For more information on our education programs, please contact Brenda Simms at 512.471.2131 or bsimms@texasperformingarts.org.

YOUTH PERFORMANCES

As part of our lifelong learning mission, the Texas Performing Arts strives to introduce students to a myriad of different art forms and leave an indelible mark on the minds of our youth. Youth performances are made available free of charge for educators and students in grades 7th – 12th in Austin and the Central Texas area.

To attend a youth performance, download the 2009-10 Youth Performance Flyer and submit your 2009-10 Youth Performance Seating Request Form for up to 150 students/chaperones to attend.

One youth performance remains this school year:

Soweto Gospel Choir – Monday April 12, 11 am, Bass Concert Hall on UT campus Soweto Gospel Choir
The Soweto Gospel Choir was formed to celebrate the unique and inspirational power of African Gospel music. The 26-strong choir draws on the best talent from the many churches in and around Soweto. The choir is dedicated to sharing the joy of faith through music with audiences around the world. www.sowetogospelchoir.com

Our first youth performance of the year was the Trey McIntyre Project, performed November 11 at the Bass Concert Hall on the UT Campus. In attendance were 1300 middle and high school students from the Central Texas area. Students were able to question the dancers after the performance. For photographs and podcast from this event, click on the following links: photos / podcast. Q&A with Trey McIntyre Project dancers

Yuri Yunakov Ensemble presented our second youth performance of the year on Friday, January 29 at Hogg Memorial Auditorium on UT campus. photos Yuri Yunakov

Educational video about Yuri Yunakov Ensemble and the Romani culture, download Yuri Yunakov Ensemble Youth Performance Preparation Lesson and watch this video with musical samples and background information.

Last year, over 2500 middle and high school students attended the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Youth Performance.
photo by Bret Gerbe

More photos of students attending the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Youth Performance
Alvin Ailey Fact Sheet and Lesson Guide

STUDENT PARTICIPATION

Hundreds of free tickets are made available to Austin and Central Texas area schools each season to afford educators and students the opportunity of attending Texas Performing Arts performances and other activities.
2009-10 Student Ticket information

Visiting performers occasionally are able to spend time with local school students.

In February, the Jupiter String Quartet performed for Fulmore Middle School students. Click here for more photos of the Jupiter String Quartet’s visit to Fulmore Middle School

In March, the Imani Winds performed for students at the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders. Click here for more photos of Imani Winds’ visit to the Ann Richards School

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

In support of educators in all areas, from time to time we offer professional development workshops free of charge.
In November we offered 5 CPE units for the workshop, ARTS INTEGRATION: DJ SPOOKY & ANTARCTICA. Participants attended the Friday, Nov. 20 DJ Spooky, “Terra Nova: Antarctic Suite” performance at Hogg Memorial Auditorium. We met again on Saturday for the class where we explored new ways to integrate the performing arts with other subjects at the middle and high school level.

Past educator workshops:

Professional Development at Explore UT – 2008
Texas Performing Arts was pleased to offer two professional development sessions for teachers during Explore UT, the University’s annual open house. Ann D. David, MA, led teachers through two workshops on how to use the arts and visual media in their classrooms. The workshop titles were: “Arts-Inspired Writing: Using Image to Inspire Quality Writing” and “Guide for Watching: Getting the Most from Videos, Television, Performances, and Other Media.”

Dance Teacher Professional Development for Austin ISD – 2008
Texas Performing Arts, in cooperation with the UT Department of Theatre and Dance and Austin Independent School District, presented a professional development day for dance teachers. Teachers had the opportunity to take a master class, learn from UT dance faculty Lyn Wiltshire, and create new curriculum for their classrooms. Teachers left with dance videos, lesson plans, and curriculum.
Genre Study: Dance Review

ArtesAméricas Educators’ Professional Development Workshop In Conjunction with El Automóvil Gris – 2007
During the week of January 22, 2007, Texas Performing Arts hosted youth performances and a one-day workshop held in conjunction with the performance of El Automóvil Gris.
El Auto Gris Lesson Plan

A group of local educators, along with a number of educators who participated in the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program award that funded “Exploring Mexico: Performing Arts & Culture,” a seminar and curriculum development project for K-12 educators, took part in a Professional Development Workshop. Teachers with experience in the arts and culture of Mexico shared their experiences with other teachers and, all teachers created arts-integration curriculum across grades and subject areas that were then utilized in classrooms with students. To foster these goals, professionals with background in various aspects of Mexican history, arts, and culture, film, theatre, curriculum development, and pedagogy took part. The workshop concluded with an informal dialogue and question and answer session with Claudio Valdes Kuri, artistic director/ actor with Certain Inhabitant’s Theatre. Educators ended their day by attending the performance of El Automóvil Gris.

Zoot Suit Teachers’ Workshop – 2004
Texas Performing Arts in partnership with the Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies (LLILAS) presented a workshop around the play Zoot Suit, written by Luis Valdez . Teachers explored the historical significance and impact of the Sleepy Lagoon murder case, the zoot suit riots (1943) on Latino culture in the United State and why Zoot Suit, written in 1978, is still culturally relevant? Gilberto Zepeda (1999 Disney Teacher of the Year in the Arts) lead a discussion on interdisciplinary methods and how to include Zoot Suit in high school curriculum. Teachers left understanding how the real-life events and the play could be implemented in their English, History, or Drama classrooms. Teachers, receive Continuing Professional Education (CPE) as defined by the State Board for Educator Certification.

Workshop participants were provided tickets to see Zoot Suit prior to attending the workshop.

CURRICULUM GUIDES – GRADES 7-12

To assist educators in preparing students about the history, background and training of the artists, Texas Performing Arts provides complimentary arts-integration curriculum educational resource and activity guides prior to the performance. Keep checking this page for additional lesson plans and resources for arts-integration curriculum including ways to have students write stories from images and using song lyrics to teach figurative language and tone. These PDFs and videos contain lesson plans, resources, and student handouts and are aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).

PAST CURRICULUM GUIDES

How to Write a Music Review
Magic Flute Character Study
History of Steel Pan