Aimee Art Productions provides Interdisciplinary courses where you can learn anything from cooking to making your own MTV music video. Group classes are provided throughout Los Angeles and are a great way for your child and friends to delve deeper into their creative side. Teaching Artists approach writing, movement and film with an artistic flair providing classes such as storytime yoga, creative writing, using your own experience to write a play and studying art at various times throughout history such as The Harlem Renaissance. Film courses are also offered such as Teen Screenplay, Make your own Music Video and Making a Movie.
Most of the following classes are also offered in a Parent-and-Me option, geared for students ages 18 months to 5 years and their caregivers. Contact us for more information!
Guitar & Photo Classes: Supplies Required. Children bring their own guitar or camera or we add a lab fee – email us for prices
Musical Theatre
Grades: K-3, 4-6
Students rehearse and perform a short musical play such as Peter Pan, The Sound of Music, Wicked, or Mary Poppins in the extreme abridged version adapted by me with live piano and singing. Students may also create a musical revue with a medley of different musical theatre songs, depending on the interests of the students. Dialogue links the songs together with student narrators, bringing the songs to life with a short storyline, creating a 30-40 minute final performance.
The Writing Club
Grades: K-3, 4-6
The Writing Club is a series of after-school creative writing classes for elementary kids in the Silverlake/Atwater Village neighborhoods of Los Angeles. More information at The Writing Club’s website.
Multicultural Chorus
Grades: 3-5, 6-8
Students learn a variety of songs from different cultures, using harmony, call-and-response, and some rhythms and chants. Songs from South Africa, our American Indian nation, Scotland, Zulu tribal chants, and more are explored in a fun, enriching class, which explores the geography, people, and culture of each land studied when a song is learned.
Lyrical Dance
Grades: K-3, 4-6
Students use scarves and streamers to express themselves in the joy of dance to contemporary music, combining Ballet technique with Jazz and Modern influences to create beauty and self-expression, as well as fitness and exercise in the art form of Dance. Elements of Dance such as line, quality of movement (melt, bend, reach, stretch, etc.) pathways of movement (zigzag, curve, straight line), levels (high, medium, low), axial (in fixed space) and locomotor (traveling) movement are explored.
Create an Original Musical
Grades: K-3, 4-6
Students work with the instructor to create their own original musical with songs, lyrics and story, told through music with some pantomime and some minimal dialogue. Young performers create their own characters, plot, conflict and resolution, and Teaching Artist creates script from their ideas, accompanying them with guitar and piano on their original songs as they sing and perform their final creation.
Storybook Music & Movement
Grades: K-3, 4-6
Students read fun age-appropriate books (or instructor reads them aloud) and then dig into the world of the story with song and dance. Examples include CInderella stories from around the world with Waltz, Arabian Dance, and Salsa, Angelina Ballerina with Ballet and Classical Music, and What Makes Music with Do Re Mi song and Boomwhacker Dance.
Recorders
Grades: K-3, 4-6
Students are given their own recorder and book (materials fee $10 per child) and learn the musical notes, scales, the beginnings of music notation (quarter note, half note, whole note) and pitch (ABCDEF on the musical staff). They play some of their favorite songs and have the option of performing whole group songs, solos, duets, trios and small ensembles for a final performance of simple, beautiful songs on the recorder. Some students also write their own pieces and perform them.
Keyboarding
Grades: K-3, 4-6
Students bring their own keyboards and/or instructor brings several, and learn the basics of piano technique, note-reading, scales and songs! They even compose their own piece.
Little Composers
Grades: K-3, 4-6
Students explore a different composer each week, from Vivaldi to Gershwin to the Beatles, delving into their music, theory, history and elements of music (tempo — fast and slow, dynamics — loud and soft, and pitch– high and low.) Different rhythms are explored using drums, rhythm sticks and Boomwhackers, and students dance with scarves, create movement with streamers, and sing along to their heart’s content, making music history fun and accessible.
R.E.A.C.H.
Grades: K-3, 4-6
Reliability, Excellence, Achievement, Creativity and Honesty — A song study in Enduring Character Values such as honesty, community, loyalty, compassion, and creativity. Students sing and explore songs with these themes and have fun learning about harmony, melody, rhythm, and pitch. Class culminates in an informal concert for families.
Glee!
Grades: K-3, 4-6
Students sing contemporary music such as “Roar” by Katy Perry, “Count on Me” by Bruno Mars, “Brave” by Sara Bareilles, “Let It Go” from Frozen, and more, using their best vocal technique, harmonies, and simple movements and gestures. Students learn vocal warmups and explore pitch (high and low), dynamics (loud and soft) and tempo (fast and slow) to create a beautiful repertoire of contemporary music with variety and fun.
Percussion Party!
Grades: K-3, 4-6
Students use rhythm sticks, shakers, drums, and Boomwhackers to create songs, stories, dances and rhythm patterns. Students learn basic music notation such as quarter note, half note, whole note, and the musical scale ABCDEFG and Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do.
Boomwhacker Sis-Boom-Bah!
Grades: K-3, 4-6
Students learn the diatonic scale (C to C) and explore it with Boomwhackers (colored tubes of different lengths, each with a different pitch). They have relay races, play games, sing songs and learn dances, all using these amazing Boomwhackers, which make a boom when you whack them!
Plush Robotics + Robot Artists
Instructor: Dr. Sheila Tejada
Grades: 3-5
Join us in some Tech Fun! Each student will learn basic computing principles, while experimenting with batteries and LEDs to create their own adorable plush interactive robots. They will also create art by programming our ladybug robots to draw and paint designs. This is a wonderful opportunity to prepare students for a future creating technology in the supportive environment, where they can feel comfortable to be creative, and build their self-confidence as innovators. For ages 8+, no prior computing experience needed.
Kids Who Juice
Instructor: LaKeashaFIT
Grades: K-5
A non bake class designed to teach kids the importance of living a healthy lifestyle through a cooking/juicing course providing healthier options to their typical after school snacks. Each week, kids will learn one dish and create one juicing recipe to be shared and demonstrated to parents at the end of class sessions as a “Class Feast”. A class cook/juice book to have as a class keepsake. Lastly, The class will also teach kids how to express themselves through food and teamwork.
The following classes are offered by Naguine Bensimon Tree
Vegetarian, local, seasonal cooking classes
I teach vegetarian cooking to children and adults. Happy Healthy Yummy students cook vegetarian (sometimes vegan) dishes inspired by local, seasonal produce from the Farmer’s Market as well as my travels throughout South America, the Caribbean, and Europe. On a hot day we may blend up some fresh smoothies with greens and on a cool day we’ll whip up a nice warm pasta or rice dish. We taste new flavors, experiment with unique combinations, and fall in love with produce!
¡Que Delicioso! Bilingual Spanish-English cooking classes
Que Delicioso cooking classes are vegetarian cooking classes inspired by my travels through Latin America and Spain. Each week we focus on a different country, prepare a traditional food, and learn Spanish vocabulary. This is mainly a cooking and cultural education class, with introductory Spanish vocabulary.
Happy Healthy Yummy Yoga
Yoga classes introduce physical postures (asanas), breath work (pranayama), mindfulness meditation and play! We learn songs, listen to stories, and move with our bodies and breath. I am a RYT 200-hr certified yoga teacher through Yoga Alliance.
Learn more at www.happyhealthyyummy.wordpress.com
Cooking with Chef Joe
Instructor: Joe Fairbrother
Grades: Kindergarten thru 2nd grade and grades 3 thru 7
Young students will use their fine motor skills by mixing, stirring, and measuring to make home-made recipes. Kids will learn basic cooking techniques, kitchen safety, and how to follow recipe directions. Class instruction includes fun food facts, experiments, and the preparation of fresh seasonal produce.
Students will taste samples from each class and also receive recipes and class curriculum to take home to parents. With every lesson, each child will have the opportunity to both see and have “hands on” experiences with the food we prepare, allowing me to observe their capabilities, focus and enthusiasm.
Cooking boosts students’ self-esteem. They will learn real lessons in Science, Language, Math, and Creativity. Class curriculum also provides lessons in nutrition, healthy eating, and other valuable life lessons. Children who cook are more apt to eat what they make and help more in the kitchen at home. Come cook with Chef Joe!
Parent and Me Cooking Classes
Instructor: Scott Sayre
Local, glutten-free, sugar-free, low-fat, high-energy spectacular fun cooking. Children are eager to learn about cooking. Let this be your opportunity to teach the about cooking/eating healthful delicious meals and snacks. Master Chef Scott Sayre makes learning accessible and fun! Community classes last Thursday of month at the Highland Café or arrange a private class at your house with your child or with your child’s friends.
Clown and Movement
Instructor: Stephanie O’Neill
This class pulls from many clown techniques from the stock characters of commedia dell’arte to classic figures such as Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin. We will learn to use movement to exaggerate and create our characters and interact with each other on stage. A fun class that draws the silly from all of us.
Got Science?
Instructor: Stephanie O’Neill
Grades: K-6
A hands on class exploring the various topics of chemistry, functions of the body, nutrition, biology of animals and their habitat, motion, technology, light, color and sound, photography, space and much more. Each class will focus on a different topic to dissect and discuss. We will be going on hikes on and around campus, creating projects to find out how a volcano erupts, what happens when certain chemicals mix, what’s good to eat and why, light and color through prisms and photography, what moves the body, and the planets and space.
Teen & Tween Pilates
Teaching Artist: Lorena Alvarez
Ages: 9-19
Teens (ages 13-19) and Tweens (ages 9-12) who choose to participate in after-school fitness programs such as Pilates do so with the knowledge that their decision to do so could have a positive impact on improving academic achievement and give them a competitive edge in sports.
Teens and Tweens should be reminded to wear comfortable clothing such as shorts, tights, shirt or tank top. They can forget the shoes as Pilates is usually done without them. Stressed-out teens and tweens will be able to learn how to use the mind-body connection taught during Pilates lessons to help them deal with the stress of school relationships or home life.
Teens and tweens who do not relish getting all sweaty can use the natural strength and flexibility benefits of Pilates by taking each movement slowly. Teens and tweens desiring to increase the heart rate in order to burn calories or receive an accelerated workout can of course take the exercises at a faster pace as long as they remember that the movements should be fluid in nature and done with proper breathing technique.
Crafts and Cooking Around The World
Teaching Artist: Michelle Hanley
Let your imagination, and taste buds run wild in this crafts and cooking class where all of our activities are inspired by the countries we visit! Learn about dreamtime art and vegemite rolls from Australia, create handmade maracas and guacamole from Mexico, and discover Indian spices to eat and form into mandalas, to name a few.
German Culture and Cuisine
Teaching Artist: Pashyo Sarkin
To learn and apply basic knowledge of German language and culture in a fun and interactive classroom setting.
Students will be able to recite the alphabet, count up to twenty and learn basic vocabulary including colors, foods, animals, clothing, and simple sentences. Older students will be able to communicate their name, nationality, age and interests by the end of the course.
The cultural component will include the preparation and eating of traditional German foods, listening to traditional music and discussion of German fairy tales. Older students will also perform short scenes (dialogues) of plays in German.
Bailamos, Cantamos, Jugamos!: Spanish Music and Crafts
Teaching Artist: Aina Hevia
This class is a celebration and exploration of Spanish speaking cultures throughout the world, incorporating music, dance and crafts. We will learn folk songs and dances, as well as build our own instruments using household items. Concentrating mainly on Latin America, we have a rich musical history to draw from, one that incorporates Native Indian traditions, African and European traditions. How better to learn a language and further understand a culture than to sing, dance, and play?
French Culture and Cuisine
Teaching Artist: Megan Fong
This course will familiarize students with French culture through discovering folk tales, learning ABCs, counting to 20 and identifying different foods, clothing styles, colors and animals in French. Students will learn basic french phrases through singing traditional french songs and acting out short skits.
Vegetarian Cooking
Teaching Artist: Tehani Sarreal
We will experiment with our favorite simple vegetarian recipes and enjoy eating and sharing them in a final restaurant for our families.
Tentative Kids Cooking Class Menu
Fruit Salad (with lemon, etc) optional spice
Taco Salad (actual salad with avocado and tortilla strips – completely vegan)
Toasted Veggie Pita Sandwich with Thyme *this one is iffy as it may be a bit too involved…
Breakfast Granola Treats
Chips and Dip Volcano
Potato Veggie-Chorizo Tacos
Mini-Veggie Pizza
Healthy Grilled Cheese
“Fancy” Oatmeal
Veggie Kabobs (with toaster oven only)
Spanish Rice and Risottos
Hummus (from scratch) and Pita Chips (bought) snack food
Cucumber Sushi
Hawaiian “Spam” Musubis
Easy Pastas and Sloppy Joes
Smoothies and Juices (flaxseed, fresh lemonade, ginger)
–Emphasis on Toaster Oven and easy access type of cooking for kids
Italian Culture and Cuisine
Teaching Artist: Milica Stefanovic
Grades: 1st and up
In our 9 week journey through Italy, we will focus on some of the main characteristics of Italian culture. The Italian language is very beautiful, melodic, and easy to learn. We will learn the language through many songs, and other fun and easy ways. We will practice common phrases that would be needed if we ever have to travel to Italy. Then we will learn how to make the most popular Italian food, like pizza, pasta, and most importantly: dessert! We will explore many interesting things about Italian culture, history, and art.
Rock n’ Roll T-shirts
Teaching Artist: Tehani Sarreal
Grades: 1st and up
Turn your old and new t-shirts into wearable and usable art! From iPod holders and wristbands to shaggy pillows and rock ‘n’ roll inspired shirt designs, you’ll never look at t-shirts the same way again. With these fun, easy and creative t-shirt projects, we cut, tie, stretch, pin and sometimes stitch old shirts into works of art! Over 50 different possibilities. All patterns range from minimal stitching or “no sew” designs. T-shirt scraps are always recycled into mini art projects and nothing is ever wasted! Bring your imagination, individuality and create your own unique spin on t-shirt fashion!
Needed Materials:
T-Shirts*
Cardboard squares (2 for every 4 or 5 kids, materials are shared)
Scissors
Box of Safety Pins
Chalk
Rulers
Needles and Thread (depending on projects and age of participants)
*Depending on specific projects (and level of difficulty), t-shirt needs vary. For example, for one project on one day, materials can range from one fitted shirt and one over-sized shirt to on L shirt for each participant. For a 4-class workshop (where you make take-home usable finished projects every class), a pack of (3-5) t-shirts per participant would be substantial to last the whole class, plus a pack for me to demo and one XL shirt to make a class project out of the leftover scraps. Since everyone varies in size, I would have to get t-shirt sizes (at least approximate) for each age range and in special cases for each kid.
High-School Musical
Teaching Artist: Michelle Hanley
Grades: K-6
Learn the basics from the popular movie trilogy – singing, dancing, and acting, combined with stretch and movement excercises. Group routines learned and performed.
Etiquette for Kids!
Teaching Artist: Naomi Carrington
Grades: 3-6
In this fun, interactive environment, kids practice their “occasion-appropriate” behavior and learn new social skills, dining etiquette, and role-playing activities. This includes but is not limited to how to be a host/hostess, how to be a well-mannered and grateful guest, how to write an invitation and thank you note, etc. All classes are filled with fun games, group discussions, etiquette puzzles, and many more ways to build self-confidence and social skills. This class will end with a party that the students put on for their parents.
Let’s Write a Play!
Teaching Artist: Naomi Carrington
Grades: 4-6
In this creative class, students learn how to collaborate in groups by writing a play together. They will learn how to work with one another, building communication and social skills. This class will begin with an exploration of character, plot, genres, and description and will end with a performance of the group plays. Get ready to explore your creative side!
Music and Poetry
Teaching Artist: Naomi Carrington
Grades: 3-6
This class brings together different forms of music (classical, jazz, etc.) with the art of poetry writing. Students will learn to put the feelings evoked from the music into words. This class will end with the recitation of their poems with the accompanying music.
Fitness Boot Camp for Kids
Teaching Artist: Staff
Grades: K-6
Shake off the winter blues with a fun fitness and gym class taught by certified group fitness instructor and kids’ strength and conditioning coach, Annette Ricchiazzi (or Ms. Annette). Fun boot camp-inspired obstacle courses, plyometric exercises, dance-inspired aerobics, strength and conditioning drills, basic yoga positions and stretching, plus a lot more. Also, built into the class are lessons about breathing, relaxation, hydration, nutrition and preparation for athletic performance. Participants should wear athletic shoes and bring a bottle of water to class.
Cooking with Character
Teacher: Kristen Herbert, Staff
Grades: Pre-K and up
Whatfoods create which experience? Or, “that tastes good, now why?” Wewill explore what makes food special and how it can be enhanced throughspecial combinations and cooking techniques. We will make and tasteseveral recipes together and create a culinary experience. Can useheat or no heat. Learn about Food Pyramid and nutrition, make aprons,menus and a restaurant for families on last day. All recipes are fun,creative, hands-on and nutritious.
Books For Cooks
Teacher: After-School Days Instructor
Grades: K-8
We’ve partnered with our friends at www.kitchenaid.com to bring you this yummy class. Reading has never tasted so good! In this class, your child will listen to a favorite children’s book and then create a tasty treat inspire by the story. Very Hungry Caterpillar snacks, anyone? All ingredients are supplied for our little chefs’ nutritious nibbles.
Shadow Puppets Parade the World!
Teacher: Mrs. Jasmine
Materials fee: $5
Grades: 1-2 (Ages 5-7) or Grades 2-3 (Ages 6-8). Kindergarten version also available
Children will experience a shadow puppet performance of a different world folk tale each week. They will then create characters focusing on the themes and values of each folktale to build their own shadow puppets with black cut-out paper parts, colored tissue and sticks. They will manipulate shadows with their puppets behind a white sheet screen and lamp, while accompanied by a sound garden of percussion with local interdisciplinary and multicultural teaching artist Mrs. Jasmine, trained in the Music Center’s Summer Institute in shadow puppetry and an experienced performer herself. Students will also have the opportunity to create imaginative “quick puppets” made of re-purposed materials to take home as a reminder of the world folk story of the day. Children will learn about puppet styles, movement and sound effects. Class culminates in a final performance of shadow puppetry parading the world’s cultures with music, simple dialogue and narration by the teaching artist.
Puppet-Making Around the World
Teacher: Dan Rae Wilson
Grades: preschool to 5th
An overview of various forms of puppet making from all around the world including traditional hand puppets, shadow puppets, toy theater and mask work. This class offers a historical background while allowing for opportunities to construct a puppet in each style explored, culminating with class performances in the various styles. This class could vary depending on the age range, focusing less on history and more on imagery for the younger folks.
Film
I Want My MTV! Make Your Own Music Video
Teacher: Adam Collis
Grades: 1st and up
Students choose their favorite songs and bring them to life in a music video. Students learn how to conceive of a music video, how to use a camera, how to properly compose a shot, hot to use the camera in expressive and emotional ways, and how to edit video (non-technological). Students will also act and/or lip synch the song. Class culminates in a film festival for the community.
Story Class and Storyboarding
Teacher: Steve Loizos
Grades: 1st and up
When you can tell a story, you can do anything. Stories inform songs, books, films and every else. Who is it about? What is the story about? How do we make the audience care? We will do this through the cool world of storyboarding; the essentials of filmmaking. Learn to tell a complete story in two minutes. Learn shot angles and film vocabulary that is used all over the world.
Making a Movie
Teacher: Scott Sayre
Grades: 3rd and up
Using materials around you students will create a short movie based on ideas in their own lives and imaginations. We will film our movies with handheld cameras and produce and edit them, culminating in a film festival for the community.
Teen Screenplay
Teacher: Juliana Schiavo
Grades: 10th to 12th
In this class, teenagers aged 16-18 will learn which ideas to write about, how to make an outline, proper script formatting, and class story structure. Feedback will be given by the teacher and students will learn how to “pitch” their ideas to the class. With mutual support and the completion of writing assignments, students will have a finished screen play that reflects their particular point of view in an entertaining way.
Writing and Words
Make-A-Book
Teacher: After-School Days Instructor
Ages: K-8
The children will write and illustrate their very own 12-page hardcover book. The finished books will be mailed to the child’s home 4 weeks after completion. They are amazing keepsakes and parents wind up ordering reprints for gifts. In class, we develop a story board with each child and supervise their work. These books are written in their own words, although we do help with spelling.
Wiggles, Giggles and Zigzags
Teacher: Staff
Grades: Preschool to 3rd
Students make their own instruments, such as a tambourine, drum, rainstick, or guitar, and then play them to different music and describe how the music makes them feel and want to move. We will write our own haiku poems, experience moving and dancing to music, and wear disguises by creating our own masks and then, wearing them, transform into characters using body language and voices. This interactive approach will activate each child’s imagination and keep them engaged in the creative process in new and exciting ways! The class will culminate in a performance for the school community.
The Harlem Renaissance! Learn About it, Experience It, Re-Create It!
Teacher: Kathy O’Mara
Grades: Preschool to 12th
Through picture books, photos, and stories, we will learn about the radical artistic rebirth that took place in New York in the 1920’s, when African-American painters, poets and musicians took the stage for the first time in U.S. history and began to have a voice. We will learn to dance the Charleston, and to sing songs with African roots such as “Funga Alafia,” which later became the jump rope song of the American South, “L’il Liza Jane.” We’ll create and recite lines of poetry inspired by Langston Hughes, listen to and sing songs by Billie Holiday such as “God Bless the Child,” and view and paint a cityscape of Harlem. We will tie our favorite threads together into one unique tapestry of child-led performance art, including spoken word, dance, song, and visual art. Come learn, create and experience a revolution with us!
Creative Writing
Teacher: Scott Sayre
Grades: 3rd and up
Unleash your creative writer! Write about what happened, what you wish would happen, what never happens, and what you wish hadn’t happened. Write what is in your heart using the skills of the art form such as character, plot, story, setting, and more. Get the tools you need to write it all down!
Writing Your Experience as a Play
Teacher: Scott Sayre
Grades: 7th through 9th
Ever have something funny, scary, or wonderful happen to you? We will take these anecdotes and learn the skills of the art form or playwriting in order to transpose these simple experiences into a play!
Mind Games
Teacher: After School Days Instructor
Grades: K-8
Before there were video games, there were crossword puzzles that occupied our minds. We have an assortment of word scrambles, brain teasers and other word games and we get together once a week and play games, have competitions, win prizes. We make this class so much fun that kids ask us for puzzles to take on long car trips because Nintendo is “boring.” FI UOY CAN DDEECO HSIT NSEECENT, EWL’L VIEG UYO 5$ FOF HET CRIPE FO HET ASSLC; EB URES OT NIBGR YORU TUNNAS TONOIL!
Newspaper Club
Teacher: After School Days Instructor
Grades: K-8
Who better than an experienced print journalist to teach your children every aspect of putting out a school newspaper? The students will be taught how to report the news in their school, cover live events like school plays, sell ads to raise money to support the PTA, shoot photographs and practice writing headlines. We hold mock press conferences and teach them how to ask a question to solicit the information they want. We work on doing research. The instructor will assemble a 4-page newspaper for the school to distribute.
Yoga Train
Teacher: DM Osborne
Grades: K-10 (K-1 are Yoga Fireflies, Grades 2-5 are Lions, Cobras and Dogs, and Grades 6-10 are Peaceful Warriors)
Course Description: Learn Body, Mind, and Self. Yoga Train teaches about the body through posture, alignment, and breath. Students observe their own movements through the various yoga poses and learn to be aware of how their mind and body work together as one. A fun way to explore this age old tradition and build concentration, self-esteem an trust. Materials: Bring your own mat or $15 per child.
YogaEdTM
Grades: K-2; 3-5; and 6-8
Teacher: DM Osborne
Course Description: YogaEdTM courses support children in becoming fit, active learners with a keen sense of personal responsibility. 75-minute lessons include group discussion, yoga poses and games, and guided meditation. Children gain personal confidence and improve coordination as they learn to execute, hold, and flow through balance poses, backbends, twists, and inversions. Through kinesthetic games and partner poses, students build leadership skills and trust in one another. Along the way, students are challenged to contemplate topics like how to handle feelings, how to make mindful choices, and how to listen to themselves and others.
Capoeira
Teacher:Dana Maman, Sarah Peters
Grades:K-12
Capoeira is anAfro-Brazilian art-form developed by slave communities in Brazil. Duringthe 16th century slaves who were brought from Angola have usedcapoeira as a way of resistance against the Portuguese slave owners. Thisart-form incorporates dance, music, and martial-arts and allows for thedevelopment of self control, discipline, and an understanding of one’scharacter and body. It has served as a community building tool whileeducating youth and reminding adults of their history. This class willhave children involved in music and movement while developing a sense ofleadership and confidence. The lesson will also educate students aboutrich afro-Brazillian culture and the context in which capoeira was developed.
Bohemian Ballet
Teacher: Susan Linville
Grades: 3rd – 8th and 9th – 12th
For those who have the passion and desireto learn the classical style of Ballet with a rock’n’roll attitude! Thisclass is a great workout with great music and it will prove to you that Balletcan be fun! Ballet works on your core strength, balance, flexibility andit give you buns of steel!
Scrapbooking
Teacher: Staff
Grades: 2nd and up
Scrapbooking is a fun, expressive way for children to develop their inner-artist while exploring themes such as holidays, history, sports, nature, friends, etc. It is a wonderful and cost effective way to help children develop their self-esteem, creativity and expression of emotions as they record memories in a keep-sake that both children and parents can cherish for a lifetime.
Printmaking Revolution!
Teacher: Madeleine Zygarewicz
Explore various techniques of printmaking and letterpress as we take a whirlwind hands on tour of the history of printing. From religion to the DIY punk zine, we will briefly look at the historical value of printing and how it mobilized various social movements. We will look at famous printed work by Andy Warhol, Albrecht Durer, Vincent Van Gogh, Johannes Gutenberg and more. Discover ways to print from everyday objects and tools in addition to using linoleum block carvings, letterpress, vintage printers’ blocks and wooden type. Share your prints with classmates and leave with a portfolio of your evolution of print. All students will have the opportunity to print on an antique printing press. Projects will range from personal art prints, to promotional posters to handmade books. You will get your hands inky and have some fun!
Zines and Blogs: Self-Exploration & Self-Publishing
Teacher: Madeleine Zygarewicz
Explore your creative voice through writing and visual art as we compile pages for a zine that we will print and distribute within the Marlborough community. In addition to publishing a paper zine, students will create an online version in the form of a blog. From feminism to punk music, to art and fashion, we will look at the value of self-publishing and how it historically and currently mobilizes various social movements. We will examine how the personal can be political. Using lo-fi and hi-fi techniques, we will produce work using typewriters, collage, printmaking, photocopy machines, the computer and much more. You are highly encouraged to explore topics you are studying in other classes. Be ready to challenge yourself to increase your self-expression, get your hands dirty and collaborate with other students!
Dear Diary: Documenting Life through Creative Journals
Teacher: Madeleine Zygarewicz
Throughout time revolutionaries, explorers, and survivors have documented their feelings, findings and circumstances in journals. Whether intended for personal or public viewing many of these journals have sparked and influenced public thought and action. Now it’s your turn to explore and document your personal journey in a journal of artwork and writing. We will examine work by Leonardo da Vinci, Lewis and Clark, Che Guevara, Anne Frank, David Byrne and many other historical and contemporary figures who used the diary as a creative, scientific and political form of expression. We will experiment with writing, typewriters, collage, painting, photography and more. As a class, we will also spearhead a schoolwide, communal journal to submit to the ongoing 1000 Journals Project (1001journals.com)
Paper Arts: Pop Ups, Painting with Paper and more!
Teacher: Madeleine Zygarewicz
Create dynamic visual pieces and sculptures from paper by using collage, pop ups and paper cut outs. We’ll explore positive and negative space, composition, geometric versus organic shapes, and color. This class will look at the end of Matisse’s career when he turned to using scissors to cut out shapes from paper and created wonderful collages. We will also look at contemporary examples of artists using similar methods such as Kara Walker, Chuck Close, Nikki McClure, Famille Summerbelle and folk art from China and Mexico. Some themes explored are identity, nature, and surroundings. In addition, we will learn to make fun pop up and sculptural books looking at current book artists like Carol Barton, who use this medium to tell stories in an interactive way. We will also experiment with paper marbling and paste papers. Cut, fold, glue and pop up with some fun, interactive art pieces in this class!
Practice Strategies to Acheive Your Goals
Teacher: Steve Hughes
Grades: 5th and up
Strategies to acheive your goals and accomplish the things you love to do. This class helps you focus on a clear goals and outlines the ways you will reach them. Things we will work on is forming the big picture, setting up management styles, putting things into practice, focus and attentiveness, learning to enjoy the process as you reach for your goals. Learn to do the things you love without spending so much time on it that you don’t love it anymore. Set your goals and achieve!
“Girls Rocking: Life Skills and Self-Esteem for Girls”
Teaching Artist: Staff
Grades: 3rd – 6th
This class will focus on topics to build life skills and self-esteem for girls including sportsmanship, bullying, working together as a community, saying no to drugs, body awareness, etc. The class will be divided in 2 to 4 teams depending on the life skill topic and girls work together as a team. Topics will coincide with a related physical activity and girls will incorporate running into the class to begin training towards a marathon. If parents wish, there are road races, 5k runs and mini marathons we will participate in as part of or after our final culmination. The Teaching Artist will be responsible for finding where and when a marathon is taking place. Girls in the class will run for free and any additional adult(s) may run for a small fee under $25.
Our goal is to nurture self-worth and respect for others through teamwork, physical activity, group discussions and interactive lessons based on life skills themes. Girls will eventually run 5k which is 3.1 miles and feel good about themselves.
Drama 102 / Irish Dance Drama
Teacher: Maire Clerkin
Grades: 5th and up
In this 15 week course, Máire Clerkin leads her student performers to create a theater performance from a Celtic folk tale, involving improvisation, ensemble speech, movement skills, character development, body percussion, teamwork and Irish Dancing. This will culminate in a spellbinding show that displays the talent and abilities of the cast, in all their glory!
FITNESS FUN
Teacher: Phoenix Brown
Students will workout to the latest dance hits and learn what loving and taking care of your body is all about. Fitness Fun will include exercise games, basic nutrition guidelines and healthy snack ideas that children can share with their parents and friends. With this class under their belts, students will feel confident to bestow new, information and work out tips with all they meet.
SHOWTIME MOVEMENT
Teacher: Phoenix Brown
Students will have a blast with this combination of song and dance style performance. From Taylor Swift, to the Cheetah girls, from N’sync to B2K; Students will learn to sing and dance like top musical artist. Students will benefit from experimenting with different styles of music and dance combined. Group performances and solo, show-stopping spectacles will make this class a delight for any student involved.
STORYTIME SONG AND MOVEMENT
Teacher: Phoenix Brown
Story Time Song and Movement will feature Story time readings of some of the most beloved classics and new favorites in the children’s literary market. During the Story Time Song and Movement class, students will learn songs and movements, which correlate to the story of the day and play enchanting games full of learning, fun and excitement. By the end of Story Time Song And Movement class Children will have an array of stories, songs and movement to teach all of their friends and family.
Youth Chess Masters
Teacher: Jaron Lawson
Learning to think ahead, using strategy to accomplish goals and learning how to compete are all important aspects to helping children grow and mature. Chess is a great game that helps develop these skills in a fun way. During the course of this class, children will hone in and develop techniques to help them in various activities as well as become chess players.
Becoming the Chef with Ms. M
Teacher: Megan Fong
Cooking is not just essential to making sure a diet maintains nutritional balance, it is also fun and doesn’t always have to be rewarded with a snack or treat. During the course of this cooking class first time, novice and semi-pro cookers will experience dining room etiquette, how to handle pots and pans, understanding of safety in a kitchen or when cooking, and presentation of dishes ranging from pizza to play-dough.
“Singing as a Group”
Teacher: Odeya Nini
The class will be devoted to harmonizing and improvising vocally as a group. We will learn new songs, as well as compose our own vocal and musical scores by perhaps inventing our own notation and making our own musical instruments! Students will be exposure to various types of music, learn listen in new ways and asked to think creatively, critically and structurally.
The course will end with a showing of the student’s scores as well as a performance of their compositions.
“Musical Explorations”
Teacher: Patrick Gutman
The class teaches, motivates, and gives the gift of music to children. This interactive class will get your child singing, dancing, drumming, and enjoying the beauty of music. This course will also show them basic music fundamentals while encouraging individual and cooperative growth through the arts. With fun and interactive activities, the class will open the student’s imagination through music, and have them participate in activities that teach them a variety of things that music can offer, all while working together with their classmates and having fun. The final class concert gives the students a chance to shine and be in the spotlight while performing for their family and friends. The class is meant to be a fun way to be introduced into the world of music while working together as a team with one another.
“Music and Art: Let’s Express Ourselves!”
Teacher: Mao Shimizu
This course includes practice in vocalization, such as singing age-appropriate songs, playing the piano or keyboard, drawing, listening, and imagination training. Students will touch keys of the keyboard or piano, make a sound on the keys, explore and discuss with Teaching Artist. Next they will sing songs chosen by artist and students together. Then, students will move into the drawing section of the class. As our Guest Artist plays some tunes, class will draw pictures of whatever they feel, question, or think about. This will be a free-flowing, explorative and relaxing after-school experience in the arts and how music and art intersect. Students will have a chance to explore, express, and enjoy!
“Rhythm and Truth: Kids Rock!”
Teacher: Summer Mencher
Students will have the opportunity to play a wide variety of success oriented instruments (drums, percussion, soothing sounds, etc.), learn relaxation techniques through music, bring in their favorite songs to talk about, write their own songs, and perform either this song or their newly learned drumming techniques for their friends and family. Drumming together helps the kids to open up and be themselves, interacting non-verbally in a safe and creative way with peers and adults. There is no wrong note and no wrong answer here. They are invited to be free as well as learn the importance of listening and supporting one another. What results is a powerful sense of release, connectedness and elation. Combined with the song sharing and song writing, all of these interventions are aimed at building self-esteem, improving sense of support and community, and aiding in powerful self-expression and understanding. The kids will walk away with tools for how to deal with difficult emotions and a new motivation for contributing to the greater good.
More about Rythm and Truth: Rhythm and Truth uses the power music to empower youth, aged kindergarden to high school seniors. I am a board certified music therapist, can create a specialized program catered to any at-risk youth population. For Stone Soup, depending on the age range, we can do anything from songwriting, beat making, burning albums, creating album art and performing, to relaxation and meditation with music, to creative arts and expression through music, to lyric analysis, to drumming and active music making, to dance and movement to music.
For younger kids, we would do more active music making, drumming, and learning about life’s most important lessons of leadership, confidence, communication, dealing with loss, reaching our fullest potential, and conflict resolution through drumming and hands on musical activities that keep the kids engaged.
For middle to older kids, they would have the opportunity to create a life time line and personal sound track to go along with it. Everyone gets to map out their life on a timeline, picking out 5-10 of the most important events to them. Next, they select a special song from their past or that reminds of them of that specific event to go with each one (5-10 songs.) They will also get the option to pick a song that represents their present. The 3rd stage is to map out their future time line, choosing 3-7 goals or dreams they have for themselves. They will get to choose a song to help inspire them to follow their dreams and move into their fullest potential. Each student will get to share at least 1 song, listening to it and discussing the meaning of they lyrics. By the end, every student will have a CD burned with all of their selected songs, to act as the soundtrack of their lives.
We could also create a group where the students have the opportunity to make a beat on the computer, and write a song with melody and lyrics over top. Typically the group writes the hook or chords (the theme of the song) together and sings it together. Then, each individual is invited to write their own verse that supports the theme and tells their unique story. This can be rapped, spoken or sung. Once the song is finished, we can record it, decide on a “band” name and “stage names” for each person, decorate the album and CD with their own artist ideas, give each student a CD and play the song for friends and family once the session is complete.
“Music Music Music!”
Teacher: Sheri Zweier
In this 10 week course, students will be introduced to music history, music appreciation, and music performance in a fun “hands on” atmosphere. In the music history portion of the program, students will learn about world famous composers from all different musical eras, their fascinating lives, and their beautiful music. In the music appreciation portion, students will learn what musical characteristics to listen for in order to fully appreciate what it is they are hearing. Students are then transformed into musicians themselves in our musical ensemble where we will perform together for all our friends and families at the end of our 10 week session.
Introduction to Musical Instruments
Teacher: Recorder with Amanda Johnson
Having learned how to write songs WITHOUT being a musician, we will focus on learning a musical instrument so that we can also write songs AS musicians. Recorder is a wonderful introduction to playing a musical instrument through applying genre, inspiration, rhythms, and melody to musical notes, fingerings, and how music is written through the Major scale. By the time we are ready to perform in a concert, we will be able to play songs from different genres and to even write our own!
“Building Sounds”
Teacher: James Klopfleisch
A class that focuses on the basics of music theory, as well as the science of sound. The children will spend class learning about, and then constructing, different instruments out of rubber bands, straws, and other class room materials. At the end of the class they give a short concert on the instruments they have built. This class reinforces the connection between music and science, as well as giving the children an opportunity to be creative in a hands on way.
“Music and Dance Through the Ages
Teacher: Kristen Herbert
In this class students will learn all about music and dance from the last 100 years. We will take a journey from the 1920’s all the way to 2013. Learning all different types of music from Jazz, Swing to Folk and discovering how different music has influenced the music and dance we see and hear today. Not only will be singing along to some great tunes, be exposed to different instruments, but we will be moving our bodies to some of the greatest artist of our time!
can hear more of Kristen’s newly released album, “LaLa” at www.KristenLynnMusic.com
*Scheduling is flexible for all programs.*
