BANK OF AMERICA FAMILY SERIES CONTINUES AS THE NORTHEAST BALLET, PROCTORS, AND REGIONAL SCHOOLS PARTICIPATE IN STORIES THAT DANCE, AN ARTS EDUCATION PROJECT, FOR THE FOURTH YEAR.
Schenectady, NY---During the months of February and March of 2008, through Proctors Education Department, Darlene Myers and the Northeast Ballet Company will work with the talent of local students to bring their stories to life with a performance on the mainstage on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at 7pm as part of the Bank of America Family Series.
This will be the fourth year that Proctors leads regional schools in this educational program. Stories That Dance is a significant arts in education program where student stories are brought to life on stage through dance.
Working in three school classrooms each season, Proctors and Northeast Ballet Company work in partnership to create a beautifully choreographed and fully produced dance performance. Students write a story, work for a full week with Northeast Ballet Company at their school, attend a dress rehearsal and then participate in the live performance. While in residence at each school, students learn about movement and choreography, music selection, character development, as well as production elements of lighting, sound design and stage management. This year, there is a three-school theme of immigration.
The schools that will participate in this program will be Howe International Magnet School in Schenectady, Teacher Dan Brudos 4th grade February 11-15, 1:15-2:45pm, Abram Lansing School in Cohoes, Teacher Mary Ann DeCarr 4th Grade February 25-29, 1-2:30pm and Park Terrace School in Gloversville, Teacher Nancy Brown 5th grade March 10-14, 12:50-2:20pm.
The Northeast Ballet and select students will perform Stories That Dance, the dance created during the classroom residencies, at the mainstage at Proctors, on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at 7pm. Student Group tickets are $5, Adults 6$. Individual children tickets are $7 and individual adults are $8. To order tickets visit Proctor’s website at proctors.org, or call (518) 346-6204. This performance is sponsored by Bank of America.
Proctors Education Division is committed to Education. A variety of programs are offered to integrate the arts into school curriculum, foster creativity and lifelong participation in the arts, and increase appreciation for the regions diverse heritage. For more information go to proctors.org.
This performance is sponsored, in part, by The New York State Council on The Arts, a state agency.
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Here also is a story written by Hannah Bush, a Student at Niskayuna High School
Immigration stories to take Proctors Stage
By Hannah Bush
As March Madness month approaches, many sit by their TV's enjoying the basketball games. On the other hand, Proctors Education program and the Northeast Ballet Company prepare for their own month's madness, Stories that Dance.
Every year, selected schools from different districts participate with Proctors and the Northeast Ballet Company, preparing to make their story come to life on stage. Members of the ballet company travel with Director Darlene Myers to each school and work with a classroom of school children.
This year Northeast Ballet is working with immigration stories from a school in Schenectady, Cohoes and Gloversville. Before the visit, each classroom has prepared a story, written by the children of any topic. In the past there have been alien, slave, and animal stories. As the dancers arrive on Monday afternoon to each school, the story is as much of a surprise to them as the art world is to the children.
Learning about everything from costumes to stages, pointe shoes and tendus, the children progress throughout the week enhancing their story and working with the dancers. They learn that dancers use their bodies to communicate as writers use their pen and paper. As the children work every day on their story, so do the ballet dancers. Sometimes rehearsing six hours a day, the company selects music and choreographs, becoming the characters in the story.
By the end of the week, the children have learned how their piece will be lighted on stage, what costumes the dancers will wear and have put the finishing touches on their story. In the studio, the ballet dancers have finished the children's piece and continue to polish it as the performance approaches. As the students have written their story, they are also able to perform it on stage with the company members. Whether they are the monkeys in one scene, reading the story to the audience, or help with the props, each child has the opportunity to be part of the final performance.
So come and join in the magical world where stories really do come to life! Don't miss Stories that Dance 2008 at Proctors Theatre March 25 at 7 PM.
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