Winter Showcase at Brandeis High School

16 Dec 2011, 3:07 PM by keith, High School

Students in all three of UAP's 21st Century Community Learning Centers after school arts programs at Louis D. Brandeis High School recently presented their work at a showcase for family and friends.

First up was the Good Lookin' Photo Club led by teaching artist Yarrow Lutz, represented by a slideshow of students' images from recent projects, some of which involved the photo students collaborating with students in the Fashion Club run by The Leadership Program.  The images highlight not only their amazing creativity and technical skill, but also show their willingness to take risks with the camera.  The slideshow can be seen in video format below. 

The Drama Club and the Music Club also presented collaborative performance pieces.  Working with teaching artists Heather Acs and Erika Kapin, students jointly explored the theme of heroic love to create short scenes accompanied by live musical soundtrack.  Drama students presented two scenes backed by performers from the Music Club, which made for a truly unique experience for the audience.

"First we learned the keys and fingering and then we learned how to play the pieces.  We collaborated with the Drama Club.  We both had a theme of "heroic love," then put our parts together.  We shared our work, then we added some things and edited some stuff out.  I was nervous to perform, but I just acted like nobody was there and played my part.  Before the program I didn't know anything about piano.  I wish we could have the program for more days." - Quadry, 12th grade

"Our topic was heroic love.  Our group was all boys, so we did a scene that dealt with brotherly love from 'Boyz in Da Hood."  It was like a Broadway show to have the live music during the scene.  As an actor, it makes you feel it more.  i was influenced by mafia movies and actors I like.  This is what I want to be, so that's why I study it and work hard.  I love acting and drama and it's something I plan to do as I get older." - Raymond, 11th grade

"We've been working on heroic love and my scene involves drug dealers.  We chose this because it relates to life.  It's a story about when a character has to do something he doesn't ever imagine he would do.  We wanted the audience to think about how there are ways to get money and things you want, but you have to choose the good ways to do it." - Courtney, 11th grade

PS 20 Dance Integration

09 Nov 2011, 11:13 AM by kaya, Elementary School

At PS 20, teaching artist Michelle Seabreeze has been working with 3rd grade students and teachers to bring dance into social studies. In their geography unit, students choreographed dances using the compass rose, the map key, continents and oceans. Each of the 4 classes has built a dance they'll be sharing next week at the Dixon Place Theater for classmates and parents.

Here students play a vocabulary game.

Here students make fans for their fan dance from South Korea, which is a country in Asia.

Students practice ballet, which they learned came from the courts of France 500 years ago in the continent of Europe. One student made a great connection; this was the same time Columbus came to North America, another continent on our list!

A class practices their dance about the continents.

PS 40 K-2 Monster Mash

31 Oct 2011, 11:39 AM by kaya, Elementary School

                          Students act like monsters waking up to a slow count

The K-2 students in Urban Arts' Music, Arts, Dance & Drama class at PS 40 are celebrating their favorite reason to dress up with their version of the Monster Mash. Students took a break from their usualy busy schedule to share these photos. They've been learning the music scale, choreographing songs, and are planning to create a puppet show based off of their retelling of a famous story. Keep checking the post to hear more!

                                 The MADD class works on their choreography

Bashan: I'm 6. I like the music the most that is fast. I think the Moonlight Sonata is good because of the music it has. It's by Beethoven. Dancing in the monster mash song, the beginning is the easiest. I am going to be Spiderman for Halloween.

Jaelen: I am 8 years old. My favorite part of class is the end when we play game. My favorite game is statue. I like to be the guard. The fun part is when we get to dance. I think the Moonlight Sonata is awesome because I hear the "one two three" swing beat. One thing I'd like to make in class is paper airplanes for the puppet show. I'd put my puppet it in the airplane and fly it.

Sabrina: I'm 7, but my birthday is tomorrow so I'm 8! My favorite part of class is when we write stories and maps. I like to dance and play statues. The hardest part of class is remembering what we did in last class and doing it right today. But it can be fun, too. I am excited to make the puppet story.

  Students try different monster poses with Ms. Cristina

Life Stories Acting Students Perform Original Plays Created by Playwriting Students

02 Aug 2011, 5:09 PM by frank, Life Stories

Students in the Life Stories Youth Ensemble recently performed at the Lucille Lortel Theater to debut seven new original plays created by their peers in the Naranjo-Golder Playwriting program.  Developed during the winter and spring through the advanced playwriting program, these new works represent the unique voices of our young playwrights.  The plays explored a wide range of themes, including love and relationships, family struggles, mental illness and issues around identity.  We are proud of all the hard work of the playwrights and the actors to bring to these works to the stage for an audience for the first time.   

To view more photos from the performance, please check out the

Rated (R)eal - Life Stories and Playwriting album on Facebook.

THE NEW GROUP and URBAN ARTS PARTNERSHIP present

Rated (R)eal

DIRECTED BY: IAN MORGAN AND JULIA GROB

TWO SIDED GIRL
By Petra Wimer
Mercedes Alvarez…………………………………………………………………Sam
Devin Mojica…………………………………………………………………………Andre
Kayla Robinson………………………………………………………………………Idesebal

BROKEN
By Sarwat Siddiqui
Jorge Garzon………………………………………………………………………Yasser
Genesis Urena……………………………………………………………………Janine
Petra Wimer………………………………………………………………………Aqsa

FINAL ROUND
By Lorenzo Jackson
Isaiah Alicea………………………………………………………………………Justin
Stephanie Diaz……………………………………………………………………Yvette
Devin Mojica………………………………………………………………………Derrick

PANICA
By Anthony Naranjo
Isaiah Alicea…………………………………………………………………………Johnny
Maxine Batchler…………………………………………………………………Conner
Lorenzo Jackson……………………………………………………………………Jack

MIRACLES
By Anurahda Golder
Sydney White…………………………………………………………………Laura
Hannah Dahm…………………………………………………………………Nurse
Anthony Naranjo……………………………………………………………Javier

THERAPIST
By Jorge Garzon
Sydney White………………………………………………………………………Lisa
Hannah Dahm………………………………………………………………………Stacey

OH COMMITMENT
By Genesis Urena
Haskiri Velazquez…………………………………………………………………Cassie
Stanley Mercedes…………………………………………………………………Father
Anthony Naranjo.…………………………………………………………………Aiden

Spring Showcase at Brandeis HS

04 Jun 2011, 12:34 AM by keith, High School

Students from the three Urban Arts Partnership after school programs at Louis D. Brandeis High School recently came together for their annual Spring Showcase.  All three programs presented strong work and celebrated their accomplishments with family and friends in attendance.  We’re so proud of all the hard work and creativity from these young artists!

The String Ensemble performed three pieces they have been working on: "Pokerface” by Lady Gaga, the traditional hymn “How Can I Keep From Singing,” and “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay.  They displayed confidence and technical skill in their playing, as well as a strong sense of cohesion as an ensemble.

“This year I learned how to play my instrument, how to practice better, and how to not get stage fright.  I will remember performing and being with the group.  It was my first year with Urban Arts and I had fun.” said 11th grader Alexis.

“We worked on a lot of different pieces… my favorites were Lady Gaga and “Viva La Vida.”  We learned how to listen to each other, how to tune our instruments, and how to perform without being nervous.” added 12th grader Regine.

The Good Lookin’ Photo Club presented several different projects they created during the year.  Students created comic panels using photos they had taken to create original stories and discussed their process.  The group also had a large display of students’ favorite shots taken during the year to show the diverse range of work produced.  The club also screened two stop-motion animations, both made in collaboration with the other two UAP programs at Brandeis.  With the Drama Club, students created original experimental scenes.  They also collaborated with the String Ensemble to create "moving portraits" of members of the String Ensemble, set to a recording of the ensemble's performance of "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay.  Check out this animation below: 

“We worked a lot on building a portfolio and taking pictures in different situations.  We learned about stop-motion animation and prop setups.  I liked shooting still life scenes.  Mine had different art supplies and other things from home.  My favorite things to shoot are portraits because I love getting people’s reactions.  I also like landscapes because the scene can change over time, and a picture can capture how things looked so people in the future can look back and see how it was.  I’m glad I joined the club.  I’m an artist and I like taking pictures of anything.” remarked 11th grader Jason.

The Drama Club students performed their original one-act play “American Dream,” which tells the story of a dysfunctional family coming apart.  The characters include a delusional mother who tries to pretend everything’s perfect, her prized plant TreeTree that she secretly talks to for advice and comfort, her troubled husband who is tormented with emotional instability and nightmares since returning from military duty, and her two daughters who argue constantly, one of whom finds solace in talking to her dog.  The play included humor, intrigue and surprising turns, as well as strong performances from all the actors.  “American Dream” is a unique and darkly funny vision from these young performing artists.

“Our play was about a family becoming psychotic.  I played the tree… he helps the main character, Barbara, by talking to her and gives her advice about her family.  I thought I wasn’t going to like acting and bring on stage, but I really liked it.” said 11th grader Joel. 

Fellow Drama Club member Ashley (11th grade) added, “I like acting because I get to be creative playing different characters and working with people.  Getting into character can be hard, but then I think about how the character acts throughout their day and what they’re thinking and feeling.  I learned how you get into character by focusing and bringing your emotions into it.  The play was awesome.  I liked the story most because we all put in our ideas.”

“I improved my acting skills and got to exercise something I love.  When you’re hungry for something, you have to do whatever it takes.  My character is a retired military man.  He has nightmares about who killed his friend.  He’s seeing a psychiatrist and eventually remembers that he actually killed his friend.  There’s a lot of emotions.  I think that connecting with my emotions and focusing helps me bring emotions to the stage.” said 12th grader Edwin.