2013 Youth Arts Program

Early Bird Discount
Early Bird program fee is $615 if received by April 19, after that date the fee is $665 plus the non-refundable $10 application fee. (see program costs below)

YAP Finale photo by Arthur Finnk

This summer will marks the 20th 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 dance, music, visual and literary arts firsthand. YAP engages young people grades 2-10 in an intensive and enjoyable three weeks of arts 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/movement styles -- from modern and ballet to hip hop, social dance and yoga-- as well as musical genres from around the world, theater, storytelling, poetry, writing and visual arts. The arts offer meaningful ways to engage children in healthy, creative and expressive ways. Our mission is to enrich children’s lives through the arts.

Program Features

• Every child takes dance, music, theater and visual arts classes
• Daily classes provide dance experience from hip hop and jazz to modern, ballet and yoga
• Music classes include singing, rhythm, drumming and music from around the world
• Visual arts, theater and storytelling classes offer additional avenues for expression
• Targeted learning groups for students entering grades 2-3, 4-6, 7-11
• Younger students develop imagination and cooperation skills in creative movement classes
• Teens study choreography and collaborate to develop a new dance piece
• Master classes and demonstrations by internationally renowned artists from Bates Dance Festival
• Every child contributes to the creation of a final production that is performed in the 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 by Phyllis Graeber Jensen

Research shows that study in the arts:

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

Admission Requirements

• Enthusiasm for the arts – dance, music, theater, visual arts and writing
• Willingness to try new things and contribute ideas

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 22 through Friday, August 9, from 9am to 4pm at the Mays Center on the Bates College campus. A mandatory orientation meeting for all participants will be held on Sunday afternoon, July 21. The Festival Finale rehearsal and performance will occur on Saturday, August 10.

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

 

YAP Finale photo by Arthur Fink

Program Cost

Early Bird program fee is $615 (by April 19) after that date the fee is $665 plus the non-refundable $10 application fee. The fee covers the three-week program including lunch, daily snacks and complimentary tickets for select Festival events. Family discounts are available.

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 online or from school guidance offices or the Bates Dance Festival.

Refunds

If notified by Monday, July 8 a full refund will be made less a $20 processing fee. No refunds will be made after this date.

Program Sponsors

Youth Arts is made possible with generous support from: Anonymous, Leonard C. and Mildred F. Ferguson Foundation, Fisher Charitable Foundation, Lewiston-Auburn Children's Home, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Sequoia Foundation, and TD Banknorth. 

Faculty & Staff

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

Dana Reed

Dana Reed  (program director/dance instructor) – grew up in Mississippi and discovered her love for dance at the early age of three. Dana graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a BFA in Dance Education in 2003. Dana has been a part of the Bates Dance Festival’s Youth Arts Program since 2002, starting her journey as an intern and became Director in 2008. Currently, Dana lives in New Orleans, LA and is the Director of Kid’s Play NOLA; a free arts education program for New Orleans youth. She is the artistic director of her dance company Alternative Collaborations and was awarded a performance residency at Chen Dance Center in New York City in 2009 and an artistic residency at the Bali Purnati Center for the Arts in Indonesia in 2008. Dana has also performed with many dance companies in New York City and is currently performing with Artist Inc in New Orleans, La. However, her true passion lies in teaching dance to others; which she has taught for over the past 11 years all over the world. The Youth Arts Program and it’s community has become a huge part of Dana’s life and she considers Lewiston/Auburn her home away from home; she is looking forward to another summer in Maine.

Terrence Karn

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 and recently served on the faculty at Denison University.   

 

Rob Flax

 

Rob Flax (music instructor & accompanist) is a recent graduate of New England Conservatory where he received a master’s degree in Contemporary Improvisation. He is a multi-instrumentalist, improviser, and educator based in Boston. Classically trained on the violin since age 8, he first achieved national recognition in 2009 at the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) conference. Rob has performed locally, nationally and internationally. He joined the YAP faculty in 2012.

 

Jillian Grunnah

 

Jillian Grunnah - (dance & storytelling 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 and at the American College Dance Festival. Jillian currently lives in Boston where she directs the dance program and teaches drama and yoga at the Noble and Greenough School. She also directs the Cambridge-based contemporary dance collective, SPUNKandCOmpany.

 

Yvonne Hernandez (dance instructor) - earned her BA 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.

 

 

Annalyn Lehnig (theatre teacher/assistant to YAP director) – earned her BFA in theatre with an emphasis on original work from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA. She currently resides in New Orleans where she works as an educator and theatre artist. Annalyn has worked with KID smART in partnership with the CP3 Afterschool Zone, providing quality arts education for at-risk youth. She has worked as a teaching artist and administrator with YAP Program Director, Dana Reed, to develop and promote Hope Stone Kids New Orleans, an arts outreach program that provides high quality artistic learning. As a founding member of the Heart Hustle Collective, she has created and produced three original pieces; The Circus LoveSick (San Diego, CA), Mimicry (San Diego, CA) and Quinta Essentia (San Diego, CA). Annalyn is looking forward to another inspiring summer at Bates!

 

 

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 BS degree in early childhood education from the University of Houston and has taught kindergarten, second grade and fourth grade as well offering creative movement to as 6-8 year olds at Hope Stone 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 Artistic Director and choreographer of the Colombian Folkloric Ballet and a soloist/company member of Gypsy Dance Theatre. She joined the YAP faculty in 2009.

Franki Trout (dance & choreography instructor-in-training) earned her BA in Dance Education from the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), and studied music and dance in London in 2011. She danced with Deep Vision Dance Company in Towson, MD and the Baltimore Dance Project. Franki has taught and choreographed within the public school system in both Anne Arundel and Baltimore County and now teaches at Dance Etc. in Walkersville, MD. Ms. Trout is thrilled to return to Bates as part of the YAP staff, with whom she worked as an intern during the summer of 2012.

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.