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 3:45pm) 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. 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
• Every child takes dance and music
• 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

 

Faculty & Staff

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

Dana Reed  (program director/dance instructor) – Dana earned a BFA in Dance and Education from the University of Southern Mississippi, and has been teaching dance for over ten years. She lives in New York City, where she is artist in residence at The Nightingale Bamford School and serves as Artistic Director of Alternative Collaborations Dance, a multimedia performance company. Dana has performed with Stephan Koplowitz and Marisa Gruneberg. She became the director of YAP in 2008 after eight years of teaching in the program.

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

Rosemary Leach (dance instructor) – received her B.A. in dance and culture from Hampshire College in 1995. She has been teaching dance to children and adults for over fifteen years, from Montana to Maine. Rose has taught under the auspices of the University of Montana, Montana Arts Council, Flynn Center for the Arts (VT), Contemporary Dance Studio, and Bates Dance Festival. She has performed and toured as a solo artist, as well as with hoi polloi and the Montana Transport Company.

Patrick Ferreri (dance instructor) - is a dancer, teacher and yoga practitioner. He dances with David Dorfman Dance, Keigwin + Company, and Hope Stone Dance in Houston, TX under the direction of Jane Weiner (YAP founding director). Patrick has taught in after-school programs in Brooklyn, the Overlook International Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia, the Isadora Festival in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, NYU's summer residency program, and at Manhattan’s 92nd Street Y.

Jillian Grunnah (dance instructor) - received her BA from Bowdoin College and her MFA in dance at Smith College. She has taught modern, jazz and creative movement to students of all ages at Smith College, New Dance Studio, Portland Arts & Technology H.S., and the American College Dance Festival. She enjoys choreographing for dancers of all ages.

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.

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 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 Location and Dates

Youth Arts Program will take place from Monday, July 19 through Friday, August 6 at the Mays Center on the Bates College campus. An mandatory orientation meeting for all participants will be held on Sunday, July 18 and the Festival Finale performance is on Saturday, August 7.

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

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.