Visiting Artist and Student Work on Display at Convocation
Sarah Crowell, artistic director of Destiny Arts in Oakland, Calif., is visiting all three campuses this week to share her expertise in dance and spoken word with students at Blake. The results of their work together will be on display during Friday’s Convocation ceremony.
Crowell has taught dance, theater and violence prevention to youth all over the Bay Area, in schools and community centers since 1990. In 1993, she co-founded the Destiny Arts Youth Performance Company, a troupe for teens to co-create original movement/theater productions based on their own experiences. The company now performs for more than 20,000 audience members a year at conferences, festivals and other community events. Crowell has received nine California Arts Council Artist in Residency grants for her work at Destiny and a National Endowment for the Arts grant to author a curriculum guide for artists working with teens.
While at Blake, Crowell will work with the Middle School’s Integrated Arts class and the Upper School choir and STEPPS dance group. The second grade classes will explore movement with puppets when Crowell visits the Blake campus, and the Highcroft fourth and fifth grade classes will learn about movement, dance and body awareness. Crowell will also meet with other classes or clubs at a teacher’s request and as time permits.
During Convocation on Friday the Upper School choir will perform a song they have been working on that will blend some of Crowell’s movement work. In addition, the STEPPS group will perform a dance they have worked on with Crowell and the second graders will be performing with puppets.