2015 Education Programs

Woodbury Elementary “People On The Move”

This cross-curricular, long-term residency involving social studies, physical education, and the art of dance-making was a major step forward in GroundWorks capacity to deliver education programming on a large scale. Involving fifteen classrooms, consisting of over 425 fifth grade students, the residency helped reinforce students’ understanding of ancient civilizations of the Western Hemisphere through legends, myths, and stories adding a new dimension to their learning in many creative ways. Utilizing the teaching skills of GroundWorks artists, the residency also required the assistance of six additional teaching artists from a variety of arts organizations in the Cleveland area. The majority of the participants in the residency came from a non-dance background and required the establishment of a movement vocabulary that allowed students to communicate stories in a non-verbal form. The objective was to help the students relate this creative learning process to the classroom. GroundWorks experiential approach allowed students to think both critically and creatively about movement and provided a freedom of choice and expression that presented both mental and physical challenges to the students.

Miller South School For The Performing Arts

The faculty at Miller South is always seeking opportunities to expand the knowledge and skill level of their students. The invitation for GroundWorks to work with the 4th – 8th grade dance classes was a pleasure as the students come from a self-selected interest in dance. Two workshops were conducted in five separate classes with exercises designed to creatively challenge the students while working to improve their improvisational and choreographic skills. Students constructed and presented a short two minute movement study by the end of their sessions, exploring relationships between dancers and space, with partners and in small or large groups.

Almira Pre K-8 Academy Summer Camp With Cleveland Playhouse

This pilot project lead by the Cleveland Playhouse was a unique opportunity to continue the relationship that GroundWorks established with Almira Academy from its participation in the company’s general workshops associated with the Breen Center performances this past March. Working with Groundworks creative movement language, students created movement phrases based on the disability experience that demonstrated assistance or dependency and the ability to overcome obstacles or restrictions. Camp participants also designed movement phrases based on name inscription and diversity borrowing from poetry written by in their literacy sessions.