Highlights of the 2007 UCSCA Program
The Upper Chesapeake Summer Center for the Arts continued to advance in its mission to provide a comprehensive and life-changing summer experience in the Arts. Each staff member, guest artists and enrichment performer strived to provide the best instructional and residential program possible—succeeding to advance well beyond the arts experience that students experience in their respective school programs.
We consider that the 2007 program was the best of the past eight years. The curricular design, focus on technology, expanded inter-arts collaboration, and caliber of creativity projects provided a challenge for students to take their work to the next level of rigor. The theme “Imagination, Inspiration, Innovation” provided a focus for creativity groups and each art discipline. Students utilized the Creative Process (Problem-Based Learning) to create an interdisciplinary art form that reflected the theme. Dancers, digital artists, musicians, actors, authors and visual artists worked on collaborative projects that stepped outside of convention to develop superb works of art. Visual arts students developed the concept of portraits into a variety of two-dimensional, three-dimensional and digital forms to refine their own style and step beyond convention. Digital artists took visual artists’ storyboards and musicians’ original compositions to create Flash animations. Dancers, actors and visual artists worked collaboratively to portray impressionistic renderings of Degas’ “The Dancer”. Instrumentalists wrote, arranged and published their own compositions on Sibelius 4 software and recorded their work in digital format.
Creativity groups this year continued to focus on developing team-based problem solving through the Group Dynamics process. Counselors guided the students through carefully sequenced games and activities that promoted a high level of interaction and bonding. Residential assistants fostered this process with their respective students. This camaraderie transpired into the Creativity projects, which showed a new level of ensemble, performance and originality. Our Counseling staff was committed, focused and truly cared about the students and their artistic development.
Each teacher expanded their curriculum to reflect the theme, integrate other disciplines and provide an intensive experience for each student to discover their own artistic style. Instrumental and vocal students had the opportunity to perform individually, as well as in small and large ensemble. Performance repertoire was carefully selected to provide a challenge for each musician. Students worked on improvisation, composition, arranging and recording technology. Theatre students developed advanced monologues, Kabuki acting skills, group dynamics and technical theatre components. Dance students developed choreography and improvisations in a variety of styles. They also integrated their work with theatre and visual arts. They also focused on the refinement of technique and significance of diet. Literary Arts students refined the skill of creating imagery in prose and poetry using a variety of masterworks as models. Digital Arts students refined their use of Adobe Suite, created web pages and animated visual arts storyboards and original compositions into a Flash creation.
Enrichment components during the week focused on integrated multicultural artists representing Africa , India and the United States. Ssuuna African Song, Dance & Drumming was the first program. Ssuuna’s performance had the students dancing in the aisles. His music from Uganda was both inspiring and exuberant. David Leonhardt, Jazz Pianist, provided a diverse program that covered the entire spectrum of African American music from the Blues, Ragtime, and Swing to Modern Jazz. Lakshmi Swaminathan, South Indian Classical Dancer portrayed the variety of dance, music and folklore representative of the various cultures of India. Danielle Strange, Kubuki Theatre Consultant, enriched the student’s study of focus and character that the Suzuki technique instills.
The midweek fieldtrip to Washington, DC provided a diverse spectrum of activities unique to the curriculum of each discipline. Chorus and Orchestra students traveled to the Marine Barracks where they interacted with the Marine Band during their morning rehearsal. In the afternoon they visited Strathmore Hall to discover the multitude of performance and instructional venues that this facility offers. Visual Arts students visited the Torpedo Factory Arts Center in Alexandria in the morning and later joined the Theatre and Literary Arts students at the Hirshhorn Museum for specific assignments relative to their interdisciplinary projects. Theatre students were provided a guided backstage tour at the Lansburg Theatre. Digital Arts students spent the day recording the various activities at each destination. Everyone completed their itinerary at the conclusion of the day by traveling to Toby’s Dinner Theatre to see “Little Shop of Horrors”.
Two end-of-week performances were presented to fellow students and parents highlighting progress made during the week. On Friday afternoon creativity groups performed their final works for critique. Three groups representing each age level were selected as the outstanding groups to perform for parents. On Saturday morning parents arrived in time for a farewell brunch with their children that was immediately followed by the art show/chamber music performance at Larabee Hall. The venue then moved to the final gala performance in the Johnson Lifetime Fitness Field House. Each discipline presented performances of their significant works of the week. Digital Arts students presented a collage of Flash animations featuring their collaborative creations. Theatre students presented a series of monologues representing a variety of characters and theatrical styles. Dance students presented several originally choreographed dance styles including modern, hip-hop, jazz and classical ballet. Vocal and Instrumental students performed a diverse program of serious, popular and jazz compositions. The performance concluded with a collaborative performance including orchestra, chorus and dancers.
Students, parents and UCSCA staff were more than gratified with our 2007 UCSCA Program. Numerous individuals have corresponded to us regarding the quality of program, level of student excitement and the camaraderie displayed by everyone. Both quantitative and qualitative data support the continuous improvements that this program makes every year in every way. The level of commitment shown by everyone demonstrates that it truly is a life-changing experience for students and staff.
Cutting Edge Technology in the Real World
For the past two years the implementation of technology has been a priority of the UCSCA program. The 2006 Center introduced Digital Arts as a course offering. Students were able to develop web pages, explore animation and refine their skills in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. This year we were able to expand their skills in the use of Adobe Suite, sound modifications, digital imaging, Flash and collaborative projects using original compositions and storyboards. Within the Grant RFP we specified additional contracted technical services to provide assistance with the collaborative projects. When offered supplemental funds by the Gifted and Talented Office, we requested two computers, scanners and printers for music and visual arts students. Additionally, we requested Adobe Suite software and technical assistance for Sibelius 4. These resources allowed music students to compose, arrange and print their original compositions for the animations. They also allowed visual arts students to incorporate web resources, Adobe Suite and Photo Booth as an additional tool for their multi-media portrait projects. Items were purchased as requested and implemented to expand technology resources and integration of multiple arts projects.
Percentage of First Year and Returning Students