Youth Arts Program

photo by Arthur Fink

This summer will marks the 17th year of our Youth Arts Program (YAP), a community outreach program that brings youth from our community, and their families, together with world-class artists to experience music and dance firsthand. YAP engages young people ages 6-17 in an intensive and enjoyable three weeks of dance and music classes taught by a staff of gifted arts educators. YAP is structured as a full-day (9am to 4pm) non-residential program. During the three-weeks students experience a range of dance styles -- from modern and ballet to hip hop and social dance -- as well as musical genres from around the world, storytelling and visual arts. The program is founded on the belief that the arts offer meaningful ways to engage children intellectually, emotionally and physically. Our mission is to enrich children’s lives through the arts.

Program Features

• Daily classes provide dance experience from hip hop and jazz to modern and ballet
• Music classes include singing, rhythm, drumming and music from around the world
• Visual arts and storytelling classes offer additional avenues for expression
• Every child takes dance, music and visual arts classes
• Targeted learning groups for ages 6-8, 9-12, 13-17
• Younger students develop imagination and cooperation skills in creative movement classes
• Teens study choreography and collaborate to develop a new dance piece
• Classes and demonstrations by internationally renowned artists from Bates Dance Festival
• Performance opportunity at Festival Finale
• Complimentary tickets to select Festival performances and events
• Healthy lunch and two snacks each day

The arts offer meaningful ways to engage children intellectually, emotionally and physically.

photo Phyllis Graber Jensen

Research shows that study in the performing arts:

• Increases children’s self-confidence
• Improves learning
• Increases self-discipline and expression
• Promotes tolerance and increases understanding of different cultures
• Instill a sense of joy

 

Faculty & Staff

Professional, experienced, nationally recognized artists and teachers of children.

Dana Reed  (program director/dance instructor) – earned a BFA in Dance and Education from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2003, and has been teaching dance for over eleven years. She is currently based in New Orleans where she is establishing Kid’s Play NOLA, an after-school arts program for at-risk youth, in collaboration with Jane Weiner, founder of YAP. Prior to moving to New Orleans, Dana served as Artist in Residence at The Nightingale Bamford School in New York City (2006-2009) and as Artistic Director of Alternative Collaborations Dance, a multimedia performance company. Dana has performed with Stephan Koplowitz and Marisa Gruneberg. In 2009, she was awarded an artistic residency from the Purnati Center for the Arts in Bali, Indonesia. This will be her second year directing YAP.

Terrence Karn  (music director) – has been playing music for dancers and composing for a wide variety of theatrical venues for 25 years. His training as a dancer and musician came from the Ali Akbar College, Royal Winnepeg Ballet, Teatro Rue Canada, Children's Theater of Minneapolis, and through studies with master musicians and dancers around the world. Terrence specializes in youth education and has taught workshops for people of all ages and backgrounds including those with special needs. He was the music director for the University of Houston Dance Department and Rice Dance Theater until 2007. He is currently on the faculty at Denison University in Ohio.   

Dana Reed and Student in Class - photo by Bruce Marsh

Priscilla Rivas (dance & visual arts instructor) – grew up in Cali, Colombia, where she was inspired by the music and dance of her vibrant culture. She holds a B.S. degree in early childhood education from the University of Houston and is currently a second grade teacher at J. J. Herrera Elementary in Houston, Texas. Priscilla has studied ballet, jazz, hip hop, world dance and belly dancing. She has created and performs a unique fusion of Arabic and Latin dance styles. She is the Assistant Artistic Director of the Colombian Folkloric Ballet where she trains others in authentic Colombian rhythms and other various Latin/African styles, and a soloist/company member of Gypsy Dance Theatre. She joined the YAP faculty in 2009.

Patrick Ferreri (dance instructor) - is a dancer, teacher, yogi and explorer who holds a BFA in dance from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts as well as a 200-hour yoga certification from the Laughing Lotus Yoga Center in New York City. Patrick believes that learning occurs best in conversation, and has led conversations in such diverse environments as after-school programs in Brooklyn, NY, the Overlook International Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia, the Isadora Festival in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, NYU's Summer Dance Intensive, Manhattan’s 92nd Street Y, Jane Weiner's Hope Stone, Inc in Houston, TX, and at community centers and universities around the country as part of his work with David Dorfman Dance. He joined the YAP faculty in 2008.

Jillian Grunnah (dance instructor) - graduated with an MFA in Choreography and Performance from Smith College in 2009. She has taught contemporary dance to college students at Bowdoin, Mount Holyoke, Smith colleges and at the American College Dance Festival. Jillian currently lives in Boston where she teaches drama and directs the dance program at the Noble and Greenough School. She also performs professionally with BoSoma Dance Company. She joined the  YAP faculty in 2008.

Yvonne Hernandez (dance instructor) - earned her B.A. in Dance in 2002 from Point Park University. She is the Youth Performing Group Director, resident choreographer, teacher and company member with Eveoke Dance Theatre in San Diego. She has taught Literacy through Dance in after-school and in-school elementary programs and is currently certified as an Inclusion Aide, assisting students with disabilities to participate in dance. She joined the YAP faculty in 2009.

Dance Education Interns who are college students majoring in dance education get hands on  training and provide support in the classroom.

Qualified teen assistants support classroom activities and learn from YAP faculty/staff.

Admission Requirements

• Enthusiasm for the arts – dance and/or music
• Willingness to try new things and contribute ideas

Photo by Arthur Fink

Children with no experience or lots of experience can participate, gain new skills, and HAVE FUN!

 

Program Location and Dates

Youth Arts Program will take place from Monday, July 19 through Friday, August 6, from 9am to 4pm at Chase Hall on the Bates College campus. A mandatory orientation meeting for all participants will be held on Sunday evening, July 18. The Festival Finale performance will occur on Saturday, August 7.

For more information call the Bates Dance Festival office at 786-6381 or dancefest@bates.edu

Program Cost

Tuition is $600 for the three-week program including lunch, daily snacks and complimentary tickets for select Festival events. Family discounts are available.

Lewiston students in grades 4-6 are are eligible for a TOPS scholarship of up to $500 and are encouraged to apply.

The Bates Dance Festival offers a limited number of partial and full YAP scholarships to qualifying low-income students from Lewiston-Auburn schools (those living in subsidized housing or on the free lunch program). Scholarship forms are available on line or from school guidance office or the Bates Dance Festival.

Refunds

If notified by July 2 a full refund will be made less the $10 registration fee. No refunds will be made after this date.

Program Sponsors

Youth Arts is made possible with generous support from: Fisher Charitable Foundation, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Mechanics Savings Bank, Surdna Foundation, Sequoia Foundation, and TD Banknorth.