. As a visiting teaching artist, it was both reassuring and freeing for me to know that I had their support. I felt free to fully engage with the students in the creative process of dance-making.

The administrators introduced themselves and welcomed me to their schools. The superintendent of schools in the district sat down with me early one morning before classes began to talk about the residency. The teachers I met expressed their support for the project, and turned out in force for the performance on Friday night.

 

Classroom culture

I could tell that the students were used to focusing on the process of structured creative exploration in their classes. Also, because their teachers had prepared them for my visit, they were excited and positive about our working together. One fourth grade student even sent me a video in advance, inviting me to create a dance with her!

This expectant, growth-oriented mindset set the tone for our time together, and was supported by the collaborative planning Ms. Cerceo and I did beforehand. The connections she and I found between our ways of working helped her to guide the students with confidence that my work with them would integrate with their classwork, and deepen their connections to the arts.

Thank you John Morris for providing this blog post and the work that you did before and during the dance education residency in MSAD #33. I am sure that the learning that you provided will be felt for the lifetime of those involved.

Dance Grant Series 1

Dance education funding – “Hopes for the Future”

This is the first of three blog posts that will be included, February 9 – 11, describing the dance education residency that took place in December 2016 from a special grant called the “Hopes for the Future” funding. Maine Arts Leadership Initiative (MALI) Teacher Leader and dance educator from Thornton Academy Emma Campbell collaborated and planted a seed and it grew into a dance education opportunity for Maine students. Learn more from this series of posts. Please note: funding will be available again during 2017. Watch the blog and the Maine Arts Commission arts education list-serv for information.

In November of 2015 a collaborative performance was held at Thornton Academy in Saco. Two schools and five dance studios work together as part of the Community Dance Project to create the performance and raise funds to help establish a dance education grant. The “Hopes for the Future,” funding was available to schools/districts who have no dance education program in place during the school day. Applications were accepted with a handful of guidelines. Two of them being that the funding was to be used during the 2016-17 school year and a dance educator from the Maine Arts Commission Teaching Artist roster had to be selected to provide the artist residency.  The roster presently has 15 dance artists.

The funding was to be used as seed money so schools/districts would actually have a complete opportunity to experience the benefits of dance education for learners. In April 2016 the funding was awarded to MSAD #33, comprised of Dr. Levesque Elementary School in Frenchville and Wisdom Middle/High School in St. Agatha located in the northern most part of Aroostook County.  The district’s 240 students and teachers had the unique opportunity in December 2016 for dance educator/teaching artist John Morris to spend a week in their schools.

I was thrilled to be able to travel to the County and visit the classrooms and see the students in action working with John Morris. Along with John worked closely with art teacher Theresa Cerceo and music teacher Charles Michaud to be sure that the learning opportunity was at an extremely high level. The preparation work that both teachers did before John arrived was evident. The 5 days were documented very well with photos, video footage, quotes from students and staff. It was obvious at the culminating performance on a chilly Friday night in St. Agatha that the opportunity exceeded the expectations.

Dr. Fern Desjardins, Superintendent of Schools, MSAD #33 said the following:

“MSAD #33 had a unique opportunity to have a dance artist come to the District for a weeklong residency to introduce K-12 students to dance education as an art form.  I gratefully acknowledge Thornton Academy for their generous donation to the Maine Arts Commission to make the competitive grant, “Hopes for the Future” possible.  To bring dance to our rural area opened our students to a different way of expressing themselves by using a talent they may not have recognized or even considered.  This could have opened career options for some of our students who were not destined to seek a post-secondary college degree.  As I watched the closing performance of students at Wisdom Middle/High School’s Night of the Arts, I saw how dance artist John Morris had reached students of all academic abilities.  I was convinced I needed to make an effort to bring Mr. Morris back next spring for a follow-up residency.  He made it possible for a segment of our student population to really express their creative talents that are not otherwise discovered and displayed for our community to observe and truly appreciate – as they did on the evening of December 9, 2016.  The smiles, applause, and comments from the audience brought much pride to our little school.”

Lisa Bernier Principal at the Dr. Levesque Elementary School, Frenchville said the following:

“Having Mr. Morris in MSAD# 33 was phenomenal for students.  Not all students will excel in sports.  The students who participated and benefited in the Dance Residency are students who have talents that would have remained hidden otherwise, especially at the high school level. Administrators and the community of MSAD# 33 believe in the arts and it’s ability to shape and mold the lives of all students. The residency solidified our belief.  We are also very lucky to have exceptional educators who care enough to go above and beyond to bring such activities to the district.”

Over the next 3 days you will have the chance to read more posts that explain the details of the dance education residency. If you have questions please don’t hesitate to contact me at argy.nestor@maine.gov.

MSAD #33 Dance Residency

Wisdom Middle/High School and Dr. Levesque Elementary School

Students practicing their dance

A week long dance education opportunity last week culminated on Friday evening with a performance at the Wisdom Middle/High School. The Winter Arts Evening included dance, music and visual art and was absolutely wonderful. With standing room only the school was filled with excited and proud parents, siblings, school staff members and other community members! The students outstanding performance brought smiles and some tears to their faces.

It was an amazing week for the students in MSAD #33 at the Wisdom Middle/High School and the Dr. Levesque Elementary Schools. All students had the opportunity to work with dance teaching artist John Morris thanks to funding provided by a benefit performance that took place in November 2015 at the Thornton Academy in Saco. Dance educator Emma Campbell coordinated the effort along with 9 other dance programs.

John working with kindergarten class

The grant was written by Theresa Cerceo, art teacher from MSAD #33 and John Morris. The dance unit connected with visual art, music, and dance and took place as part of the art and music curriculum. Charles Michaud is the district music teacher who participated as well. Students learned about the similarities and differences of the 3 arts disciplines. Students made art, music, and writings and responded to it through dance.

I was fortunate to be able to be in the County for part of the week and was thrilled to have the chance to see the work up close. The impact on students was enormous.

Theresa and Charles

There will be a series of blog posts in the near future so you can learn more about the success in MSAD #33. Thanks to another generous donation from a dance performance at Thornton Academy in November 2016, the Maine Arts Commission will be offering another dance education grant for Maine schools/districts to apply for. Watch the blog this Winter for the posts and the announcement about the grant coming in early Spring.

One of the dances created and performed was depicting senior Jasmine M. DeMoranville’s poem.

Art

Pencil to paer
Brush to board
Glare at the table
Find the word

Something’s wrong
The paper’s off
The board is breaking
In your head there’s a gong
What is it that’s wrong?
Think again

A thought is forming
Words are swarming
Something’s off
The paper’s warning

Eyes are straining
Brain is whirring
Thoughts are becoming broken
Fingers twitch to find a token
What is wrong?

Disavow
Break through
Broken voice
Say thank you

Tone is flat
Face is hard to look at
Once distracted
Fall to the wrong format

The alley is dark
Nothing is visible
Plain as bark
See it flicker
Was that a spark?

The world is screaming
Ears are bleeding
Something wrong
Think through the noise.

The thought is sudden
Stunned and broken
But it’s there

The screaming is louder
Distracting
Attention pulling
Words are clear and blurry
Think harder
Think deeper

Answers drip from mind to tongue
Still unclear
Find the words

It drifts away
Grab it!
Color
Emotion
Shadow

Noise stops
Clarity settles
Words settle on fingertips
Art

A whisper on the breeze
I need it

Big Fun Friday

What a day!

I had the pleasure of participating in three very different events last Friday. The STEM Summit, the 3-day reading of Moby Dick, and an amazing dance performance at Thornton Academy.

STEM SUMMIT

My morning started at Colby College at the STEM Summit “Building Bridges: Developing Partnerships to Build Capacity for STEM Education in Maine”. I was a member of a panel including Lindsey Pinchbeck, SweetTree Arts; Brett Elwell, EverFi; Hannah Walden, Maine Central Institute; Kate Cook Whitt, Thomas College; and Eva Szillery, Maine Mathematics Science and Engineering Talent Search. The session was called “Addressing STEM From Differing Perspectives for Students” and below is the description. I had the chance to share some of the amazing Maine arts educators work happening in STEAM in Maine!!

Designing engaging STEM learning experiences cannot be done through one-size-fits all approaches. This panel showcases the wide variety of ways learners can access STEM, through the arts, sports, coding, and others. Learn about the opportunities that are available to Maine’s teachers and how you can participate in these innovative approaches to STEM learning and teaching.

Irwin Gratz

PORTLAND MUSEUM OF ART

From there I headed south to the Portland Museum of Art to participate in the three-day non-stop reading of the classic Moby Dick. It was fun and a fairly intense experience. We had to read from the book that they provided. For those of you who have read the book the language can be challenging and the sentences a mile long. It has been some time since I read to my own sons or my middle school students so reading out loud felt like a new experience. By the end my eyes were bouncing!

Interestingly enough, from PBS radio, Irwin Gratz read not to long before my scheduled 10 minutes. And, not long after me Julie Richard read. What I loved most but wasn’t able to appreciate it (since I was looking down to follow along in the book) was behind the reader on the large screen were rotating images of a graphic novel of Moby Dick.

FALL INTO DANCE

My last stop of the day was at Thornton Academy in Saco for the Fall Into Dance concert. Participating schools: Thornton Academy, Berwick Academy, Studio for the Living Arts, Collective Motion, Community Dance Project, New England Dance Project. Last years performance raised $2,650 and the funding was awarded to MSAD #33 for a dance education residency which will take place in two weeks. I was stunned when I read on the giant check the amount of $3575.00. Look for the information in the future and begin conversations with your colleagues about possibilities of having a teaching artist at your school next school year.

Announcing the amount of $3575.00 being given to the Maine Arts Commission to disperse as a dance education grant.

 

Dance Education Grant Opportunity

Does Your School Have Rhythm but No Dance?

Photo taken by David Hanright

Through the combined efforts of eight dance schools and studios, and the Maine Arts Commission, a unique grant offering has been created. Any PK-12 school without a dance education program is eligible to apply for this one-time grant of $2,650. The award will help fund a dance program taught by an artist from the Maine Arts Commission’s TEACHING ARTIST ROSTER. The deadline for applications is March 4 and guidelines for the grant can be found on the Arts Commission WEBSITE.

Photo taken by Benjamin Nasse

Only a small number of dance educations programs are offered in Maine and a group of teachers saw an opportunity to help a school in need. Thornton Academy dance instructor and Maine Arts Leadership Initiative Teacher Leader Emma Arenstam Campbell said: “I strongly believe in the value that dance can bring to a students educational experience and I want to help support students who may not otherwise receive any formal dance instruction.  As a 9-12 dance educator I see the positive impact dance has on both student achievement and school culture.  It was a joyful undertaking to produce this event knowing that the funds will be directly supporting dance education in Maine.” The collaboration worked to fund and create this grant, which will bring high-quality dance instruction to a school without dance instruction in place. This opportunity is open to all grade levels to fund a program which would be taught between April 15 and December 30, 2016.

Photo taken by Benjamin Nasse

The Maine Artc Commission sees this as a potential model for funding similar programs in other arts disciplines. “The collaboration between Thornton and its partner dance schools reached out to the Commission when they realized they could benefit a school from across the state,” state Julie Richard, Executive Director of the Maine Arts Commission, “Their generosity is exemplary and we are thrilled to be offering this grant.”

To learn more about the agency’s PK-12 Teaching Artist program or how to develop a grant like this one, contact Argy Nestor at argy.nestor@maine.gov or 207-287-2713.

Photo by David Hanright