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Artist In Education
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  Nancy J. Walker : MA, BA, DipRSA (Christie's, London)

Nancy has 18 years’ European experience as a professional dancer, dance reconstructor, choreographer and teacher across all major historical periods.

With both an MA and BA degree in Dance, and a Royal Society of Arts Diploma in Fine and Decorative Arts she interprets the social context of the dance and its importance. She held positions of Professor of Early Dance at the Royal College of Music, London, England for 9 years, and is currently Adjunct Professor of Dance History at Gettysburg College and Adjunct Professor of Ballroom Dance and Ballet at Wilson College.

Artists in Education

Artists in Education are rigorously vetted to ensure the highest standards of application and presentation of arts to school children via their normal curriculum. The concept is to make art a vehicle for enhancing the everyday subjects that the children study, while at the same time exposing the children to an art form they may not normally come into contact with during school time.

The Artist is retained for a minimum of a 10 day residency working with the teachers to relate their art to the curriculum during normal lesson time.

Funding for the artist is shared equally between the school and the PA Council on the Arts. Normally daily rates are around $250.00 depending on the artists being engaged.

For full details of the scheme visit: www.pacouncilonthearts.org/aie/ or www.stARTSomething-aie.org

 

Nancy J. Walker, MA, BA, DipRSA

Year accepted - Re-rostered
2006                   2009

Age Range for Residencies:
Elementary, Middle/Junior, High School, Adult, Senior Citizen

 

 

Artist Statement:
As a specialist in dance history, I use social and theatrical historical dance as a basis to bring historical periods to life. The time periods that I cover are the Renaissance, Colonial, Regency, Victorian and Ragtime eras (15th - early 20th centuries).

I have assisted in helping students make the all-important connections between dance and the world in which it existed. It is my firm belief that the more connections students can make between their subjects, the more meaningful their studies will be to them as well as opening new avenues for exploration.

The benefits of such a program are an understanding of the importance of good manners, improvement in posture and deportment, an increase in body awareness and self-confidence, and a greater appreciation of the past.

The culmination of my residency could involve a period ball or student dance performance for the entire community utilizing all of the related subjects explored in the program.

I have extensive 18 years' international performing and teaching experience of historical dance which has helped to develop a multi-cultural approach. I have an M.A. degree in Dance (specialising in Dance History), a B.A. degree in Dance, and a Royal Society of Art Diploma in Fine and Decorative Arts from Christie's (London, England).

My training has enabled me to inter-connect the entire spectrum of dance as a continuum of social and artistic evolution from the early Renaissance to present day. As a dance historian I strive for historical accuracy, and take responsibility for providing thorough historical research, a logical method in presenting the material, and an orderly framework to enhance understanding and learning.

 

Nancy is regularly supported by her husband Jef as a Guest Artist (at NO additional fee). Jef has extensive dance experience, both as a performer and instructor, coupled with a broad knowledge of the historic context of each period. His portrayal of an historical gentleman embodies the characteristics of respected men of society in each time period and as such provides a positive male role model.
 

Jef Savage, MBA, BSc.

Performer and Assistant Instructor of dance & history programs from 15th to 20th Century,  1989 – present

 

Guest Artist for AIE Programs: St. Vincent de Paul School, Hanover, 2007, Civil War Dance; Chambersburg Area Middle School , 2008 & 2009, Latin American Dances. 
 
Resumes available on request.
 

EXAMPLE RESIDENCY

This is an Arts In Education Residency provided for St. Vincent De Paul School, Hanover, PA, and is an example of the syllabus agreement completed in partnership with the School.

 

OVERVIEW

        St. Vincent de Paul School will sponsor an  Arts in Education (AIE) program, hosting Ms. Nancy Walker, an AIE Historical Dancer and Mr. Jef Savage, Guest Artist during the 2007 – 2008 school year. St. Vincent de Paul School, K – 8th grades, is located near Hanover, Pa., an area rich in Civil War History.  By using historical dance as a basis Ms. Walker will help to bring the Civil War era to life to the students by inter-connecting with the student’s curriculum.  By helping the students make more connections between their subjects, the more meaningful their studies will be to them, as well as opening new avenues for exploration, and a greater appreciation of the past and the historical area they live in.

Ms. Walker is a specialist in dance history and has had many experiences in bringing history to life to students. She strives for historical accuracy, takes responsibility for providing thorough historical research, a logical method in presenting the material, and an orderly framework to enhance understanding and learning.

Mr. Savage (Guest Artist) has extensive dance experience, both as a performer and instructor, coupled with a broad knowledge of the historical context of each time period. As a Civil War historian and re-enactor he has specialist in-depth knowledge of this period. His portrayal of an historic gentleman embodies the characteristics of respected men of society for each time period.

            The culmination of this residency will be a Victorian Ball for the entire community, utilizing all of the related subjects explored in the residency program, where the students can celebrate their accomplishments, and the parents and community can join together in Victorian dances. 

 

OBJECTIVES

    All Residency sessions will include action, reflection, theory and application.

The overall goal is to give students a complete immersion into the time of the American Civil War based on the question – if you were living during the 1860’s in Hanover, Pa. what dances, activities, etiquette, clothing, everyday objects, food, music, art, games, personalities, etc. would be familiar to you? 

 

Our objectives for this Residency program are for the students to be able to :

§     Explain the role of dance in American society during the Civil War era

§     Recognize ways that other disciplines are connected to the arts

§        Participate in hands-on activities in dance, theatre, music and art

§    Understand the influence and contributions of other global cultures in the United States during this time period

§    Develop pathways to connect their school subjects and the world they live in

§    Understand the importance of good manners and integrate social etiquette into everyday life

§    Improve posture and deportment

§    Increase body awareness and self-confidence

§    Develop reading skills by exploring Victorian dance and etiquette manuals, diaries, newspapers and periodicals.

§    Explain the importance of primary sources and how to use them.

§    Participate in handling artifacts of the Victorian era and develop museum standard  handling and preservation techniques

§    Gain a better understanding of the historical significance of the area they live in & a greater appreciation of the past.

 

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS (15 day residency)

 

Beginning 

 

Day 1 -  Planning day with Ms. Walker, Principal, and the faculty of St. Vincent de Paul School.

 

Day 2 - In a school assembly Principal and Ms. Walker will outline the Artist in Residency Program to all the students. Ms. Walker and Mr. Savage, dressed in mid-Victorian clothing, will demonstrate Victorian dances.

 

Ms. Walker will meet all core groups and outline their particular program. 

 

Middle

 

Ms. Walker will meet daily with core groups in planned activities (see Teacher/Staff Involvement below) to prepare them for their presentations for the Victorian Ball.

She will also meet with a different grade level each day to conduct dance, etiquette and music workshops.

 

End  

 

Day 14 - All school assembly to provide a rehearsal for the Victorian Ball which also gives all  students of St. Vincent the opportunity to see what each group has been working on.

 

Day 15 - A Victorian Ball will be held as a separate activity, open to the parents and community. Local officials and school administrators will also be invited to participate.

 

CORE  GROUPS

 

Our core groups will consist of three groups of 30 children in each group comprised of all  6th, 7th, and 8th graders. Each core group will work on  special dances, songs and  drama pieces to be presented at the Victorian Ball.

 

EVIDENCE OF STUDENT INVOLVEMENT IN THE CREATIVE PROCESS

 

The student body will participate directly in planned activities such as dancing mid-Victorian social dances, music, art, drama, story telling, research, and participating in the Victorian Ball.

 

TEACHER/STAFF INVOLVEMENT

 

The following teachers will assist with the respective sessions :

  • Physical Education  - learn the basic steps  of Victorian dance and apply them to  social dances; explore how period clothing affects dance and physical movement. Practical sessions in Victorian etiquette.
  • Music   - Songs of the era & what they tell us about Civil War era society, how dance music relates to the dance steps & figures, how to reconstruct a dance from Victorian dance manuals
  • Art – how dance was depicted by artists and how dance historians use this evidence
  • English – how dances were recorded & how are they depicted in period novels, diaries, periodicals, newspaper accounts, etiquette manuals. The importance of primary sources and how to use them.
  • Science – development of early photography, how to identify different types of 19th century photos, how they can be used for learning about history and society. Relate this to a family photograph.
  • Librarian – Civil War era resources in the school library
  • Social Studies – the role of dance in Civil War society, social etiquette, fashion history, the area and society of Hanover in the Civil War.
  • Life Sciences – what foods were available, how to read Victorian cookbooks & experiment with old  recipes, dining etiquette, history of Victorian food preparation & kitchen facilities.

OTHER STUDENT GROUPS

Ms. Walker will be accessible to all the students from K – 8th grades and will conduct special dance, etiquette and music workshops with the students in these grades. 

 

COMMUNITY OUTREACH / PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

Parents and the community, local officials and school administers will be invited to come to a Victorian Grand Ball  where the students will showcase the dances  and other projects they have worked on throughout the residency program. The parents and community will also have the opportunity to dance with the students as Ms. Walker will teach some Victorian group dances during the Ball.

A press release with photo will be submitted to the local newspapers and St. Vincent de Paul’s school newsletter describing the residency and inviting the community to the Victorian Grand Ball.

 

FACILITIES / SUPPLIES

Gymnasium  & Stage

Classroom to work with students & staff

Photocopier

 

EVALUATION / FOLLOW UP

Student written survey  (taken on Day 14 ) & an Audience written survey  (during Grand Ball)

Meeting with Principal and several teachers for final evaluation session.

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Danza Antiqua* 129 North Main Street* Mercersburg * PA * 17236