INTERLUDE WORKSHOP SESSION
The following Interlude sessions are available to all Academy participants and will be offered on both Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 2:25 p.m. to 3:10 p.m. unless otherwise indicated.
MUSIC RELATED INTERLUDES
Entering the Interpretive Zone
(Tuesday and Thursday)
In schools, the visual, musical, and literary arts are often taught separately, but when mixed together, they create new, imaginative spaces in which students are invited to find their own meanings and form their own interpretations. This session explores abstract expressionism in visual art, music, and poetry. What do these vibrant images, sounds, and texts mean? What happens when you combine them in artful ways? Participants should come prepared to wake up their senses as they explore how these three different art forms influence each other, and influence their own dynamic responses in turn.
Coloring with Sound
(Wednesday)
The distinct sounds of instruments and voices are often described as musical “colors,” but are there other ways to think about color in music? In this interlude, and using children’s literature as inspiration, participants will explore other ways of making connections between colors and sounds.
Warming Up with Music
(Wednesday)
Audiation is the foundation for minds-on music learning. Participants will learn how to involve students in activities that will musically prime bodies, minds, and voices for learning.
Every Child a Writer and a Composer
(Wednesday)
“Every child a writer”, the mantra of the Writers Workshop model, holds tremendous potential when altered to fit music composition in the elementary general music setting. Just as a child begins to play with language by telling stories, a child can play with sounds and compose pieces of music. This session seeks to provide an example of how teachers can use the writing process as a springboard to collaboration and musical exploration.
Rhythm Play: Teacher’s Way
(Wednesday)
This fun, energizing session of simple, ready-to-use techniques will explore rhythm as a common element of everyday life and the fine arts. Rhythmic sound and movement help students improve their attention, expression, focus, and recall while developing better peer relations and collaborative abilities. Learn how to use rhythm as a tool to turn energy drains into energy gains. Dress for simple movement.
Beauty in Music
(Monday and Wednesday)
What is beauty in music? How do we continue to add depth to our musicianship? In this session, participants will discuss and define different aspects of beauty in music and ways music educators can find musical depth by using their own life experiences.
THEATRE RELATED INTERLUDES
Devising Theatre
(Monday-Wednesday)
Using exercises, movement games, and storytelling, participants will devise miniature plays for performance. The techniques participants learn in this interlude are ones they will be able to use in their own classrooms to devise full-length original performances that encourage dialogue or enhance blocking for theatre of all kinds—from Greek tragedies to postmodern works.
Laban Effort Actions
(Tuesday)
Learn how to quickly develop and enhance character and action using the elements of time, space, and weight. In this interlude, participants will learn a rapid-fire way to help their students make clear and bold acting choices. Participants should come to this workshop with a brief piece of memorized text (a few lines from an article, monologue, poem or speech, or article.)
Puppet Potpourri
(Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday)
Puppeteer Monica Leo will demonstrate several styles of puppets with short, entertaining vignettes and give participants some ideas for creating puppet shows of their own. Audience members will be selected to work some of the puppets or help with sound effects. This session will be educational and entertaining and will leave participants chomping at the bit to perform their own puppet shows.
A Story, A Story!
(Monday-Wednesday-Thursday)
Stories are the thread connecting the fabric of our experiences. In this fast-paced, interactive workshop, participants will gather multiple activities and strategies for sharing story threads among any group of people—including young people, adults, strangers, and old friends. Come ready to play!
Finding the Story and Playing It
(Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday)
The session will explore exercises teachers can use to help young actors discover the story they are actually telling.
So You Always Wanted to Juggle?
(Monday-Wednesday-Thursday)
Robert Post guarantees that if you can catch, you can juggle. Anyone who has failed to learn has not been given the “secret ingredient” for learning this wonderful skill. Now’s your chance.
Using Drama for Conflict Resolution
(Monday-Wednesday-Thursday)
Using community-building exercises and improvisational structures, this interactive workshop will introduce some basic exercises for building a safe environment in which to explore and practice conflict resolution skills.