What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/1342078
way that they wanted to. So yes, they could show it on the screen in their classroom, but then they could also send a link to these videos to the students that are learning remotely. That way, the students can fit that into their schedule; maybe they can even watch it with their parents. We want it to be as flexible as possible." On Jan. 15, the first show of the 2021 Colgate Classroom Series debuted on demand, followed by three more performance education opportunities. "Layer the Walls," available through June 15, and "Resiliency" (through May 1) bring history to life for older students while "Join the Band: Music Making for One and All" (through May 1) and "The Snail and The Whale" (through Feb. 28) are ideal for pre- kindergarten and lower elementary students. Curating the lineup was, of course, about more than just availability, Zazal says. Though many artists have made the pivot to some kind of virtual offering in the past year, the quality of everything that's out there is "all over the board," she says. The programming team was looking for work that would supplement teachers' needs — both in curriculum and in accessibility — as well as adhere to the high standards for arts education the WAC has maintained since its founding. Established relationships with artists they'd worked with in the past, or had plans to work with before covid "flipped" everything, also provided a pool of talent the team was excited to support during this trying time. "We work with Tall Stories [of London] a lot, and we know that we can expect high quality stuff from them. So that was really an easy choice," Zazal says of the production company behind "The Snail and the Whale." "And puppetry is just another fun way for young kids to experience that story." The story is inspired by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's beloved picture book that follows a tiny snail and great humpback whale on an incredible journey of adventure and friendship. The content includes an hour-long recording of the performance, recorded interviews and conversations with the artistic team and actors and artist-led workshops. The other show for this age range, "Join the Band: Music Making for One and All," sees the WAC again working with husband-and-wife duo Dan and Claudia Zanes. Dan, a Grammy Award- winning children's performer, and Claudia, a Haitian-American music therapist and jazz vocalist, introduce young people to songs and the stories behind them while encouraging creativity and social emotional learning. The content is presented in around 40 minutes of flexible video segments that also include artist- guided activities. "They are just amazing — so energetic, and kids love them," Zazal shares. "They've got such a great message about music is for everyone and making it so accessible, that I really thought it would be important to bring them back during this time. And everything they do is just open to anyone in the audience, it doesn't matter what your skill level is, or your ability, or where you come from — they just want to help you find ways to express yourself through music." "Resiliency," Zazal says turning to the programming suggested for second 4 WHAT'S UP! FEBRUARY 21-27, 2021 FEATURE See Colgate Page 38 Colgate Continued From Page 3 "Something we're trying to do with the piece is open up a conversation about immigration, but also this idea that everyday people can have an impact and can really shape the world we live in," explains Rachel Sullivan, co-artistic director of Grand Pistachio Theater Company. "I hope that young people see that they, too, can really shape their world and make an impact with small exchanges and decisions and moments in their lives." (Courtesy Photo/Buatti Ramos Photography) Inspired by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's beloved picture book, "The Snail and The Whale" follows a tiny snail and great humpback whale on an incredible journey of adventure and friendship. (Courtesy Photo)