The Dance Resource Center of Greater Los Angeles has two new opportunities to become engaged in the future of L.A. Dance!

1. The Dance Resource Center is forming a coalition of students and recent graduates of Southern California university dance programs, in order to empower the next generation of dance artists and ease the transition into the field. We will meet every month or two, depending on interest, to share insights, professional development opportunities and strategies for living and working as artists, educators and administrators. If you are interested in joining this group, please email shayna@drc-la.org by Monday, July 1st.

2. The DRC is looking for a marketing and communications individual to aid in the revitalization of the prestigious Lester Horton Dance Awards. The Horton Awards is a formal celebration of dance in L.A., recognizing and honoring those who have impacted our community. This is an excellent opportunity to work hands on with the new Hortons committees during the re-imagination process. If you are interested in becoming involved, please email Michelle Ramos-Burkhart at hortons@danceresourcecenter.org.

This post was submitted by Emily Rumack.

[Part One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six]

After last week’s play with primary colors, I thought we’d explore the world of symbol and pattern.  I was inspired from a recent trip to Alaska and thought it would be delightful if we all painted totems of ourselves.  Class started with a mini lesson on Inuit art, specifically the totem, and continued into an extended lesson on symbolism.  The students struggled a little with the concept of symbolism, having a hard time linking abstract ideas to an animal.  However, once they got the hang of it, finding meaning behind each creature became easier.

The students were enraptured by the examples of Inuit art.  They were particularly drawn to the patterns and simple color schemes of totems and modern art pieces.  My first graders, the next day, had fun reading all the animals and meanings we listed on the board in class.  I ended up teaching two lessons on symbolism.

The art students had about an hour to draw and paint in class.  They were so taken with the project, that not a single one of them finished on time.  They all worked for the entire hour as if a seriousness had fallen over them.  As they sketched, I demonstrated some watercolor techniques, working on a totem of my own.  As you can see by their paintings, their watercoloring skills have developed nicely.  There is much more control, in both brush and medium, than when we began class in January.  All of the projects were finished at home.  I think the students enjoyed working throughout the week – they’ve been diligently testing and probably needed the release.

Next month will be our last for the year.  There are only two more scheduled sessions – one of which will be an all day trip to the Getty in Los Angeles.  Next week, the students will begin their final project.  I know they are all excited – I am too.

This post also appears at Lifeasgood.com.

[Part One, Two, Three, Four, Five]

Spring break is over. The teachers and students have all returned to the last quarter with bright eyes. Schools across the country are gearing up for testing, but our small art mentorship program is making sure we take a break from all those test taking strategies. Last week, my students and I once again dipped our feet into the refreshing coolness of watercolors.

For this week’s program, I wanted the students to explore primary colors. I was very pleased that the majority had remembered red, yellow, and blue were primary from our color wheel lesson. I gave the students two mini lessons, one on primary colors and another on watercolor as a medium. After the lessons, I released the students to their art. I allowed them to paint any subject they wanted but required that they stay within the primary colors, without mixing too much. They don’t know it, but this lesson and practice was designed to set up our next lesson on Inuit Art.

Class went well. I love talking with the students. I’ve found that the extra one-on-one time they get with me has an encouraging effect on all of them. It even has one on me. We often find ourselves joking around, singing, and laughing at ourselves through the art class. Sometimes, they start to tease each other but I always stop that. “Mr. Henisey doesn’t like that,” one of the girls called out when a bout of Your Momma Jokes started up. She was right. I’m fine with playing, but I insist on an atmosphere of kindness and positivity. I’m proud of the students for monitoring themselves. I never had to ask them to stop. Group consensus did all of the work.

During the off week, I’ve been setting up the remainder of the program. NASA and the local Museum are almost set. I still have a bit more coordinating to do with them. Our field trip in May is ready to go; it is approved by both the museum and the school board. I also have all the materials we should need for our final project (which will take up the bulk of our May sessions).

Stay tuned for more.

This post appears simultaneously at LifeasGood.com.

[Part One]

[Part Two]

[Part Three]

The program continues with fun and laughs.  At our last meeting, I introduced the students to a new contest from Scholastic.  This one asks them to create an original character for a comic.  Our lesson involved originality, character creation, and generating character sketches.

I led the class in a short discussion on originality and the ills of plagiarism.  The older students were familiar with the terms, having had lessons on originality in their core classes.  Many had already generated science and history reports for their regular teachers.  After our brief discussion, we talked about using our personal interests to create a character.  We made comparisons of heroic figures like Wonder Woman, Super Man, and Batman and later contrasted them against other characters from Disney, Captain Underpants, and of course, Bone (whose creator is behind the scholastic contest).

After our lessons, I allowed the students time to create a few character sketches.  Using our small art library and the white board, I showed the students how a character can be drawn from a variety of angles and poses.  They quickly broke out their sketchbooks and began drawing.  Monitoring and offering encouragement, I was delighted to see the students engaged in their own creative processes.  Some of the highlights were “Soulkeeper,” a Grim Reaper-like figure who collects souls with a variety of magical accoutrements; Roboman, a cartoon robot made of a variety of angles and shapes; and a villain made entirely of applesauce.  ”He can’t be killed unless you eat him with a spoon,” his student creator declared.

After our last contest, I knew I needed to make a greater effort to reach out to the families.  I sent home reminder flyers for our deadline (this Friday for review and Monday for the final project) and made sure to call all of their homes.  The parents were very excited to hear about the project.  I could also tell that they were moved by such a simple personal touch.  I imagine it must be motivating for them to have other adults interested in their children; I certainly feel that each call home helps motivate the students.  More than half of the students have come to discuss their characters before the deadline.

Our field trip is set for mid May, after the students will have completed their California State Tests.  It will be a wonderful treat for this group; that two-week battery of exams can be draining on even the most studious of children.  We will be visiting the Getty for a self-guided tour (our group is too small for a docent to guide us).  The students are already excited, many asking for their permission slips now.  However, I think I’ll wait for our return from Spring Break before sending those home.

I got through to NASA at the Dryden Center last week.  Their public relations coordinator is currently on leave but should be back shortly.  I look forward to discussing our small group and their final project with her in the future.  I have made a couple of calls to the local municipality hoping to find a venue for our finished pieces and will continue to pursue those in the future.

We are quickly nearing the halfway mark of our term and I couldn’t be more proud of the students.  They all seem to enjoy the art program and projects.  More importantly, I see a change in their academics and behavior.  Because the art program is important to them, school has become important.  A teacher can’t ask for a better goal than that.

This appears simultaneously at lifeasgood.com.

National Association for College Admission Counseling:

Los Angeles National Performing and Visual Arts Fair

Saturday, October 22, 2011
10:00 am – 4:00 pm, Ackerman Union – Grand Ballroom (2400)

Admission
This event is free and open to the public. Please check the NACAC website for schedule and directions to campus.

Contact
School of the Arts and Architecture
(310) 825-8981
rcrtasst@arts.ucla.edu

Website

http://www.nacacnet.org/EventsTraining/CollegeFairs

Additional Information
This event is put on in conjunction with the National Association for College Admission Counseling, with representatives from over 100 visual and performing arts colleges and universities attending, so that prospective students, their families and friends, counselors and other educators may obtain more information. The college fair will be hosted in Ackerman Grand Ballroom. There will also be a panel discussion and presentation in the Second Floor Lounge prior to the fair. All events are free and open to the general public.

http://www.happenings.ucla.edu/all/event/30254

At the September General Meeting, two EAL/LA members presented on their involvement with Spark LA.  Rebecca Velasco and Kristen Torres explained how Spark, a non-profit organization, builds opportunities for Middle-School students by connecting them to real-world mentors in a variety of career fields.

Spark LA is looking for you, Emerging Arts Leaders, to join their list of mentors for the Los Angeles Area.  The Spark Program, originally started in San Francisco, has branched to Los Angeles and Chicago.  Spark is currently servicing Middle-School students at five Los Angeles Area Schools: Camino Nuevo Charter Academy, PUC Excel Charter Academy, John Adams Middle School, Stevenson Middle School, and ICEF Thurgood Marshall Leadership Academy. Orientation for the next semester begins now and continues until October 3.

Spark Programs, designed to bring real-world opportunities to Middle School students, targets those students who want to develop their personal interests into future careers.  By linking them with mentors, like you, in fields related to their interests, Spark allows these students to develop an in depth understanding of their prospective career while simultaneously encouraging greater academic achievement in school.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor for Spark, please contact Rebecca Velasco at rvelasco@sparkprogram.org.

Some of the most requested fields for mentors include the following:

• Computers/Video Game Design
• Animal Care
• Fashion and Cosmetology
• Culinary Arts
• Health Care
• Law, Government, and Safety
• Visual Arts
• Life/Environmental Science

“Many students have a change in scholastics and attitude with school,” said Rebecca Velasco. “Spark is empowering students by helping them discover who they are and what they want to be,” continued Kristen Torres.

Spark is looking for mentors in all fields, but they are looking at EAL/LA to help them find mentors in the fields of dance, visual arts (painting and photography), and fashion design.

EALLA.org is also looking for a member who joins Spark LA to write a regular column describing their mentor-ship and reflecting on their own career.  Please contact me, K. Ryan Henisey, here at EALLA.org if you are interested.