Educators,
We’re glad you’re here looking for educational opportunities for your students. Read on to learn about our SEAT program for free tickets, and our free daytime performances designed for youth in grades 7-12.

“I do believe firmly that you can learn every bit as much from a play, a concert, a ballet, or an opera as you can learn from a lesson, a book, or a video.”
Jimmy Ellerbrock
History Teacher, Bowie High School

“This was a great experience, to be able to expose students to performing arts that they might never otherwise get the opportunity to experience! Thank you, thank you, thank you, UT!”
~Del Valle High School teacher

Student comments:
“I really enjoyed how the performers were so into their playing. They played with such passion and emotion, like they live to play. I enjoyed listening to it very much.”

“I really did enjoy the performance. Before I had never heard music like this style. This performance brought me to a whole new level of thinking. Thanks!”

YOUTH PERFORMANCES

As part of our lifelong learning mission, Texas Performing Arts offers a variety of art forms especially designed to make a strong impression on our youth in grades 7-12. Youth Performances are available free of charge for educators and students in Austin and the Central Texas area. Educational materials are provided in advance and there is a Q & A session for students following the performance.

2011-2012 Educational Opportunities

2011-2012 Youth Performance Flyer / Seating Request Form.

2011-2012 YOUTH PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

1. RAPPAHANNOCK COUNTY – Friday, September 23, 10:30 am-12:15 pm, McCullough Theatre
Over 300 students attended this performance of a theatrical song cycle commemorating the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War. Five singers played more than 30 roles and sang 23 songs representing individual stories of people throughout the time of the Civil War.

Rappahannock County Educational Materials / Rappahannock Prezi Lesson

2. AN DA UNION – Thursday, October 13, 11-12 noon, Bass Concert Hall – www.andafilm.com/clip.php
Over 1,000 students attended this performance and had the opportunity to hear music from Inner Mongolia. Student Worksheet

3. LUNA NEGRA DANCE THEATRE – Friday, November 18, 11-12 noon – Bass Concert Hall – www.lunanegra.org
Over 1700 central Texas students attended the performance by this Chicago-based contemporary dance company who celebrates Latino culture. Luna Negra Prezi Lesson / Student Guide

4. DIAVOLO – Thursday, February 23, 11-12 noon – Bass Concert Hall
Students will be wowed with the dancing, acting, and gymnastics performed by this Los Angeles-based group. – www.diavolo.org
View this lesson to prepare for the performance!

For more information and related student activities, view the Diavolo Young Person’s Concert Study Guide here.
You can also download the pdf here

Past Youth Performances

During the 2010-2011 school year, Texas Performing Arts welcomed over 4,500 students to youth performances in Bass Concert Hall. In September 2010, students enjoyed watching Delfos Danza Contemporánea, one of the most acclaimed contemporary dance companies in Mexico. In March 2011, students heard SFJAZZ Collective’s rendition of Stevie Wonder’s music.
March 24, 2011 – SFJazz Collective / photos / interactive lesson on Prezi
September 23 & 24, 2010 – Delfos Danza Contemporánea / photos / student worksheet
April 12, 2010 – Soweto Gospel Choir / photos video lesson
January 29, 2010 – Yuri Yunakov Ensemble / photos / preparation lesson / video
November 11, 2009 – Trey McIntyre Project / photos

STUDENT PARTICIPATION

Students Experiencing Arts with their Teachers (SEAT)

Read further for information about complimentary tickets for educators and students to attend Texas Performing Arts performances.

Educators and mentors, please review the list of performances available and consider the ways you can use these experiences to complement your curriculum and improve your students’ awareness and understanding of world culture, history, and literature!

2011-2012 Click here to download a list of events with tickets held for educators.

SEAT tickets are distributed based on the time of your request and the level of need. Requests will be accepted up to two weeks before the event. A limited number of tickets are available, so please make your request early!

In addition to performances on the UT campus, visiting performers occasionally are able to spend time with local school students. In November, 2012, Robert Biedermann, an actor in the touring show of South Pacific, visited with theatre students at McNeil High School.

In January of 2011, the Parker Quartet performed for McCallum High School students. Click here for more photos of the Parker Quartet’s visit to McCallum High School

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

In support of educators in all areas, from time to time we offer professional development workshops free of charge.

This August, our Wig and Makeup Specialist, Allison Lowery, taught a Stage Makeup Workshop for 3 CPE credits for Round Rock ISD Theatre teachers. Allison provided explanations, demonstrations, and hands-on activities on how to apply male vs female makeup; old age makeup, and scars/bruises/burns makeup.

PAST EDUCATOR WORKSHOPS

In November 2009, 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.
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) led 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 received 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

More lessons here

Alvin Ailey Fact Sheet and Lesson Guide
How to Write a Music Review
Magic Flute Character Study
History of Steel Pan