Highlights
education
FirstWorks connects world-class artists with local schools, libraries and neighborhoods to enrich the lives of youth in Rhode Island’s most economically disadvantaged areas. Our focus is engagement through arts-education and arts-creation.
festival 2012
Bandaloop honors nature, community, and the human spirit through perspective-bending dance. A pioneer in vertical performance, Bandaloop seamlessly weaves dynamic physicality, intricate choreography and climbing technology to turn the dance floor on its side. Residency activities included a public lecture and film on art and the environment by Bandaloop Artistic Director Amelia Rudolph, at the RISD Tap Room on Wednesday, Sept. 26th.
Hailing from the island of Sumatra, these dynamic artists blend martial arts, folk theater, and body percussion traditions of their matrilineal culture into performances filled with fiery grace and striking clarity.
Advanced Dance Technique and Repertory Class Schedule:
MASTER CLASSES
Thursday, Sept. 27, 2:30-4pm
Friday, Sept. 28, 1-2:30pm
REPERTORY CLASS
Friday, Sept. 28, 3-5pm
Classes are $10 each or take all three for $25
Nan Jombang is on tour as part of CenterStageSM
Saturday, September 29, 10am-12:30pm
Puppet Workshops with Papermoon Puppet Theatre, Alejandra Prieto Garcia and Automata at RISD Exposé, 204 Westminster Street, Providence
Summit is limited to 24 registrants.
To inquire, email Annette@first-works.orgPapermoon Puppet Theatre is on tour as part of CenterStageSM
Saturday, September 29, 2:30pm
at the Plaza Stage on Kennedy Plaza, Providence
2x Grammy Award Winning Spanish Harlem Orchestra (SHO) Lecture/Demonstration: Six musicians from SHO reveal the history of the music, with a live demonstration of their roles in Spanish Harlem Orchestra and the genre of Salsa/Latin-Jazz.
FREE - no registration required
educational program highlights:
On April 7th, jazz vocalist Nicki Mathis will led workshops for students at Gilbert Stuart Middle School, Hope Arts High School and John Hope Settlement House.
In February 2011, FirstWorks partnered with Ailey II for two days of arts-learning programs reaching over 1,600 Rhode Island students and community members. Ailey II, the junior company of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, is renowned for cultivating the country's best young dance talent and creative vision of today's most outstanding emerging choreographers.
Residency activities included:
PAIS WORKSHOP
25 high school students from the Providence Academy for International Studies (PAIS) participated.
BROWN UNIVERSITY MASTER CLASS
54 dance department students participated in this in-depth session with the Ailey II dancers.
COMMUNITY MASTER CLASS
62 members of the community attended this master class, held at the Ashamu Theater at Brown University. Attendees included university dance students from across Rhode Island and members of the regional professional dance community.
WORKSHOP / PERFORMANCE at Veterans Memorial Auditorium
Over 1,400 participating students grades 2-12 and their teachers represented school districts statewide, including: Providence, Central Falls, Pawtucket, Woonsocket, Cranston, Smithfield, Portsmouth and Barrington.
educational program highlights:
Sponsored by the Brown University Creative Arts Council:
In March 2010, FirstWorks brought illusionist Michael Moschen to Providence for an artist residency at Brown University and public performance at Veterans Memorial Auditorium.
Residency activities included:
FILM SCREENING: “In Motion with Michael Moschen”
Discussion led by "Marvelous Marvin" Novogrodsky
MASTER CLASS with MICHAEL MOSCHEN
In this live demonstration and workshop, Mr. Moschen illustrated the physical and mathematical principles that underlie his creative process.
This event was co-sponsored by the McCormack Family Theater of the Literary Arts Department, Brown University.
View photo highlights here.
educational program highlights:
Collaboration with more than 15 schools and after-school programs:
In partnership with Providence's MET school, FirstWorks hosted Acrobats and Assembly Lines, a conversation with Chris Lashua, artistic director of FirstWorks Festival headliner Cirque Mechanics. Lashua’s introduction to the post-industrial inspiration behind their production, Birdhouse Factory, attracted artists and students from The Steel Yard, Trinity Rep, and New Urban Arts.
Opportunities for students to perform with artists:
After a participatory workshop exploring the history and methods of improvisational music, students from J.M.W. School for the Performing and Visual Arts joined local musicians Steve Jobe and Chris Turner on stage for their performance Chamber Music for Diverse Ensembles.
Opportunities for aspiring artists:
Pixilerations new media artist Lisa Young presented her work to teenagers from Central Falls and Pawtucket at the J.M.W. School for the Performing and Visual Arts. In addition to promoting literacy in both technology and the arts, the workshop allowed students to engage with an artist from their own community. FirstWorks organized this workshop in partnership with RISD@Walsh.
Cross-cultural learning:
HORSE, Taiwan’s first, all-male dance company, demonstrated excerpts from their performance, Velocity, at the San Miguel School of Providence, an independent middle school for boys, and for Global Studies Academy students at Central Falls High School.
In a 3-day residency, the Yellow Bird Indian Dancers conducted workshops at four Rhode Island elementary and middle schools. Participating students engaged with Apache cultural traditions through story-telling activities and a Hoop Dance lesson.
Multi-layered arts learning:
In a residency at Brown University, electronic music pioneer Pauline Oliveros delivered multiple opportunities for Brown music students and RISD Digital Media students to engage with her groundbreaking work in electronic and meditative music through guest lectures and a critique of student work. Public programs included an evening of performance at the RISD Auditorium, and a free, afternoon workshop where Oliveros and her partner, Ione, facilitated story sharing, meditation exercises, and interactive listening activities for a group of 50 students and community members. Click here to watch a projo.com interview with Oliveros.
Our partnership with reknowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma & the Silk Road Project:
From January through March, 2009, FirstWorks engaged over 500 students from Pawtucket, Central Falls, Providence and Woonsocket with an artists' residency program and curriculum designed to promote global understanding.
The program included:
