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Artist: Kelly Lyons

In Building Creativity, architectural educator Kelly Lyons will help you to take any school subject out of the textbook! Architects determine what our communities look like, from the buildings they design to the cities they plan. Through hands-on projects and three-dimensional representation, architecture workshops encourage abstract thinking and exploration of conceptual ideas using age-appropriate techniques. Call today to find out how architecture can make your lesson plans come alive! Kelly is the program director of Architecture Explorations, the K-12 outreach program of the Carnegie Mellon School of Architecture. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Carnegie Mellon and a Master of Education from Duquesne University.

Artist: Dan Kamin

Dan Kamin created the physical comedy scenes for the films Benny and Joon and Chaplin, and trained Johnny Depp and Robert Downey, Jr. for their acclaimed performance. He also played the vengeful wooden Indian in the cult classic Creepshow 2, consulted on My Best Friend’s Wedding, and created the weird Martian movement for Tim Burton’s Mars Attacks!

Students love meeting someone involved with movies, and Dan Kamin uses the opportunity to draw them into the art of movement.  A gifted teacher and the author of two acclaimed books on Charlie Chaplin, he reveals the secrets behind his movement illusions in this entertaining, hands-on workshop.  Aside from being fun, the workshop teaches basic principles of expressive communication and offers participants ways to be more comfortable physically.  This workshop is most effective in conjunction with one of Dan’s assembly programs, The Pantomime Man (K-5) and The Illusionist (6-12).

A second option for elementary schools is Dan’s “classroom blitz”—ten minute post-show visits to every class in the school, in which the students learn some additional movement skills during their one-on-one visit with The Pantomime Man.

Artist: Liberty Brass

Schools can add up to three 45 minute workshops (tailored to grade level) before or following the performance (teachers select the participating classrooms) taught by Liberty Brass leader Ross Cohen. The workshops focus on honing some of the fundamental skills of brass playing including: breathing, buzzing on the mouthpiece, singing/ear training, extending range, and more.

For older students, master class workshops where individual students play and receive instruction in front of their peers cover more advanced techniques including: sound development, musical expression, practice techniques, preparing solos/auditions, etc.

Workshop content is flexible and can be created with the teacher and musician.

Artist: Jan Loney

Jan Loney is a metal artist who believes that art can be a strong connection to other areas of learning. In her Properties of Metal: Reflections of Myself workshops, children's natural artistic abilities and curiosity serve as a starting point for creative residency projects that explore the properties of metal as well as artistic choices and processes. The result is a finished product that is meaningful to the students because it is highly personal. Past residency projects have included personal treasure boxes, sculptures tied to curricular themes and concepts, mobiles, three-dimensional self-portraits and items of personal jewelry.

Artist: Christina Farrell

Opera is rich with opportunities to explore history, literature, diverse cultures, music, drama, and performing techniques. This program offers custom-fit, curriculum-based residencies for classrooms which allow students to discover how music can illustrate setting, mood and character in a story and perhaps create an original opera themselves. Coaching on healthy vocal technique is available for musical ensembles as well. Opera Ignite Founding Director Christina Farrell received a BFA in vocal performance from Carnegie Mellon University. She has performed with Washington National Opera and Baltimore’s Opera Vivente, and has served on the voice faculties of Peabody Preparatory and Washington D.C.’s Levine School of Music.