Jersey City Children's Theater & Nimbus Dance Works to Kick Off JC Summer Arts, June 2013

Jersey City Children's Theater and Nimbus Dance Works collaborate on a new summer performing arts program, JC Summer Arts, geared toward providing high quality instruction in dance, theater, and music, in a fun, creative and educationally enriching environment. The program draws on the expertise of Jersey City Children's Theater and Nimbus Dance Works in their respective fields in designing a program that immerses students in the performing arts. JC Summer Arts consists of a morning program, Bard Party: Shakespeare, Dance and Song (9:30-12:30am) for younger students ages 4-9 years, and for older youth (ages 10-17), Summer Dance and Acting Intensive. Where school year programs are often limited to one class per week, JC Summer Arts will lead to significant growth and development of skills only possible through this kind of immersive experience.

Both Jersey City Children's Theater and Nimbus Dance Works remain committed to making arts education accessible to youth and families regardless of financial means. Need-based scholarships will be made available on a first come-first served basis. Additionally, in partnership with the Jersey City Board of Education, the program will offer eight full scholarships to students from the Jersey City Public Schools who have demonstrated excellence and determination in their dance and theater studies.

The curriculum for JC Summer Arts was developed by Kathy Hendrickson, Director of Jersey City Children's Theater, and by Samuel Pott, Artistic Director of Nimbus Dance Works, with the assistance of expert teaching artists from both organizations. Priorities for the program include skill development and experience-building as well as personal growth in a fun and positive environment. Using a different Shakespeare play for each week of the program to provide a thematic framework, the morning session (ages 4-9) will embed communication, teamwork, physical coordination, and creative imagination skills into theater, dance and music classes. The afternoon sessions (ages 10-17) focus more specifically on skill development and include elective classes to allow specialization in students' area of interest. Guests from college performing arts program admission offices as well as industry professionals such as casting agents will round out this afternoon intensive program. Each week will include a final showing on Friday where students will have the opportunity to showcase their work for friends and family.

Says Samuel Pott of Nimbus Dance Works: "The JC Summer Arts program is a significant addition to the youth arts programs currently available in Jersey City because of the program's clear focus on skill development and it's curriculum design which will leave young performing arts students more confident, more creative and more competent. We at Nimbus are thrilled to build this program with Jersey City Children's Theater and profit from each other's areas of expertise."

Says Kathy Hendrickson of Jersey City Children's Theater: "We are overjoyed to be working with Sam and Nimbus Dance Works. It is clear that dedication to the arts education of the youth of Jersey City is paramount to both of our organizations. Our mission is only strengthened through this amazing collaboration. Students will be able to develop and hone skills in areas of Dance and Theater Arts and be taught by industry professionals all within the safe, respectful and playful, yet challenging environment."

Program Specifics:

Bard Party: Shakespeare, Dance and Song (Ages 4-9)

9:30am to 12:30 drop-off (early drop-off available).

1 week $280; 2 or more weeks $252 per week; all 6 weeks $216 per week
(scholarships available, contact rachel@jcchildrenstheater.org for information)

Week 1: June 24-28

Week 2: July 8-12

Week 3: July 15-19

Week 4: July 22-26

Week 5: July 29-August 2

Week 6: August 5-August 9

Summer Dance and Acting Intensive

1:30pm to 6:00
Participants should come prepared with appropriate attire and a snack and water.

1 week $300; all 3 weeks $750

(scholarships available, contact rachel@jcchildrenstheater.org for information)

Week 1: July 8-12

Week 2: July 15-19

Week 3: July 22-26

About Jersey City Children's Theater

Jersey City Children's Theater (JCCT), is a production and educational theater company using the seminal works of Neva Boyd, Viola Spolin and Paul Sills as its foundation. Boyd, Spolin and Sills believed in the power of focused play and theater games as perfect portals to direct experience, both onstage and in life. JCCT presents Story Theater (a narrative theatrical form, founded by Sills in the 1960s) performances and workshops to diverse youth audiences locally and nationally. The award winning Actor/Educators with Jersey City Children's have all worked directly with Sills, Spolin and/or Carol Sills (Paul Sills wife, who does annual workshops directly with JCCT), are industry professionals working both on and off-Broadway, in film and television, and have over 100 years combined conservatory teaching experience. In addition to presenting original adapted work of classic fairy tales fables and folklore, JCCT has worked with teaching artists and performers from India, Norway, Turkey, Sweden, Brazil, Canada and Mexico. Jersey City Children's Theater currently partners with dozens of New Jersey and New York schools and organizations developing community-specific enrichment programs both during and after-school.

Since opening its doors in March of 2011, JCCT has served over 4000 students and audience members, brining the highest quality of theater performance and education to the community. A 501c3 not-for-profit, the company receives funding from multiple foundations including The Daedalus Foundation and the Chaffin/Luhana Foundation, as well as from a large number of faithful donors. Jersey City Children's Theater presents it's home main-stage season at Jersey City's own Historic Barrow Mansion, hosts a touring company, presents panels on education and arts, and offers numerous theater classes to both youth and adults.

Nimbus Dance Works, Jersey City's premier Dance Company, focuses its work on the intersection between high-level dance and innovative ways of involving communities and audiences. Nimbus presents dance performances and programs to diverse audiences locally and on tour: serving present dance audiences and building future ones. Performers with Nimbus Dance Works are top-tier dance artists drawn from widely recognized companies including American Repertory Ballet, New Jersey Ballet, and the Martha Graham Dance Company. In addition to presenting work by Nimbus Artistic Director Samuel Pott, the company commission dances by leading dancemakers with a special focus on international choreographers including Pedro Ruiz (Cuba/USA), Huang Yi (Taiwan), korhan ba?aran (Turkey), Xiao-Xiong Zhang (Australia/Taiwan), Randy James (USA). Through critically acclaimed performances throughout New Jersey and the Northeast, programs for Jersey City youth and seniors, partnerships with institutions such as the Jersey City Board of Education, Rutgers University, and the Newark Museum, and collaborations with notable composers and visual artists, Nimbus weaves together artistic excellence and community impact.

Now in its ninth season, Nimbus Dance Works programs impact more than 9,000 people each year. The company's JC Grooves dance program serves over 2,000 youth each year in the Jersey City public schools. A 501c3 not-for-profit, the company receives funding from multiple foundations including The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the Provident Bank Foundation, as well as from The City of Jersey City, Hudson County and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and has been honored by an official proclamation of support by the Mayor and the City Council of Jersey City. Nimbus Dance Works presents biannual home seasons in Jersey City and recently opened the School of Nimbus Dance Works offering dance classes to diverse youth and adults from Jersey City and the surrounding region.

The School of Nimbus Dance Works offers top-tier training in Ballet and Modern Dance and exposure to other dance forms for children, teens and adults. The school emphasizes small classes, excellent instruction, and opportunities for students to perform alongside Nimbus Dance Works company dancers, including the annual Jersey City Nutcracker production. Classes are taught by company dancers who have taught Ballet, Modern Dance and other techniques to a variety of age groups. With need-based scholarships provided through grant support, the school draws students from across Jersey City to ensure access to quality dance education regardless of economic circumstances. Our main focus is to give students the opportunity to explore creativity and movement while advancing their technique with traditional formation, so that those who are interested in pursuing dance as a career receive the preparation they need.

But, our classes are also fun! So, for those students who simply want to explore creative expression through dance, our classes provide a challenging, yet supportive environment! Stay tuned to our calendar for master classes and other exciting additions to our curriculum.

To post a comment, you must register and login.