SchoolTime Performance Series Teacher s Guide

Transcription

1 Teacher s Guide Robert Battle, Artistic Director Masazumi Chaya, Associate Artistic Director Generous support for SchoolTime provided, in part, by arts education 1 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater njpac.org NEW JERSEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

2 CONTENTS 2 About NJPAC s SchoolTime Performance Series and the Teacher s Resource Guide 3 About the Performance About Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Who was Alvin Ailey? 3 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Vocabulary List 4&5 P.E.R.F.O.R.M. with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 5 resources about Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 6 Activities for Your Classroom Matching Dances and Their Inspiration True or False? Facts about Alvin Ailey 7 Plan Your Visit 7 NJ State Academic Standards 8 Coming Soon to NJPAC Before the Performance Confirm dates, times and transportation needs, if applicable, with your school representative. Confirm that the total number of students and chaperones in attendance corresponds with the total on your NJPAC SchoolTime Ticket Voucher. Please note: Extra persons in attendance will be requested to pay before being admitted to the theater. Accessibility: We want to make your visit as easy and rewarding as possible. Wheelchair seating must be requested in advance at the time of the ticket request and is subject to availability. Our staff has infrared devices available should you need one. Sign Language Interpretation is available by request for certain performances with sufficient advance notice. Please contact Caitlin Evans Jones, Director of Partnerships and Professional Development, at Made possible through the generosity of The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) Arts Education Department presents the 17 th season of the SchoolTime Performance Series. Teacher s Resource Guide NJPAC provides ideas, activities, and reading resources that promote arts literacy and links to New Jersey s Core Curriculum Content Standards and Common Core State Standards. Permission is granted to copy and distribute this guide to any class attending a SchoolTime performance (all other rights reserved). NJPAC Arts Education Nurture a love of arts in future generations by helping NJPAC s Arts Education Programs bring the joy of dance, music, and theater directly to students throughout New Jersey. Arts Training Students from ages 10 through 18 work with professional artist educators to develop talent and creativity in the areas of acting, modern dance, hip-hop, ballet, vocals, instrumental jazz, and musical theater. In-School Residency Programs Our teaching artists create stimulating dance, music, and theater performing arts experiences that engage pre-schoolers up through 12 th graders. SchoolTime Performance Series Our series introduces students to the magic of the stage. Programs feature music, dance, storytelling, theater and puppetry, which are linked to curriculum areas such as world languages, social studies and language arts. Professional Development NJPAC Professional Development combines arts pedagogy, content, classroom management and social behavioral strategies. Our goal is to inspire artistic and intellectual capacities in students and teachers. 2 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater njpac.org

3 about About the Performance Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Named Cultural Ambassador to the World by congressional resolution in 2008, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has performed for more than 25 million people in 71 countries and on six continents. Since their 1958 debut performance at New York s 92 nd Street Y, the company has revolutionized modern dance through its diversity, theatricality, and exceptional artistry. Under Ailey s leadership, a school was established in 1969, and since 2004 the company and school have been housed in their newly-built complex, the Joan Weill Center for Dance. Ailey s iconic piece, Revelations (1960), is one of 79 dances that he created, however the company s repertory includes more than 200 works by dozens of choreographers. One of the biggest stars of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater was Judith Jamison, principal dancer for 21 years whom Ailey selected to become Artistic Director upon his death. After years of success, in 2011 Jamison selected Robert Battle, the current Artistic Director. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater continues to preserve and present African-American culture and enrich the American modern dance heritage. Linda Celeste Sims, Alicia Graf Mack and Glen Allen Sims in Alvin Ailey s Revelations. Photo by Andrew Eccles. Eric N. Hong Who was Alvin Ailey? Alvin Ailey ( ) was a dancer, choreographer, and activist who founded Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Born in Texas, Ailey was raised by his mother in humble surroundings in an era of intense racial strife. His art was forever shaped by what he observed and experienced in his childhood: violent racism, the Baptist church, and local clubs where Blacks gathered for music and nightlife. After moving to California for junior high school, his introduction to dance came through his classmate Carmen de Lavallade, who would later become a famous dancer herself. She took Ailey to dance classes taught by Lester Horton. Horton taught ballet, jazz, and Native American dance, and was Ailey s fundamental dance influence. By age 22, Ailey had progressed enough to take over Horton s company when he died in His career as a dancer and choreographer expanded as he and de Lavallade moved to New York to dance in a Broadway show. While he was impressed with Martha Graham and other modern dance luminaries he met in New York, he also imagined a technique that was rooted in Horton s style. By the time Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater had their debut performance in 1958, he had created choreography and dances that were uniquely his style, but also reflected his many influences modern, African, jazz, and ballet. Ailey led his company to international fame during his decades as director. He raised the image of American dance and was a leader for inclusion of diversity in arts performance. Ailey received a Kennedy Center Honor in 1988 and died in Vocabulary list for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Choreographer Person who creates dance compositions and original arrangements of movements Lester Horton A dancer and choreographer who taught Alvin Ailey modern dance drawing from various schools of ethnic dances Martha Graham An inspiration and teacher to Ailey who created and taught him a modern dance technique based on contractions Katherine Dunham An inspiration to Ailey whose dance style combines Caribbean, African, and American dance Ambassador One who represents his nation in other nations Spirituals Folk songs describing religious experience Modern Dance Style of dance birthed primarily in the US during the late 19 th through early 20 th centuries that broke out of the classical ballet conventions of movement Inspiration Something or someone that influences others, often to create or change, by filling them with feelings or ideas 3 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater njpac.org njpac.org Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 3

4 P.E.R.F.O.R.M. with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater The P.E.R.F.O.R.M. activities will enable students to get the most out of a SchoolTime performance. The PERFORM method encourages students to learn about the performer, the art form and the significance of the performance before the show and encourages students to use the show as inspiration to create small classroom performances and celebrations. P E R Prepare for the Performance Share biographical information with your class about Alvin Ailey. Use the question, How has Alvin Ailey impacted others? as the basis for conversation. Show the CBS evening news s Alvin Ailey Celebrates 50 th Anniversary video and share the New York Times article Remembering Alvin Ailey by Roslyn Sulcas to spark conversation. Experience Alvin Ailey Experience Alvin Ailey Dance Company by viewing Revelations. In 1958, Alvin Ailey founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to carry out his vision of a company focused on enriching the American modern dance heritage and preserving the uniqueness of the African- American cultural experience. Revelations is the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater s signature performance and the quintessential example of his vision. Students can experience Revelations by looking at a slide show or watching a video. Discuss: What do you think inspired Revelations? Read Read about Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Ask students to read three articles about Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. After reading various articles, ask students to give oral presentations in response to the question: Why is Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater a vital American cultural ambassador to the world? Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Bill T. Jones D-Man in the Waters (Part I). Photo by Paul Kolnik 4 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater njpac.org

5 F O R M Focus on the Performance Write a review of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater s performance. Mikhail Baryshnikov, a great ballet dancer, is quoted as saying, His [Alvin Ailey s] work made an important contribution to American culture. Ask students: Do you agree or disagree with this quote? Support your answer by using examples from the performance. Originate Create an original dance inspired by Alvin Ailey. Alvin Ailey was inspired by life and used his choreography to express his feelings about life, people, and social situations. In groups, brainstorm issues you feel strongly about. Pick one issue that you can choreograph a short dance to. Pick music that conveys your point of view. Write your message. Convert your written message into a dance. Rehearse Practice your dance. Rehearse your dance and allow classmates to guess your issue and message. If parts of your message aren t communicated clearly, determine how you can change your dance to make your message understood by the audience. Make Magic! Share. Allow students to share their choreography with one another. Resources CBS Evening News Alvin Ailey Celebrates 50 th Anniversary video. org/video Remembering Alvin Ailey dance/30sulc.html?ref=alvinailey Moved by the Spirit: Celebrating Revelations at 50 dance/30revelations.html?ref=alvinailey Revelations slide show slideshow/2010/11/29/arts/ dance/ ailey-ss.html Video of Revelations alvin-ailey-american-dance-theater/repertory/ revelations Online Exhibition Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: 50 Years Cultural Ambassador to the World Articles about Alvin Ailey in the New York Times reference/timestopics/organizations/a/ ailey_alvin_american_dance_theater/ Articles about Alvin Ailey in the Chicago Tribune alvin-ailey Alvin Ailey Biography alvin-ailey ?page=2\ Ailey, Alvin and A. Peter Bailey. Revelations: The Autobiography of Alvin Ailey. Secaucus, NJ: Birch Lane Press, Video of D-Man in the Waters (Part I) Jacqueline Green in Alvin Ailey s Revelations. Photo by Gert Krautbauer. 5 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater njpac.org njpac.org Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 5

6 Activities for Your Classroom Dances and Their Inspiration I am trying to express something that I feel about people, life, the human spirit, the beauty of things. My ballets are all very close to me they re very personal. I think that people come to the theater to look at themselves, to look at the state of things. I try to hold up the mirror to my audience that says this is the way people can be, this is how open people can be. Alvin Ailey Match the inspiration to the ballet. Artistic Director Robert Battle. Photo by Andrew Eccles. Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison. Photo by Andrew Eccles. 1. This dance is based on Ailey s early years worshipping in church. With profound feeling, with faith, hope, joy and sometimes sadness, the choirs, congregations, deacons, preachers, and ushers would sing black spirituals and gospel songs. They sang and played the music with such fervor that even as a small child I could not only hear it but almost see it. I tried to put all of that feeling into. (Source: Autobiography of Alvin Ailey) 2. embodies triumph over loss and resilience. The piece captures the infectious energy, innocence and will to survive of a beleaguered generation, and though it deals with sorrow, it maintains a defiantly celebratory tone. In the piece, dancers hurl across the stage in a whirlwind of leaps, rolls, and slides. (Source: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater website) True or False? Facts about Alvin Ailey Alvin Ailey choreographed approximately 79 ballets is the year Alvin Ailey received a Kennedy Center honor. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater first performed in In 2008 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater received a congressional resolution designating them as a vital culture ambassador. After Alvin Ailey passed away, Judith Jamison led the company for 21 years. Robert Battle took the helm of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in In 2008 Alvin Ailey Dance Theater celebrated their 50 th anniversary. Answer Key: All statements are true. Answer Key: 1. Revelations 2. D-Man in the Waters (Part I) Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Bill T. Jones s D-Man in the Waters (Part I). Photo by Paul Kolnik Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Alvin Aileys Revelations. Photo by Gert Krautbauer 6 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater njpac.org

7 NJPAC Performance Etiquette Let your students know that the audience plays an important role at a live performance. For many students, this may be their first time in a theater. Following are a few rules to go over with them to make their experience more enjoyable: 1. Silence is Golden The acoustics in most theaters and concert halls are designed to amplify sound. If you whisper, it is disturbing to the performers and the people in the audience. 2. Cell Phone Cameras and Electronic Devices The screens on electronic devices give off a lot of light. So do flash bulbs on cameras. In a dark theater, it s distracting to the performers and a ringing cell phone is noisy. 3. Entering and Exiting a Theater Many theaters don t allow late comers to enter during the performance. Get to the theater before the curtain goes up. 4. Show Your Appreciation At the end of the performance, let the actors know how much you liked the show by clapping. If you really enjoyed the show, you can stand and applaud; that is called a standing ovation. While at NJPAC Seating: Please arrive on time. Seating is done on a first come, first served basis. Late arrivals will be seated at the discretion of the house management. Nametags: Nametags should have each student s name, school, teacher and bus number clearly marked. Wear nametags throughout your visit for identification purposes. Lunch/Snacks: Food, beverage, gum and candy are not permitted in the theater. Your group is invited to eat outside in Theater Square, located directly in front of NJPAC. Personal Belongings: Book bags and all other personal belongings are not allowed into the theater. Restrooms: Use the restroom before the performance. Students will not be allowed to use facilities unless escorted by a chaperone. Post-Performance: Wait for the NJPAC SchoolTime Captain to escort your group from the theater to your bus or appropriate waiting area. NJPAC s Weather Hotline is , and is updated by 6:30AM the day of a performance. SchoolTime Performance Series PLAN YOUR VISIT NJPAC is located at One Center Street, Newark, NJ Cancellation Policy If NJPAC cancels a performance, we will attempt to reschedule. If the performance cannot be rescheduled, your school will receive a full refund. If your school is closed, and the performance is not cancelled, we are unable to refund your money. However, NJPAC will attempt to accommodate your school at another NJPAC SchoolTime performance during the current season, based on availability. visit artsed.njpac.org Find additional Teacher Resource Guides for this year s shows by clicking on SchoolTime Performances NJ STATE ACADEMIC STANDARDS Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Standards NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards & Common Core State Standards Addressed English Language Arts Social Studies Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grades 9 & 10 Grade 11 & 12 SL.6.1 SL.6.2 SL.7.1 SL.7.2 SL.8.1 SL.8.2 SL SL SL SL Grades D Visual and Performing Arts Grades : The Creative Process 1.2: History of the Arts and Culture 1.3: Performance 1.4: Aesthetic Responses & Critique Methodologies 7 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater njpac.org njpac.org Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 7

8 arts education NEW JERSEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER New Jersey Performing Arts Center William J. Marino, John R. Strangfeld Co-Chairs John Schreiber President & CEO Laurie Carter Vice President of Arts Education Alison Scott-Williams Assistant Vice President of Arts Education Caitlin Evans Jones Director of Partnerships and Professional Development Rebecca Hinkle Director, Arts Education Jamie M. Mayer Associate Director for In-School Programs Heike Currie Editor of Teacher s Resource Guides Rochelle Herring-Peniston Curriculum Consultant Bonnie Felt Designer Cover photo: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater s Antonio Douthit-Boyd. Photo by Andrew Eccles. Copyright 2014 New Jersey Performing Arts Center All Rights Reserved One Center Street Newark, New Jersey artseducation@njpac.org Major support for Teacher s Resource Guides provided by Stewart and Judy Colton. NJPAC Arts Education Programs are made possible in part through the generosity of endowment donors. Anonymous, The Arts Education Endowment Fund in Honor of Raymond C. Chambers, Randi and Marc E. Berson, Toby and Leon Cooperman, Albert and Katherine Merck, The Sagner Companies/The Sagner Family Foundation, Wells Fargo. Generous annual support for NJPAC Arts Education Programs is provided by: The Prudential Foundation, Victoria Foundation, Inc., Automatic Data Processing, Inc., The Star- Ledger, PSEG Foundation, Merck Company Foundation, Anonymous, Wells Fargo, The Women s Association of NJPAC, McCrane Foundation Inc., care of Margrit McCrane, Surdna Foundation, Inc., John and Suzanne Willian / Goldman Sachs Gives, MCJ Amelior Foundation, The Johnny Mercer Foundation, Becton Dickinson & Company, TD Charitable Foundation, Joan and Allen Bildner, Bloomberg, Jennifer A. Chalsty, The Coca Cola Foundation, Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies, Dana and Peter Langerman, Mary Pope Osborne, Panasonic Corporation of America, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Turrell Fund, PNC Foundation, John R. and Mary Kay Strangfeld, Atlantic Tomorrow s Office, Judy and Brian Bedol, Rose Cali, Bonnie and Steve Holmes, Meg and Howard Jacobs, Jacobs Levy Equity Management, Inc., New England Foundation for the Arts, Novo Nordisk, Pechter Foundation, Reitman Industries, Marian and David Rocker, E. Franklin Robbins Charitable Trust, Citi, Archie Gottesman and Gary DeBode, Veronica M. Goldberg, Mr. and Mrs. Leslie C. Quick, III, Provident Bank Foundation, Target Corporation Young Artist Summer Intensive (YASI) Christian Ely, Artistic Director 2014 SUMMER PROGRAMS Application Deadline: April 25, 2014 Apprentice Division Develop your inner artist by taking classes in acting, dance, musical theater and vocal performance Perform on stage at NJPAC s Horizon Theater! A two-week intensive for beginner and intermediate young artists offered in two sessions. No auditions are required. Ages Session 1 (July 7 18) & Session 2 (July 21 - August 1) Advanced Division Preparation for college and a career in the performing arts Perform on stage at NJPAC s Victoria Theater! A five week intensive where young artist major in one of the following disciplines: acting, dance, musical theater or vocal performance Auditions are required. Audition date is March 29, 2014 and additonal date at the end of April will be announced. Ages June 30 August 1 Try Audible with a free audiobook. Choose from more than 150,000 titles including Best Sellers and New Releases. For offer details visit Audible.com/njpac. Visit For application, requirements and more information, please visit njpac.org/ arts-education-1/summer, us at artseducation@njpac.org or call (973) NJPAC Summer Programs take place at NJPAC s Center for Arts Education 24 Rector Street, Newark, NJ 8 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater njpac.org