Arts-in-Education

NEC Training Program 30 years ago

Since the 1960's, The Negro Ensemble Company's Intensive Training Program, founded by Douglas Turner Ward and Robert Hooks, has provided Professional, Top-Quality Workshops for Young Artists. Its classes in all aspects of the Performing Arts, from Mask Work and Martial Arts to Ballet and Vocal Training have been a testament to the importance of the arts as a "Core Academic Subject" which imbues students with Self-Worth and Passion for Literature and History.

NEC's Arts-in-Education Program, Today, is a rare opportunity to have the Broadway Stage come to You; and participate in Highly Interactive workshops with Award Winning Experts in Arts-in-Education, who, also have successful careers as artists in a variety of disciplines.
[Learn more about the Teaching Artists]

Students will have a chance to Push the Desks Back and Participate in Professional Artist's Techniques and Disciplines. Prior to each Residency Teachers and Teaching-Artists Collaborate to design the most exciting and interesting experience for both teachers and students.

Students perform at PS 123 - The NY State Learning Standards

It's an opportunity for teachers and students to work as a team and see talents that are not often expressed in the classroom. Study Guides include ideas for Future Projects and Field Research and may be included in school libraries to Insure that the Focus of each Residency is Perpetuated long after the Residency is complete. Our Staff of Teaching Artists/Facilitators are Pioneers in Arts-in-Education and have High Ratings as Teaching-Artists. NEC's Teaching-Artists work with Teachers to Design Exciting Hands-On Workshops based on Learning Standards. With dropout rates hovering at 20%, not including the those 5-10% pushed out of NYC public schools, it's our mandate to keep pushing Our Standards for full Participation Higher and Higher, while filling the gap caused by 24% limited physical education in NYC Public Schools, the 32% of elementary schools without playgrounds and those without music, Drama or Arts programs. This in mind, each Teaching-Artist is Evaluated by participating Teachers at the end of Residency.

Ms McKinney leads workshop with Phyllis Rose Dance Co. at NE School

Students and Teachers have an opportunity to choose from a combination of a variety of Programs, Workshops, Projects, Demonstrations and Student generated Performances, focusing on History, Writing, Literature, Sciences and Mathematics enlivened through the Arts and Culture of Africa, Latin America and African-Americans and Native American Indians. Renowned Performer/Teaching Artists work with teachers to:

Design residencies for their specific curriculum with their Pre-K through 12 students

Study guide materials are provided to Participating Teachers for further Projects and Activities

Workshops Training Teachers to Enliven Subject Matter through the Arts in the Classroom, Conflict Resolution and Class Management.

NEC?s hour long School-Tailored Productions Like Leslie Lee?s Colored People?s Time PLUS.. Your Choice of, or combination of, the following Workshop Topics and Residencies, as time allows:

The Play Comes Alive!
Students Participate in Theatre Games and exercises in Acting, Actor's Process, Script Analysis, Techniques of Creating Characters from different Periods, Making the words Their Own and Public Speaking Using the Script of the play they will see. They will debate the Issues, Hear the Music and create games and projects based on Current Events brought up by the play.
Bringing to life Black American Theatre of NEC's founders. Robert Hooks
and Douglas Turner Ward Students explore the Issues and History of the 1960's in America, through Dance, Music or Drama and the Diaspora and the relevance of Civil Rights today and throughout history, the world over.
The Music, Poetry and Literature of Political and Social Struggle
Struggle has been expressed and overcome through Music, Art, Drama, Dance in countries like South Africa, Haiti, Central America the USA. Students create a presentation to share with other classes on the issues of World Peace and Art.
What Students are Saying
"I thought the play was great and I mean great. The message was very clear.
They wanted us to stop doing bad thing to ourselves and others. Join together and be friends. The message I thought was good. Not to mess on the performance it was two thumbs up."
Mary Elizabeth Somboonchoke, Bronx
"I am grateful for you work and I love the dance and teaching to me"
Abraham Sanchee, 7, PS 112
Rap Poetry
(written during a Rap Workshop):
"My name is Wendy, and I'm Ishana, and we are gonna step 2 da beat of a different drumma.
We are here at camp to let ya know, to stay in school is that's the way to go.
We are black young sistas and we know how to dance, people know us from here to France.
To end this rap we'd like say that we hope you got the message in the right way."
Ishana Chestnut's
I Have nothing To Write
These people want me to write
A rap about anything I wanna say.
That's the problem I don't know what to write Even though things happen day by day.
Hey I finally wrote down something to say, I'm proud of myself now I'm going in a positive way.
I can't now say I have nothing to wrote.
As you can see I just tried and tore up the mic
(Hook): Repeat 2x's:
My name is Marissa as you all know
I just put my mind to this and let it flow.
Marissa S. Boylan, 11, Westchester, NY
I Got Somethin' To Say
Secret Code for Freedom: African, Native and Latin Americans to this day in Contemporary Lyrics have gotten their message of Freedom, Culture, Religion and Purpose across to each other in code Students will compare these old practices with those of today's musical styles worldwide.
Young Star's Intensive
Want to see if Stardom is for you? Professional Performers teach you about the Business and Discipline of Performing Arts.
Teachers have the option of including practice and culminating performance or a more workshop based exposure to many disciplines (2-12)
Get Up and Dance!
Your choice of Learning Dances from Africa, Latin America, Chinese Martial Arts, Native American and African American Traditions. Foreign Language, Geography and Visual Arts are shared from these countries enlivening History.
Swing Brother Swing!
Songs and Dances from Plantation to the 40's: Celebrate Jubilee, Spirituals, Jitterbug, The Blues, Civil Rights Songs, Charleston Dance Choreography against the backdrop of Black History?s known and unknown Heroes, like, Marcus Garvey, Samuel Coleridge Taylor, The black Baseball teams, Memphis Slim and Duke Ellington.
Enter The Dragon
Basic Chinese Kung Fu, Learn Basic Kung Fu Stances and
Chinese Tai Chi and overview other Non-Contact Martial Practices, Written and Spoken Language, and Visual Art and the relationship between Chinese and African History.
Black Indians
It's Pow Wow Time: Songs, Dances, Crafts, History and Art of Native Americans, What We Do at Pow Wows and How that has changed over time and How the Movies have changed the way people see Native Americans. Students do Social Dances and Songs and/or learn crafts like beadwork, porcupine quillwork, weaving, leather work techniques.
Folktale Theatre
Students Write and Improvise, Create the Characters and Act Out the Stories based on Folktales from Africa, American India, Latin America, India, China and their own ideas for acting and movement. (Pre-K - 4)
The Roots of Rap and Hip Hop:
Poetry and Writing: Rap started thousands of years ago in Ethiopia since then it has traveled to West Africa the Caribbean, even China. Get up and share your rap, write, do Hip Hop choreography, Tap and Puerto Rican Taino Indian dances. .It's a Schmorgasbord! (3-12)
Conflict Resolution
Facilitating Conversation Instead Of Conflict: Students and Teachers Learn Exercises to Communicate better and explore the causes of Mis-communication
Choreo-Poetry and Improvisation in Dance
Explores the process of creating dance students "get on up" and move using Dance, Mime techniques and Improvisation exercises like the professionals do. Using techniques of Viola Spolin Improvisation, Comedia del Arte, Michael Chekov Psycho- Physical Gestures, Alexander Technique for Relaxation and Well-Being , students use their favorite poetry to create their own choreographed drama to be shared with other classes.
Musical Traditions of the Americas
There are Many Countries: One America. Students explore Folk Music of the Americas from Native American and Caribbean to Blues and Hip Hop, the purposes of music and how they relate to each other and everyday life.

Residencies can be created from a combination of topics, based on the Expertise of the Teaching-Artists and Teacher's preferences.

Our most important critics are the children we teach Click to See our Rave Reviews from the Students themselves. (can be inserted in the margins of each page)

Students perform at Lola Louis’s Performing Arts Ctr.

Fees

Fees For Performances of "Colored People's Time" by Leslie Lee, Directed by Charles Weldon:

One performance $1500
Two Performances Back-to-Back $2000

Fees For Workshops: Workshops include a Free Study Guide with Ideas for Future Projects and Further Research in Related Topics.

$450 - five (5) forty-five minute sessions in a day
$375 - four (4) forty-five minute sessions in a day
$325 - three (3) forty-five minute sessions in a day
$275 - two (2) forty-five minute sessions in a day
$125 - for each planning session for EACH residency( A Planning session is required)

Fees For Libraries and Museum Workshops:

$300 - One 1 Hour Workshop/Presemtation
$400 - Two Back-to Back Workshop/Presentations

Please contact NEC at 212-582-5860 or e-mail: marmarra@necinc.org

Marmarra McKinney, Director of NEC's Arts-in Ed Program and Teaching Artist has developed programs, workshops, performances, choreography for several Arts in Ed Organizations currently dances, acts, sings, writes and creates costumes for NEC and The Phyllis Rose Dance Company, now in it's year of teaching and performing in NYC, Conn, NJ and Mass. Schools primarily for Pre-K through 8, and Adult Audiences., Ms McKinney facilitated workshops for K-8 and teacher's trainings for Learning Through Expanded Arts Program, developed programs and facilitated workshops with High School Students in Inner-City Schools, teacher and performer with Lola Louis's Performing Arts Center Bronx, NY, Teaching-Artist with Rye Arts Center, with Tony Randall's National Actor's Theatre, bringing workshops and Classics playing on Broadway to NYC School Students and received The Mayor's Very Special Arts Award in conjunction with Theatre In Motion, a Company of performers with and without disabilities performing for NYC Schools and Libraries.

Marmarra McKinney is the writer of The Roots of Rap which has Sold Out Audiences for thousands of children for 12 years since Interboro Repertory Theatre's director, Jonathan Fluck, Commissioned her to write, choreograph, costume and perform and arrange music for the piece with Gregor Manns. Marmarra McKinney's passion for children led her to consult, initiate and develop Afterschool, Weekend and in School Workshop programs including The Pawtucket Drug Free Task Force Theatre Music Project with Providence Black Repertory Theatre which is now a huge success with Donald King and Raidge at its helm. Marmarra McKinney is also active with the American Indian Community House sometimes competing in Pow Wow Dance Competitions and for Louis Mofsie's so generously allows her to sing with Heyna Second Sons Drum Circle .

Ms. McKinney leads over 100 students with Phyllis Rose Dance Co. at N.E. School

Marmarra is a Successful Actor, Singer, Dancer, Martial Arts Coach in Chinese Kung Fu and Sword (her teacher Master Lu Dian Wah of Bejing, China) and began her career at Negro Ensemble Company as the In-House Wardrobe Supervisor at Theatre Four on 55th Street and 9th Ave. with Puppet Play with Seret Scott and Phylicia Rashad. Her Performing Arts Credits Include: a Audelco Award Nomination for Best Ensemble for Lawrence Holder's 3 character play Monk 'n' Bud with Alvin Alexis and Tony Jackson, directed by Jasper McGruder for the Role of "Nellie Monk" which played The Gilded Balloon, Scotland, Crystal Field's Theatre for the New City, NYC and Larry Leon Hamlin's NC Thr Festival. Marmarra's Television Credits Include: The Role of Carmen (waitress) on ABC's One Life To Live, Guest Star (Hero) on America's Most Wanted (Smash Wooten Episode), Waitress on Law and Order and NY Undercover, Featured on Salt 'n' Peppa's Express Yourself Video and her first TV appearance was on Sesame Street taped on her 10th birthday. Film Credits Include being featured as a teacher in Matthew Broderick's new movie Stranger's with Candy, Player's wife in For Love of the Game. Theatre Credits Include: Rose Lee (lead) in August Wilson's Fences, Multiple Roles and Quick Change Expert in Lou Meyer's Just A Little Bit of Somethin', Griot and Costume Designer for NEC's Tea, Taxes and Shakespeare, "Her" in Through Her Eyes by Veronica Galos, Africa in Cornbury: The Queen's Governor, Griot in Lola Louis's Performing Arts Center's in The Children's Legacy. As a Singer Ms. McKinney's Credits Include: 'The Funk Guru Band' (NYC) and 'Adiva' (Italy).