Tag Archives: performance

Online Conversation on the State of Jazz Education

May 28, 2013, 7:21 am • Posted by Kristin Farr
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MOJ_City_of_Roses
Grammy Award-winning musician and composer Esperanza Spalding is the star of a new generation of jazz musicians who are breaking down barriers and introducing new audiences to the world of jazz. Spalding credits her early jazz education with longtime teacher and mentor—trumpeter Thara Memory—with giving her a foundation in the music that has changed her life. His American Music Program continues to prepare young musicians for some of the top performing arts colleges in the country and gives them a deeper understanding of the art of jazz.

On Wednesday, May 29, PBS and OPB are teaming up to talk about the importance and the future of jazz education in our country.

• Where is the next generation of jazz musicians coming from?
• Why is jazz music education important to young musicians across the country?
• Are cuts in music education funding making it harder for students to rise to the highest levels?

Through an online social screening platform called OVEE (Online Video Engagement Experience), PBS is hosting a live online screening of the OPB special presentation, “Masters of Jazz,” followed by an online chat with jazz trumpeter Thara Memory, jazz Professor Ronald Carter and Jazz House Kids CEO Melissa Walker. Considered by the industry as jazz education experts, Thara, Ron and Melissa will answer questions and talk about how jazz has changed their lives and the lives of their students.

When: Wednesday, May 29, Noon-1 p.m. Pacific Time

Where: Click this link to join the screening/discussion: http://opb.is/jazznextgen (will be accessible on May 29)

Be sure to visit the “Talk Back” page now and share your thoughts on the state of jazz education or the next generation of jazz musicians: http://opb.is/jazzedtb

Filed under: Arts, Uncategorized, What's New in Arts!
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Everybody Dance Now! (Do Now #82)

May 21, 2013, 7:45 am • Posted by Kristin Farr
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Gangnam Style

To respond to the Do Now, you can comment below or tweet your response. Be sure to begin your tweet with @KQEDEdspace and end it with #DoNowDance

For more info on how to use Twitter, click here.

Do Now

What's your best dance move? If you don’t have a signature dance move that you consider your own, then make one up! Capture your move in a short video and share the link with us via Vine, Twitter, YouTube, or in the comments section below. Dancers with the most creativity will be featured here on KQED’s Web site, and one grand prize winner will receive a handy messenger bag loaded with KQED goodies. If you can't send a video, tell us what your move would be called or what would it look like?

Introduction

You’ve undoubtedly noticed viral videos flying around the Internet featuring dance sensations, trends, and memes like the Harlem shake phenomenon and riffs off of Gangnam Style. Dance crazes have a long history of sweeping the nation, and platforms like YouTube and Facebook foster a worldwide dancing dialogue. Dance crazes are a significant part of American culture and span history, including wildly varying moves, ranging from the 1920’s Charleston to contemporary twerking.

You’ve probably tried some of these dances, but have you made up your own personal dance move? It’s time to show off! Celebrate the arrival of summer by showing off your best move, or making up a new one! Capture your move in a short video and share the link with us via Vine, Twitter, YouTube, or in the comments section below.l Don’t forget to give your dance a name and tag #DoNowDance. Everybody dance now!

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Filed under: Do Now, Do Now: Art and Popular Culture
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In and Out of Shadows – Stories about Undocumented Youth

February 14, 2013, 1:54 pm • Posted by Maxine Einhorn
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In and Out of the Shadows


Courtesy The Marsh

Immigration reform is center stage right now – a top priority for President Obama’s second term in office. It is also centre stage for so many young people, many of our students here in California, who may be among the 11 million people in the U.S. without documents. They either came to theUS as young children or their parents immigrated to the US and remain undocumented.

Their stories form the basis of new musical called "In and Out of Shadows" at the Marsh Theatre in San Francisco, performed by members of the Marsh Youth Theatre group. Written by Gary Soto, it is based on interviews with undocumented teenagers from diverse ethnic backgrounds living in the Bay Area, who describe how their dreams for the future look really bleak without papers. No college would accept them. No employer could employ them. They would be invisible.

For example, Homero Rosas came to San Francisco from Mexico when he was 6 years old.  “My parents would tell me I wasn’t from here, but up until then I didn’t know what that meant,”….. “I didn’t know it meant I couldn’t get financial aid, I couldn’t get a job, I couldn’t aspire to anything, really. I felt trapped.” His story is dramatized through his character, Juan.

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Filed under: ESL Insights, Post-Secondary ESL
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In the Studio with Rashidi Omari

November 7, 2012, 8:49 pm • Posted by Kristin Farr
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Rashidi Omari is a performance artist, writer and educator at Destiny Arts Center, a violence prevention and arts education organization in Oakland. Growing up, hip-hop was an outlet that helped Rashidi deal with life's challenges, and he works to provide today's Bay Area youth with the same creative opportunities. We stopped by his dance studio to learn more about this dynamic Oakland artist, and find what hip-hop means to him and his students.

After introducing Rashidi to your students, check out these two videos where he teaches us how to beatbox and breakdance. Follow along and add your own b-boy flavor.

Keep up with Rashidi Omari on his Web site, www.RashidiOmari.com.

Filed under: Art School, Arts
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