K12 School Partner Program - 2015-2016

 

K-12 School Partner Program

Photo by Maria Saldana

“Just dropping a note to once again thank you and to let you know how enriching last week's performance was for our students.”

— Program Coordinator at a local high school

We think everyone should have the opportunity to explore the world through the arts, which is why we launched our K12 School Partner Program in 2014. This series of matinee performances provide students with the opportunity to experience live arts and creative conversations with both established and emerging artists. The program offers deeply discounted tickets, transportation subsidies, free tickets for chaperones and study guides to help teachers and students prepare.

“Thank you so much again…One of my sons is interested in audio technology and appreciated all the technology incorporated in the play. This was our first time at your theater and really loved the play.”

— Parent of a homeschooler child

This year, special performances by visiting artists Huang Yi and KUKA, Emeline Michel and Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal will be part of the series. Additionally, area high school students will see daytime performances of Intimate Apparel, produced by the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies, as well as a special holiday concert by the University of Maryland Symphony Orchestra for elementary and middle school students. Students are also given backstage tours of The Clarice, campus tours of UMD and information about becoming Terps of the future!

For more information about how your school can participate, email k12partner.theclarice@umd.edu.

Upcoming Student Matinee Performances

Baltimore

  • Date and time: Friday, March 4, 2016 . 10:30AM
  • Performance length: 1 hour and 30 minute performance
  • Recommended for: Grades 9-12

The School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies presents Baltimore by Kirsten Greenidge, part of the Big Ten Theatre Consortium’s New Play Initiative for women playwrights. Baltimore is a contemporary story about the loss of innocence and the coming of age of a college student forced to encounter the social ramifications of difference and her own cultural relevance.

Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal

  • Date and time: Wednesday, May 4, 2016 . 11AM
  • Performance length: 50 minute performance
  • Recommended for: Grades 6-10

An internationally-renowned company led by Artistic Director Louis Robitaille, BJM has comes to The Clarice with their signature energy and spirit of exploration. Displaying its radiant and expressive style, BJM explores the creative side of ballet and contemporary dance while firmly committing to classical aesthetics in a unique style that is marked by dynamic physicality, virtuosity and explosive power. This special performance for young audiences will include carefully selected excerpts from the BJM repertoire, assembled like a succession of music videos, offers young people an entertaining and informative introduction to the world of contemporary dance.

UMoves Undergraduate Dance Concert

  • Date and time: Friday, May 6, 2016 . 10:30AM
  • Performance length: 1 hour and 30 minute performance
  • Recommended for: Grades 4-8

The School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies presents a concert featuring the emerging talent of the next generation of dance artists. The program includes original works created and/or performed by undergraduate students majoring in dance as they are finding their choreographic voice and vision, plus new works developed throughout the year by guest choreographers.

Past Student Matinee Performances

Huang Yi & KUKA

  • Date and time: Friday, September 25, 2015 . 11AM
  • Performance length: 50 minutes plus Q&A
  • Recommended for: Grades 4-6

As a child, Huang Yi longed for a robot companion. As an adult, he created a robot to dance with. Acclaimed Taiwanese choreographer and dancer Huang Yi and his robot companion KUKA bring razor sharp precision and stunning artistry to stage. Harmoniously weaving together the art of dance and the science of mechanical engineering, HUANG YI & KUKA is a poetic work that flawlessly intertwines modern dance and visual arts with the realm of robotics. This special matinee for a younger audience will include performances by Huang Yi, KUKA and dancers from Huang Yi’s company, a moderated conversation with the artists about the work, and time for students to ask questions about how the robot was programmed and anything else that sparks their curiosity!

Intimate Apparel

  • Date and time: Wednesday, October 14, 2015 . 10AM
  • Performance length: 2 hours plus Q&A
  • Recommended for: Grades 9-12

This production of UMD’s School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies is written by Pulitzer Prize-winner Lynn Nottage and explores the strength of the human spirit through the story of Esther, an African American seamstress in New York in 1905 when social and class lines were clearly drawn and seemingly impassible. Students will receive study guides prior to the performance and will participate in a post-performance with the UMD student actors, designers and others involved in the production.

Emeline Michel

  • Date and time: Thursday, November 5, 2015 . 11AM
  • Performance length: 50 minutes plus Q&A
  • Recommended for: Grades 3-5

Emeline Michel took her first steps to becoming the reigning Queen of Haitian song by singing gospel music in her church choir. Born in Gonaïves, Haiti, Michel enjoys an international career singing in Creole and French, performing at major festivals, and recording for record labels in France, Canada, and the US. Rooted in native Haitian musical traditions, Michel’s songs frequently address social issues and are splashed with touches of jazz, blues, and samba. Students will have a chance to ask questions and join in singing several songs in this very special matinee performance.

UMD Symphony Orchestra annd Chamber Singers Open Rehearsal

  • Date and time: Thursday, December 3, 2015 . 3:30PM
  • Performance length: 1 hour and 20 minute rehearsal plus Q&A
  • Recommended for: Grades 4-8

Drawing from various holiday stories seen through the eyes of children, the UMD Symphony Orchestra and UMD Chamber Singers provocatively combine excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Ballet with David Lang’s poignant Little Match Girl Passion for solo chamber choir. Through the unique juxtaposition of these works and beautiful imagery from video designer Tim McLoraine, this program authentically conveys the joy and sorrow, and the worlds of haves and have-nots, that are often magnified during the holiday season.