December '01: Music, Dance and Theater Check out these interdisciplinary activity ideas, TV programs and online resources for your classroom. Plus, visit the NASSP Web site this month to learn how the arts relate to recent brain-based education research. Teaching Ideas Musical Chairs and Abstract Art Young students enjoy art and being creative. They also enjoy the old, familiar "Musical Chairs." Why not combine the two into a fun, informative art lesson! Abstract art is sometimes hard to explain to younger students, so we can let them experience it firsthand. The idea is to let them "do it" first and explain it afterwards. The materials are simple—a sheet of drawing paper and a crayon for each student, enough space in the classroom to spread out the papers individually, a cassette of upbeat music, and a cassette player. Spread out the paper in a pattern that the students can easily follow and be sure to explain the route to the students. Give each student a crayon, as many different colors as possible. When the music starts, the students start walking around the papers, following the prescribed route. When the music stops, each student stops at a sheet of paper and begins to draw a swirling, doodling line in any design on the paper. When the music starts again, the students resume walking. Each time the music stops, the students begin drawing on the paper in front of them, continuing where the last student left off. After 5 or 6 repetitions, each student takes the paper in front of him back to his seat and colors in some or all of the spaces on the paper. When the students are finished, they should be given the opportunity to name their creations. This should lead to a discussion of why each artist gave his paper the name he chose. Show examples of abstract art from the computer or art books obtained at the library. Ask the students what each picture reminds them of before giving the artist’s title. Then discuss why the artist might have chosen that title for his work. Tell the students that they have just become abstract artists so they must sign their works so they may be displayed. Let students use a word processor to label their creations. The art work can be displayed in the hallways, as part of a school art exhibition, and/or even digitally photographed and put on the school’s Web site. This K-12 site in Oregon gives examples of as well as a fairly simple explanation of abstract art: The Abstract Five http://riverdale.k12.or.us/whatsup/Abstract/homepage.htm The Night Before Christmas Students enjoy hearing "The Night Before Christmas" by Clement Moore, but have they ever had a chance to actually present it as a dramatization? Make this the year that the story comes to life! Find the story at http://www.night.net/christmas/Twas-night01.html. After reading the story, have students list the characters needed. Discuss the settings of each verse and what types of costuming might be needed. Divide the class into groups and have each group work on its own production. Be sure to include a narrator in each group. Allow for practice time. Now it’s showtime! Each group should have the opportunity to present its rendition of the famous play to your class. After some advice and polishing, advertise the play to other grades and classes and let the students become traveling troubadours. The holiday spirit will follow wherever they go! Have students dramatize other holiday stories and practices as well. Online Resources: Sites to See American Masters http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/index_flash.html The body of work American Masters has created, which includes profiles of such American artists as Charlie Chaplin, James Baldwin, Helen Hayes, Andy Warhol, Charlie Parker, Aaron Copland, William Wyler, Martha Graham, Eugene O'Neill, Billie Holliday, The Group Theater, Philip Johnson, Paul Simon, Alexander Calder and Leonard Bernstein among others, continues to inspire and inform site visitors. American Roots Music http://www.pbs.org/americanrootsmusic/ Come discover the pioneers of the musical forms that combined on American soil to become the most pervasive music throughout the world. Buena Vista Social Club http://www.pbs.org/buenavista/ Discover an award-winning documentary and Web site featuring the wonderful music of the Cuban ensemble Buena Vista Social Club. Continental Harmony http://www.pbs.org/harmony/ Continental Harmony takes you behind the scenes of the nation's largest music commissioning project, which brought together strangers and neighbors for a common cause: to make music about the places they call home. Culture Shock http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/cultureshock/ They inspire, but may provoke. They thrill, but sometimes offend. And often the same art attracts both acclaim and condemnation. This site provides context that promotes understanding of the history of the arts and controversy. Duke Ellington's Washington http://www.pbs.org/ellingtonsdc/ Before there was a Harlem Renaissance, there was the African-American artistic community in Washington, D.C.—the environment that created Duke Ellington. Egg: The Arts Show http://www.pbs.org/wnet/egg/series.html This site offers interactive pieces about the artists and artwork featured in the TV series. Through original content -- including streaming video and audio clips, slide shows, interviews, schedules of public appearances and exhibits, and more -- eggsite encourages visitors to make the arts an integral part of their lives and to explore the arts in and outside of their own communities through the "See and Do USA" database. ExxonMobil Masterpiece Theater http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/ For 30 years ExxonMobil Masterpiece Theatre has enthralled audiences with the works of the finest classic and contemporary writers interpreted by the world's foremost actors. Little wonder it is the longest running prime-time drama series on American television. Whether you've been with us since the beginning or are a new recruit, you'll find all the detail and background you crave here. Great Performances http://www.pbs.org/gperf/ Lovers of music, theater, and literature will enjoy the information available on the Great Performances Web site. Past features have included content on ragtime, gospel, Sinatra, opera, ballet, movie music, comedy, and Shakespeare. Holo Mai Pele http://www.pbs.org/holomaipele/ Holo Mai Pele (Pele Travels) tells the epic saga of the rivalry between Pele, Hawaiian goddess of the volcano, and her sister Hi'iaka. The performance program features a dazzling display of ancient hula and chant. I'll Make Me A World http://www.pbs.org/immaw/ Learn more about African American singers, painters, dancers, and actors in the twentieth century. The site contains biographies, selected works of art, and links to related resources. Jazz http://www.pbs.org/jazz/ Access a wealth of interactive, educational features exploring the history and influence of jazz; interdisciplinary lessons for grades 3-12 are also provided. Mississippi River of Song http://www.pbs.org/riverofsong/ PBS and the Smithsonian take you on a virtual roll down the river as you learn about contemporary music along the Mississippi River. Get information about individual artists, teachers guides, and sample the wide variety of music by the Great Big Muddy. PBS Hollywood Presents: The Old Settler http://www.pbs.org/hollywoodpresents/theoldsettler/index.html John Henry Redwood's play "The Old Settler" is the story of two middle-aged sisters, Elizabeth and Quilly, who share an apartment in Harlem in 1943. The sisters quarrel amiably, but they share a wounded history that becomes revealed as the tale unfolds. Stage on Screen http://www.pbs.org/wnet/stageonscreen/ Stage on Screen is the new drama series dedicated to innovative productions of great dramatic works, both classic and contemporary, that celebrate the excellence, excitement, and diversity of theater in America today. Through a diverse array of plays -- recorded live, staged for television, and restored from Thirteen's rich archives -- Stage on Screen will provide access to the transformative power of theater. Who's Dancin Now? http://www.pbs.org/wnet/dancin/ Who's Dancin Now? explores the impact of early exposure to the arts, it is also a valuable tool for educators, artists, administrators, parents, and students to learn about arts education in an easy and effective way. Through a wealth of arts education resources, Who's Dancin Now? Online has the potential to transform the lives of children across the nation and to make the arts a vital factor in every school and community. *For more PBS.org arts-related sites, please visit http://www.pbs.org/neighborhoods/arts/. IdahoPTV & PBS Programs Celebrating the Arts in December Isaac Stern: Life's Virtuoso, An "American Masters" Special Airs Friday, December 7 at 8:00 p.m. MT/PT The late violinist is recognized as a teacher, emissary, speaker and humanitarian. Archival performance footage is combined with interviews. Voices: A Musical Celebration Airs Friday, December 7 at 10:00 p.m. MT/PT Peter Yarrow with Israeli singer Chava Alberstein and New York band The Klezmatics create a global musical event. Taped at Berlin's Neue Synagogue, the program includes traditional Jewish and contemporary songs. Great Performances "The Art of Violin" Airs Tuesday, December 11 at 9:00 p.m. MT/PT Archival footage features celebrated 20th-century violinists - Jascha Heifetz, Fritz Kreisler, Yehudi Menuhin, Isaac Stern, and more - each with unique sound and style. Contemporary virtuosos provide insight on the instrument's tradition and masters. Amato: A Love Affair with Opera Airs Wednesday, December 19 at 10:00 p.m. MT/PT Acclaimed filmmaker Stephen Ives documents the charming Amato Opera House, a family-run opera company that performs full-scale classical operas on a tiny stage in a New York City brownstone. Though the company is small, it has endured season after season for over half a century, giving young and rising opera talent a place to perform in full productions. In addition, the film is also a sweet and romantic tale of Tony and Sally Amato, the couple who founded the company in 1948, revealing their generosity, enthusiasm for art and love for one another.   Egg: Working Dancers 2 Airs Friday, December 14 at 10:30 p.m. MT/PT Joy. Pain. Discipline. Sweat. Egg looks at the life of the working dancer, from the tenderfeet, new to the professional world, to company veterans; from classic ballerinas to modern dancers who push dance to a new level. The episode features a 72-person performance staged in New York's Grand Central station; Pilobolus, a modern dance company; the Oregon Ballet; and 62-year-old dancer Dudley Williams, a 35-year veteran of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. American Masters: Merce Cunningham--A Lifetime of Dance Airs Sunday, December 16 at 9:00/8:00 p.m. MT/PT This show profiles one of the great 20th-century choreographers, acclaimed for his abstraction, innovation and imagination. Merce opened his famous dance studio in 1953 and went on to choreograph over 150 pieces throughout his career. Now 80 years old, he is still working, proving that he really is dance's fountain of youth.   Rediscovering Dave Brubeck Airs Sunday, December 16 at 10:00/9:00 p.m. MT/PT Hedrick Smith talks with the legendary pianist, composer and bandleader, who is still performing and creating new music even today, at the age o f 80. The special remembers Brubeck's exciting career, talks to him about projects he is currently working on and explores the unique style of music — a distinctive fusion of jazz and classical — that made him so widely popular. Austin City Limits Airs Friday evenings at 9:00 p.m. MT/PT Austin City Limits continues its longstanding tradition of showcasing the best of original American music and beyond. Musical styles range from contemporary and traditional pop, rock, country, blues, bluegrass, Latin, folk, roots and more. All find a home on the ACL stage. Christmas at San Xavier Airs Sunday, December 23 at 10:30/9:30 p.m. MT/PT From the opening processional of 'Veni, Veni Emmanuel' to the closing echoes of 'Silent Night,' Christmas at San Xavier celebrates the holiday season with powerful musical performances delivered in the brilliantly restored art of San Xavier del Bac Mission. This splendid example of 18th-century Mexican Baroque architecture is illuminated by hundreds of flickering candles. The program features the celebrated Tucson Boys Chorus, The Sons of Orpheus Men's Choir and the brilliant voice of award-winning soprano Vanessa Salas. Augmenting the program is the violin of teenage sensation, Tommy Liu.   People and Pianos: 300 Years Airs Tuesday, December 25 at 9:00 p.m. MT/PT In 1700, a Florentine artisan/musician, Bartolomeo Cristofori, invented a remarkable new instrument he called "il gravicemballo con piano e forte" – 'keyboard with soft and loud.' Named for its uniquely expressive qualities, Cristofori's complex music machine ignited a social-cultural revolution that has dramatically enriched musical performance and composition. This program celebrates the piano's 300th birthday with performances by artists such as Evgeny Kissin at Royal Albert Hall, Daniel Barenboim with the Berlin Philharmonic, Dezso Ranki with the English Chamber Orchestra, Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Katia and Marielle Labeque from The Smithsonian's millennium gala, 'Piano Grand!' Great Performances: The Nutracker from the Royal Ballet Airs Wednesday, December 26 at 8:00 p.m. MT/PT Since its first production in St. Petersburg more than a century ago, The Nutcracker's charming story, dazzling choreography and magnificent score have combined to make it one of the most popular and enduring ballets the world over. Treasured not only by traditional ballet audiences but by generations of children who have participated in its productions, this perennially beloved tale of holiday enchantment now comes to Great Performances in Sir Peter Wright's unique version from the beautifully restored Covent Garden Opera. The acclaimed cast includes Ivan Putrov as the Nutcracker, Alina Cojocaru as Clara and Sir Anthony Dowell as the toy and clockmaker Herr Drosselmeyer. Vermeer: Master of Light Airs Wednesday, December 26 at 10:00 p.m. MT/PT Meryl Streep narrates this visual pilgrimage of works by 17th-century Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer. The film focuses on three paintings in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. and uses a combination of technologies to delve beneath their surfaces, magnify details and tell the story of their creation. Stage on Screen: Tantalus Behind the Mask Airs Sunday, December 30 at 9:00/8:00 p.m. MT/PT ast season, Denver was the unlikely setting for the most ambitious theater event of the new millennium. The ancient story of the Trojan War has cast a shadow through the centuries in the words of the greatest storytellers — Homer, Virgil, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Goethe, Joyce. Three thousand years after the war became legend, director and playwright John Barton set out on his own odyssey to resurrect these ancient stories in a fresh new light, to illuminate the modern world.