The Backstage Blog

February in the Whitebox

2012-02-02T15:48:00.000-08:00

2/10 - 12 Refill

Lauren Warnecke and Enid Smith re-split the bill in Refill with fresh stagings of Grind and Pier at the Drucker Center. The two first premiered the pieces last August at Links Hall as a part of its new Apprentice Producer program. This latest installment is the culmination of nearly a year's work for each of these up-and-coming choreographers.

Friday & Saturday February 10-11 at 8pm
Sunday February 12 at 7pm
$15 General Admission
$12 Student and Senior Discount

Purchase tickets online at http://www.fanfueled.com/Venue/Details/509-fasseas-whitebox-theater

This project is partially supported by The Links Hall Apprentice Producer Program, the James S. Kemper Foundation, and The Menomonee Club for Boys and Girls.
Photo by Kelly Rose.

2/24 - 25 Welcome to Our World: A Multi-Media Event

Creative Nests presents its first production on Friday February 24th and Saturday Febrauary 25th, 2012 at 8pm. Formed to help awaken possibilities for Chicago emerging artists, Welcome to our World will feature new works by twelve local dance artists, visual artists, musicians, and filmmakers.

Tickets are $10 in advance or at the door (cash only). Purchase yours today, http://www.fanfueled.com/Venue/Details/509-fasseas-whitebox-theater

So long, Cinderella. Hello Frog Princess!

2012-01-04T14:49:00.000-08:00

Best wishes from all of us at Menomonee for a happy and healthy New Year!
As you may know, we have recently partnered with Three Cat Productions to help us in delivering the best theatre program around town. This session, we are featuring The Frog Princess, and rehearsals begin THIS WEEK. As with many Three Cat plays, the script, music, and dances are an original adaptation of a classic story. What we love about Three Cat is that they make plays from stories that kids know, written FOR KIDS, which allows them to shine!

If you or someone you know might be interested in joining us, we encourage you to come this week and check us out! Kindergartners and 1st graders meet on Thursdays from 4:15-5:15, and 2nd-5th graders have two options of Fridays 4:15-6:15, or Saturday mornings 9:30-11:30am. Three Cat Education's phenomenal programs are engaging, educational, and FUN! This week is an open opportunity for you to check us out, free of charge, and if you like us, stick around and register for the program!

Because of many school schedules not quite matching up with ours, we understand that some families may be wanting to join us, but aren't yet back in town. As a result, auditions for the play will be held over the first two weeks of class, to allow everyone a fair shot.

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact Jason (jsmith@threecatproductions.com) or Jacque (jlueken@threecatproductions.com) directly, or email me at lauren@menomoneeclub.org. We will do everything we can to meet your needs. Meanwhile, please enjoy these great shots from our previous show, Cinderella!

December in the Whitebox

2011-12-02T14:51:00.001-08:00

December 2 and 3, 2011
Phoenix Rising Chicago

Phoenix Rising | A Revue is our first dance focused multi-media production. Hosted by our electrifying duo, Ryan Hall and Boobs Radley, this cabaret style show is meant to leave audiences wondering “what will they do next.”

New and classic works by choreographers Amy Russell, Andrew Hodson, and Susie Hall, as well as an appearance by the 808s Empowerment Group, ensure that no two pieces are the same. Our Mistress of Ceremony may even grace us with a Burlesque number or two. Visual artists Thomas Kubik and Chip Russell will display an array of photographic and digital displays before and during the show, making Phoenix Rising | A Revue a full scale multi-media event.

12/2 and 12/3 at 8:00pm

Tickets $15 general admission available at the door or on Fanfueled.com

December 3, 2011
Dance Union: Dance & Theme/Non-theme II

Featuring almost two opposite characteristic results through Johnathan Meyer and Jyl Fehrenkamp, the evening focuses on exhibiting sincere and intelligent approaches to construct dance works and how the dance artist, as a creator and performer, establishes the manners to fulfill the goal of their creativity. Lighting by Francesca Bourgault, discussion will follow

This one night only event will be held in The North Studio at 8:00pm
Tickets are $12, available at the door or on Fanfueled.com

December 10 and 11, 2011
Thodos Youth Ensemble presents: Odds and Ends

Twelve young dancers between the ages of 10 and 14 present four premiers alongside work from guest artist Lauren Warnecke, who shows an in-progress evolution of her year-long project, Grind.

Saturday, 12/10 at 7:30pm and Sunday 12/11 at 4:30pm
Benefit Gala immediately following Saturdays performance

Show tickets $5, or $25 for Saturday performance plus gala
available at the door or on Fanfueled.com

November in the Whitebox

2011-11-08T13:32:00.000-08:00

Sean Masterson presents:
Vaudeville Magic

Sean Masterson's VAUDEVILLE MAGIC imaginatively combines sleight-of-hand, mind blowing illusions, and audience participation. Masterson's skills as an actor bring the magic to life through stories, masks and puppets (who also perform amazing feats of magic).

The Tribune's Kerry Reid described Magic Matinee as “Prestidigitation for the Harry Potter generation, with a minimum of flash and a maximum of understated showmanship...”.

In reviewing Conjuring Time, Chicago Tribune critic Chris Jones noted that Sean is "…very skilled and highly entertaining".

In 2010, Chicago Reader critic Lawrence Bommer enthused over Vintage Magic "uncorked" : "magician/raconteur Sean Masterson and his eye-popping, mind-boggling parlor tricks."

Sean has been entertaining Chicago audiences for the last 25 years performing at corporate, social and public gatherings including the Columbian Ball at the Museum of Science and Industry and Bookmania at the Harold Washington Library.

Workshop: Sunday, November 20th 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.

$30 per participant, ages 7-12 only

Show: Sunday, November 20th 4:30 p.m.

Tickets: $11 ( $9 Menomonee Club members) available at the door or

October in the Whitebox

2011-10-04T15:42:00.000-07:00

10/9: Dance Union: Dance & Video

By paralleling "video in dance" and 'dance in video", the evening will focus on how both forms can expand their artistic potential of one-another. In the post-show dialogue, members of the audience will be able to hear the inner story of video artist petra Bachmaier, Luftwerk working with Hedwig Dances, and of Carl Weidemann with BONEdanse about their collaborative processes and decision making. Lighting by Francesca Bourgault.

8pm (doors open at 7:45)

Tickets are $12/$10 students and seniors

Buy tickets at the door or online at:

www.fanfueled.com/Event/Details/817-dance-union-dance-video

September in the Whitebox

2011-09-07T14:55:00.000-07:00

9/10 Dance Union: Why improvise & Why not?

The evening will feature two music and dance improvisation duos: Jennifer Monson with Fred Lonberg-Holm and Frank Rosaly with Ayako Kato. The four artists also present a quartet. Through performance and post-show dialogue, the event releases questions to reaffirm the unlimited potential of improvisation. Lighting by Francesca Bourgault.

Saturday only, 8:00pm

tickets $12 at the door or on Brown Paper Tickets

July in the Fasseas Whitebox

2011-07-06T12:19:00.000-07:00

Fridays, 7/8-7/29 Produce: a dance and music experiment in four parts

Curated by Timothy Russell (Milwaukee) and Lauren Warnecke (Chicago), Produce is a new dance and music experiment in four parts. Our goal is to provide new artistic avenues for artists by thrusting them into performance situations they might not ordinarily choose. By doing so, we challenge individual aesthetics and ignite dialogue between artist and audience. Photo by Lauren M. Anderson

8:00pm (6:00pm on 7/15)

Tickets $8/6 - discounts available on series tickets
http://producedanceandmusic.tumblr.com

*This one is probably not for the kids - get a babysitter, a nice dinner, and come out for some contemporary music and dance at the Drucker Center!

7/9 Dance Union: Simply Showing

On Saturday, July 9th, Dance Union presents Simply Showing. The evening will feature freshly emerging choreographers and introduce their new approaches to dance works. Featured artists this month include Karla Beltchenko, Liz Joynt Sandberg, Lizzie Leopold and Jennifer Lorraine.

8:00pm (doors open at 7:45)

Tickets $12/10
http://danceunion.tumblr.com

*This one is probably not for the kids - get a babysitter, a nice dinner, and come out for some dance at the Drucker Center!

Summers are fun at Menomonee!

2011-06-07T11:50:00.000-07:00

School's out and at Menomonee Club we've got a fabulous line-up of summer camps and classes that are not-to-be-missed. Summer programs are a great way to maintain and expand skills and knowledge for our school year programs, or to try something completely new!

Summers are in "The House"

We love summers here and hanging out with our friends at the House Theatre, and know that you will too. Their unique approach gives all the power to the kids, who will adapt a script, create sets and choreography... all leading to an informal salon performance at the end of the week. Week-long musical theater camps with The House include:

Wizard of Oz (June 13-17)
Harry Potter (June 20-24)
Star Wars (August 15-19)
Superheroes (August 22-26)

Still in doubt? Check this out:

Dancin' fools

We've all settled down from the annual dance recital, and the dancers of Thodos Dance Chicago return for fun in the air-conditioned sun at Menomonee. According to Melissa Thodos, her company is turning 20 this year.... that's a good chunk of time to figure out how to train, teach, and ignite imagination in her dancers. Take a class for 6-weeks, and then join us for camp!

Jr. Dance Medley (Tues 4:30) with Ms. Jenna
Dance Medley I (Tues 4:30) with Ms. Jessica
Dance Medley II (Wed 4:30) with Ms. Jessica
Creative Summer Dance Camp (July 25-29)

Ms. Amy's Curtain Call

The illustrious Ms. Amy returns for a final summer before opening Cortland Preschool. Her long-running theater intensives are always a hit.

One-Acts (August 1-5)
5-6-7-8 Scenes and Songs Returns! (August 8-12)

Face the Music

Private music lessons in piano, voice and more are ongoing all summer long. New this summer, we also have a fantastic summer music camp, a music theory class with a boatload of fun attached. Not to be missed!
Missed the music recital on Sunday? You can see Dean, our special guest performing right here on your laptop:

June in the Fasseas Whitebox

2011-06-06T14:34:00.000-07:00

June 17-18 at 8pm June 19 at 6pm: The Moving Architects presents PLUCK

PLUCK is about Power - who has it, what it looks like, how it feels, and why we live in reaction of agreement with its subliminal and prominent presence. Choreography by Erin Carlisle Norton, with music by Ian Hatcher and lights by Francesca Bourgault.

***

Also, we're happy to have Dance Union back in action and last weekend kicked off a great start to the new season of monthlys. If you missed this month, be sure to catch more in July with works by Karla Beltchenko, Leopold Group, Jennifer Lorraine and Liz Joynt Sandberg.

Tune our pianos! Arts Advocacy kick-off

2011-03-28T16:36:00.000-07:00

April is an exciting month at Menomonee:

1. Arts Advocacy Day is April 4, which means you'll be getting daily updates next week to remind your of the importance of arts education. This is obviously a topic we take very seriously, and with our various partner organizations will be celebrating and drawing awareness to the essential value of the arts in the lives of children (and grown-ups too).

2. Recital costumes are coming in, and everybody gets really excited when they see those fluffy tutus and sequins hanging in the office... oh, the anticipation!

3. April means it's time to get the pianos tuned. However, an out-of-tune piano didn't stop Dean from playing his version of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata for our entertainment:

As you know, the Menomonee Club is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that has been enriching children's lives since 1946. Kids like Dean are getting the opportunity to discover their talent and benefit from excellent arts programming at Menomonee through donations from generous individuals and organizations. Give a kid a scholarship, or, heck, help us tune our pianos by donating to the annual fund here: http://www.menomoneeclub.org/annual-fund

"Dress Code Appreciation Week"

2011-03-18T09:41:00.000-07:00

Being a dancer means a lot of things:

We share a common and beautiful language, learn discipline and confidence, make friends, and stay healthy.But being a dancer also means carrying around a huge, heavy bag all day full of stinky shoes, washing leotards late at night and hoping they are dry for class tomorrow, and sticking sharp bobby pins into the crown of your head every day.

At Menomonee Club, we are not notorious for strict enforcement of a formal dress code. Next week, however, we are all going to take a refresher course on what our policies are and why they are important. As easy as it is to think that dress codes for dance are antiquated and arbitrary, it's important to understand the reasons that dance schools and programs have them:

1. The teacher needs to see your body. Dance is a technical art form and doing certain movements the wrong way can lead to injury. Sometimes the difference between doing something right and doing something wrong is slight, and can't be seen under baggy clothing. This is especially important in ballet, where the teacher needs to be able to see your torso, legs, and the hips and leg line.

2. Hair is a distraction. To you, to your teacher, and to your fellow students. While dancers might wear their hair down for performances, in order to correctly learn how to spot and turn, you have to have your hair secure on your head. Plus, wearing your hair down (or even in a ponytail) means you will be flipping it out of your face every once in awhile to get it out of the way. This is a REALLY hard habit to break and you don't want to be smoothing your hair back in the middle of a performance...

3. Rules and ritual are important to dance. Dance is a sport, an art, and a discipline. To reap the benefits, you've got to follow the rules. For hundreds of years dancers have been up late at night making sure they have clean leotards and tights, hair supplies in their bags, and sewn shoes. It's important that we show respect to the traditions of dance by being on time, courteous to instructors, and properly dressed. Additionally, dancers will feel more prepared and comfortable for the recital if they practice with the same attire, shoes, and hair that they will be performing in.

We always have extra shoes, leotards, and hair supplies in the office, so if you forget anything, just ask! Can't wait to see you all next week!

Support small dancers with small shoes

2011-03-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

Let's face it. Feet grow.

Performing Arts at Menomonee is now accepting donations for used dance shoes. We will be selling said shoes at a reduced cost to other dancers who either forgot, don't have, or can't afford appropriate footwear for their classes.

Wow! That's a great cause!

Better yet, all of the money raised from this initiative is applied to Menomonee Club's Annual Fund, so by buying shoes from us you are helping the Club bridge the gap between program income and expenses. This includes our administrative costs like printing the recital program, to program costs like purchasing recital costumes (average cost of one is $45-60), and providing scholarships for students.

Drop off your shoes at the Drucker Center any time, and email lauren@menomoneeclub.org if you have any questions!

March in the Fasseas Whitebox

2011-02-28T15:06:00.001-08:00

3/5 Dance Union: Words/Text & Movement

Ayako Kato concludes her series for the season with Words/Text & Movement, an evening exhibiting what types of relationships between movments and words/text exist. Featured works include See What You Believe by Molly Jaeger, What can I say by ology dance/Melissa Mallison Every Handshake, Every Kiss, Every Birth, Every Word by Szewei Lee and The Power of Cheese by David Lakein.

8:00pm (doors open at 7:45)

Tickets $12/10

*This one is probably not for the kids - get a babysitter, a nice dinner, and come out for some dance at the Drucker Center!

photo by Molly Jaeger

This month in the Fasseas Whitebox

2011-02-04T16:08:00.000-08:00

Saturday, February 5th (one night only!)

Dance Union holds its fifth installment: On Movement

The evening exhibits different philosophies on what and how different types of movement are experimented, generated and determined by choreographers.

Featured Works:

The Fat Lady Sings: An Opera in Three Acts by Lauren Warnecke

Recurrence Plot by The Space Movement Project (“TSMP”)

Take It! by 3 card molly (Ania Greiner and Liz Winfield)

Bonsai #5 by Emily Stein

Lighting design by Francesca Bourgault.

A discussion will follow.

8 pm (door opens at 7:45 pm)
Fasseas White Box Theater @ The Drucker Center,
Menomonee Club for Boys and Girls
1535 N. Dayton St. Chicago, IL 60642
(2 min. walk from CTA Red Line North/Clybourn Sta.)

Tickets available at the door: $12 General, $10 Students/Seniors

*Parking is available. Ask Menomonee front desk in case it’s full. Other location will be assigned.

Dance Union is supported in part by Menomonee Club for Boys and Girls. www.menomoneeclub.org

Photo by Eddie Eng

Giving Thanks and Getting Organized this holiday season

2010-11-23T08:27:00.000-08:00

Dear Parents,

Life is busy. It's coming up on that time of the year... the most wonderful, the most hectic, and sometimes the most frustrating. In all of the chaos, it's easy to forget that the holidays are a period of festivity, family, relaxation and rejuvenation. Or rather, they SHOULD be.

Part of my job is to give you the information you need to find that little bit of quiet time between soccer, ballet, piano, picking up Grandma at the airport, homework, baking banana bread, shopping, violin, putting up decorations, paying bills, vacuuming..........

I wanted to take a brief moment to remind you of the quick and easy ways that you can stay organized "on the go" with your Menomonee programs so you aren't taking the time to make extra phone calls, emails, trips to the Club, etc:

Subscribe to The Backstage Blog by email: Receive posts directly to your laptop or smart phone... you can subscribe to the feed from your reader of choice, and it links directly to the Blog if you need to check a calendar, print important forms, or leave me a comment or question
Facebook: Become a fan at http://www.facebook.com/mclubperforms
Bookmark the performing arts calendar: http://performingartskids.blogspot.com/p/calendar.html
Follow us on twitter: @mclubperforms

Not into the technology thing? I'm happy to receive your old fashioned phone calls and emails any time... I just wanted to make you aware of the various resources available to you to keep you informed and organized going into this busy time of year!

Speaking of, if I haven't said it in awhile, all of us at the Club are exceedingly grateful for our wonderful community of families. You are the life source of Menomonee and it is our families who have kept us thriving for well over 60 years. In this fragile economy we can't thank you enough for choosing us to provide enrichment activities for your kids - with your support we hope to see another 60+ years!

For me, personally, it is touching that so many of our families are choosing the arts for their children. I've said it before and I'll say it again.... the arts make kids smarter! They give them discipline and confidence, creativity and adaptability; these are skills they will utilize for the rest of their lives. So, thanks!

Lauren

p.s. In case you haven't followed my tips yet, there are no classes this week Wed-Sun. :)
p.p.s. Photo by Eddie Eng www.eddophotography.com

Mystery and Magic at the Drucker Center

2010-11-16T10:04:00.000-08:00

We are very excited to welcome back the talented and charismatic Sean Masterson for a performance series and special kids' workshop this November!

In his classic Magic Mastery workshop, professional magician Sean Masterson introduces kids ages 7-12 to the art of magic. Children work on their finger dexterity as they learn amazing magic tricks. Sean leads his apprentice magicians step by step and encourages them to use their imaginations to create their own presentational touches. The children leave with confidence in their magical powers!

Magic Mastery will be held Saturday, November 20th
4:30-6:00pm
Ages 7-12
at the Drucker Center

Come for the workshop and stay for the show! Sean will be performing his hit show VAUDEVILLE MAGIC in our gorgeous Fasseas White Box Theatre. Workshop participants see the Saturday show for free!

Saturday, November 20 at 7:00pm
Sunday, November 21 at 3:30pm

Tickets are $11 for adults and $9 for kids. Menomonee members save $1 on every ticket!

You can register and purchase tickets in person at the Drucker Center, or online at www.menomoneeclub.org
For questions or more info, email performingarts@menomoneeclub.org

Sneak Preview: Youth Ensemble photo shoot

2010-10-26T08:59:00.000-07:00

Check out a few of my favorite shots from the Youth Ensemble's photo shoot!

All photos by Eddie Eng (http://www.eddophotography.com)

Halloween fun at Menomonee!

2010-09-29T13:25:00.000-07:00

At Menomonee, we LOVE Halloween. Here are a couple of events that you can get involved in and help us party!

* Sunday, October 17, 12-2pm:
FRIGHTFULLY FUN Storytelling Workshop with The Storybook Mom

Calling all actors!! This 2-hour workshop will use theatre games, tongue twisters, physical and vocal exercises and collaboration to adapt and create a story performance. We will discuss themes, styles and genres of stories, learn stage performance techniques, how to fill a stage with your presence and your voice and learn the secrets of the storyteller... Halloween themes featured and we will explore ghost stories appropriate for all ages!

Nili Yelin, The Storybook Mom, is a professional storyteller who has been called "the best storyteller in these parts" by Time Out Chicago and "highly popular" by the Chicago Tribune. Nili got her start at The Second City and has a degree from Northwestern University. She hosts the Kids Stage at the Chicago Tribune Printers Row Lit Fest every June and performs weekly in the Chicago area. For more on Nili, go to www.storybookmom.com

The details:
Sunday, Oct 17
12-2pm
Grades 1-5
at the Drucker Center
$40 (includes free ticket to show the same day)
To register, contact performingarts@menomoneeclub.org

* Sunday, October 17, 4:00pm:
HALLOWEEN FAVORITES: The Storybook Mom performs!

Come for the workshop, stay for the show! Nili will be performing Halloween favorites and signature stores in our Fasseas Whitebox Theatre. Fun for the whole family!

Tickets are $11 for adults, $9 for kids 12 and under
Menomonee members save $1 on every ticket
To purchase tickets, contact performingarts@menomoneeclub.org

*ALL WEEK LONG October 25-31:
HALLOWEEN DRESS-UP WEEK

Come in costume to your classes and there may just be a treat for you!

Fall kick-off 2010

2010-09-10T10:14:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that the summer is already gone! We are so excited to start our Fall programs and I'm especially excited about the improvements and enhancements we've made in our Performing Arts programs. For those of you who are new to Menomonee Performing Arts, let me take this opportunity to welcome you, and to returning students, welcome back!

Whether you are new or returning, we’ve been making some great changes around here. So please take a moment to go over this letter and read your welcome packet thoroughly when it comes home the first week of class.

On to business: most programs start the week of September 13th (Wizard of Oz Sat begins Sept 11). Different programs may be on slightly different schedules, and this is not meant to confuse you (there will be a test). The nature and content of each program may be different depending on whether you are learning dance, theatre, or music, and our schedules are designed to maximize the learning process of each of these disciplines in an appropriate way. You will be receiving a calendar in your welcome packet, and I encourage you to hang it on the refrigerator, put it in your iphone, screen it on a t-shirt.... whatever works best for you and your family. You can also find updated calendars for ALL of the performing arts programs here on the blog shortly.

Save the dates:

November 6: Thodos Youth Ensemble Dance-A-Thon

November 7: Music Recital, 4:30pm

December 11 and 12: Lake Forest Children's Theatre presents Wizard of Oz

December 11 and 12: Youth Ensemble Winter Concert

I encourage you to call, email, or visit me at the Drucker Center at any time if you have questions, concerns, or compliments (!) regarding our programs. You can find my contact information below, and

Best wishes and go art!

Lauren

Performing Arts Coordinator

Menomonee Club for Boys and Girls

(312) 664-4631 ext. 105

lauren@menomoneeclub.org

Reflections on 2009-2010

2010-06-14T09:18:00.001-07:00

Well, it's a wrap!

With the close of the Old Town Art Fair yesterday, another season is in the books here at the Menomonee Club. We saw so much growth this year, in our program offerings, in our numbers and in our kids! I really can't have asked for a better year and I'm already thinking about ways to make next year even better!

Annie Jr. kids performed at their absolute best! In spite of challenges with securing a location and firming up dates and times, the show must and did go on and the kids never missed a beat! Our annual dance recital at the Latin School in the gorgeous Wrigley Theatre went off without a hitch and many parents noted to me how much improved the kids are this year. With the additional dress rehearsal for the older kids and a more relaxed schedule spread out over two days, the kids all got the time they deserved on stage before the big shows--and it showed! The Tale Chasers group is small but mighty, and once again Ms. Anne elegantly narrated their adorable "informance". Finally, our brand new music program highlighted 5 of our 8 piano students and two special guest performers (Ms. Anna and Ms. Rebecca). I cannot wait to see this program grow and flourish; what a wonderful addition to the performing arts community at Menomonee!

I have to give some major props to our partner programs-the Lake Forest Children's Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, Thodos Dance Chicago and Accessible Contemporary Music. These fantastic organizations provide us with the highest quality instructors in the Chicago area and I attribute most of our success to their efforts!

With the addition of our White Box Theatre, the Fasseas studio now plays double duty as both studio and performance hall. We've been fortunate in this first year to have hosted Genesis Ensemble, Chicago Opera Vanguard, and RTG Dance. This summer and fall look for a couple of kid-friendly workshops and performances including Nili Yelin (The Storybook Mom) and Sean Masterson (Masterson Magic) as part of a new series in the White Box. Additionally, we will continue to foster partnerships with small local dance, theatre, and performance companies to provide them with affordable space for artistic events. Next year keep your eyes and ears out for the whole Menomonee arts community to come together in a summer festival of the arts!

I am so grateful to all the parents who spend endless hours fighting traffic, packing dinners, and staying up late to help with homework. Admittedly, extra activities are inconvenient--I truly do recognize this--but the benefits to your kids from being involved in artistic programs with kids from different schools and backgrounds is so immeasurably valuable in their lives. It may be a thankless job now, but trust me, it will come full circle! I invite you to join me in looking back on this year and, please, do not hesitate to provide me with any feedback you might have to make our programs the best around!

If you haven't already scheduled sleep-away camp and vacations, etc.... we have some great creative camps available right here at Menomonee, as well as a summer session of weekly classes and private music lessons. And finally, Fall is not too far away and we are already taking registrations for all programs. If you have any questions, just let me know!

Proof in the Pudding--Why Art Matters

2010-04-21T20:00:00.000-07:00

In celebration of Arts Advocacy Week, our performing and creative arts programs participated in various activities surrounding the theme "Art Matters". Schools are cutting arts programming at a rapid rate, and we are so lucky to have awesome young artists and really they are all the proof we need that art does, indeed, matter. Here is a sampling of the things we did this week:

FUN CLUB: Created reproductions of iconic art and is holding a silent auction at the Drucker Center the entire month of April. For more on FUN CLUB's activity, visit a letter from Ms. Amy

Art: Ms. Marisa and posse created an "Art Matters" banner and filled out surveys where the kids told us why art is important and how making art makes them feel. Here are some of our favorites:

"Art is important because you make beautiful creations." --Katrine, age 6
"Making art makes me feel happy because I get to be away from Math and other things." --Jenny, age 9 1/2
"Art is important because it expresses your feelings." --Gabrielle, age 6

Dance: Menomonee dancers participated in the "Why Dance Matters" Campaign sponsored by Dance Advantage. Each student filled in the blank after the phrase, "Dance matters because...." and drew a picture. Ten were selected for submission to Dance Advantage and are eligible for publication on the website! During National Dance Week (the last week of April), all of our Dance Matters statements will be posted in the halls of the Drucker Center.

Music: Our piano students each played a measure or two from Ode to Joy and we pasted them together to create a complete phrase of music. You can hear it in the video below!

Drama: We filmed some great improv games, songs and dances, and make a proud declaration that "My name is _____ and Art Matters!"

Please take a moment and watch our kids in action in this compilation video:

WE HEART ART: A letter from Ms. Amy!

2010-04-21T19:54:00.000-07:00

FUN CLUB was proud to participate in Arts Advocacy Week by sponsoring the 2^nd Annual FUN CLUB (silent) Art Auction!

Each of the 8 FUN CLUB classes (totaling over 120+ children) spent one week working to make collaborative artworks to auction off. Teachers created a “round-robin” or “carousel” style set-up, where students were divided into small groups and rotated from one artwork (and type of supplies) to the next.

The final result? Amazing! The work will be on display at the Drucker Center until the end of April. But how do the kids feel about this experience?

“I thought this was fun because I got to write my name on one of the projects. I like to tell people, “I made it!” --Ainsley

“We got to learn about artist things, like special paints, even standing up at the wall to work!” --Katie

“Drawing makes my hands really good so when I do my homework, my hands are ready for writing.” --Nicholas

“I’m really good at making art…when I’m older I can make a BIG show and sell my art for $100!” --Ava

Clearly, the hands-on art experience revealed children’s confidence boost, their desire to create in the future, their own understanding of how art augments homework skills, and how fun doing something different can be! Who wouldn’t want their children to feel and experience these kinds of things? That’s why we heart art…and Menomonee!

--ms. amy

Arts Advocacy Week

2010-04-07T15:41:00.000-07:00

Menomonee Club will be recognizing Arts Advocacy Day (April 12) throughout next week in all of our arts programming. Look for a "wrap-up" message from myself, Marisa, and Amy towards the end of the week discussing our activities for the week and feedback from the kids as to how the arts are important in their lives. With schools losing funding at a rapid pace and unable to provide arts education, we are so lucky to have such vibrant and healthy arts programming at the Menomonee Club, as well as dedicated staff (if I do say so myself) who themselves can testify to the importance of the arts and arts-in-education.

Each of our programs--theatre, dance, music, art and FUN CLUB--will be doing something a little special next week, and we can't wait to share with you!

Curtain Call for Class is having a sale!

2010-04-01T13:10:00.001-07:00

Our dancers should have their recital packets by now, and you might notice I included a catalogue in your packet from Curtain Call for Class. By purchasing your additional tights, leotards, etc. through them, they make a donation to the Menomonee Club in the amount of 10% of total sales! Even better, they are having a sale this month, so now's the time to collect the items you'll need for May. For more in formation, visit:

http://ymdirect0.com/viewmailerservlet?d=7533_200274_6339_6339_6336_36357&e=performingarts@menomoneeclub.org/

New feature: meet our fab faculty

2010-03-29T21:49:00.000-07:00

Click the tab on top to see photos and bios of our fantastic teaching staff!

Don't forget that dance is meeting this week, but no theatre.

Music lessons begin April 5th!

Special discount offer on COV performances

2010-03-01T16:20:00.000-08:00

Dear Menomonee Families & Staff,

Chicago Opera Vanguard invites you to see the Fasseas Theatre transformed into a Romantic winter landscape. In Franz Schubert's song-cycle, WINTERREISE, a man looses his love and possibly his mind as he wanders through the winter wilderness. For this production, Chicago Opera Vanguard tells his story through song, dance and a 360 degree video installation.

SPECIAL MENOMONEECLUB DISCOUNTS:Valid for the first 2 weeks of the show*

PARENTS & STAFF: use code "MClub" for $20 TICKETS! That's FIVE DOLLARS OFF the price of General Admission!

KIDS: (17 years old and under) Use code "MKid" for $10

TICKETS Purchase Tickets online at: http://www.chicagovangard.org/winterreise.($10 Student Tickets available for purchase at the door.)

Thank you!

We hope to see you at the opera!

"Winter Songs" featuring the TDC Youth Ensemble!

2010-02-24T16:45:00.001-08:00

Jump Rhythm Jazz at Menomonee!

2010-02-01T09:30:00.000-08:00

We are so excited to welcome Jump Rhythm Jazz Project to Menomonee Club for a special evening rehearsal open to our families. Please join us this Thursday, February 4th from 7:15-9:15 pm in the Fasseas studio for the opportunity to see professional dancers in action.

Space is limited to 20 guests, so reserve your spot today by emailing lauren@menomoneeclub.org

For more details, you can view the event page by clicking here

Youth Ensemble Winter Concert

2010-01-26T09:47:00.000-08:00

Announcing the Youth Ensemble Winter Concert "Winter Songs" on one night only Saturday, February 27th at the Drucker Center.

See here for details!

Against All Odds: Dancing With Cerebral Palsy - ABC News

2010-01-20T09:35:00.000-08:00

Against All Odds: Dancing With Cerebral Palsy - ABC News

Great story featuring one of our fabulous partner programs with the Rehab Institute of Chicago! The North Studio sure does look nice on TV...

Exciting News!

2010-01-14T15:27:00.000-08:00

We are so thrilled to now add MUSIC to our wonderful performing arts program offerings! This spring we have the honor of welcoming teaching artists from Chicago-based Accessible Contemporary Music to teach piano lessons at the Drucker Center and the newly aquired Day School Center. Also on board to teach saxophone, clarinet and flute is my good friend Ted Holtz, who served as musical director on Royal Carribean cruise lines for 2 years. Ted will be teaching primarly at the Day School Center.

Music lessons are a excellent supplement to school band and orchestra programs, or a great way to learn a new instrument or prepare for an audition. For more information or to schedule lessons, please email or call me!

Holiday Dance Camps

2009-12-29T12:45:00.000-08:00

Ms. Jessica and Ms. Jenna joined forces to take on sixteen 4 and 5-year-olds for a three hour workshop called "Ballerina Holiday" The dancers learned some basic ballet positions and movements, created crafty holiday ornaments, and learned the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Although not the original choreography (they aren't quite ready for the Petipa version.....) these 16 little girls did a fantastic job and ended their dance exactly with the music!

Jeremy and I took the older kids through a full day of "Hip Hop Shop". We had 17 kids, and Jeremy was so excited to have 5 boys in the workshop. After a fun name game, warm-up and class, we talked about the history of hip hop since the 1970's and watched some You Tube videos for examples of how hip hop has evolved over the years. The kids loved watching the videos, especially Michael Jackson's "Bad" but couldn't sit still because they wanted to get up and dance with Michael!! After lunch and watching the ballerinas' dance of the Sugar Plum, we created our own "Sugar Plum" dance to a remixed version of the song. About 90% of the dance was choreographed by the kids themselves--incorporating the movements they made up in the name game and also in a group project to create 10-move phrases.

Holiday Showcase Recap

2009-12-15T15:10:00.000-08:00

What a crazy day we had on Sunday for the first EVER Holiday Dance Showcase! Melissa and I talked in September about offering a performance opportunity for our Session I dancers for a couple of reasons: to get our youngest dancers used to performing before the big Spring Recital, to show off our new studio theatre in the Fasseas studio, and because performances are fun!

I was so surprised by the fantastic turnout and the excitement of the dancers was contagious. What I thought would be a small casual event turned into a full blown maximum capacity recital! Even without a dress rehearsal the kids did such an amazing job and thanks to the parents for squeezing in, and to some who were even willing to sit on the floor...

I was so busy that day that I didn't manage to get one photo. If any one has any they can email to me I'm happy to post them here!

We hope you all enjoyed the event and it seems like having a performance in the winter is something that is valued by our families--so we'd like to continue to work on making this event part of our fall and winter programming in the coming years.

Have a happy and healthy holiday season and I'll see you the week of January 4th for the beginning of Session II!!!

Best, Lauren

Observation Week 2009

2009-12-08T09:07:00.000-08:00

We are having a wonderful year here and it was so great to share our little dancers with friends and family for Observation Week. They were invited to come and sit in on classes to experience what a typical class looks like and watch all that we've been learning.

Here are some pictures from classes throughout the week:

Vaudeville Magic

2009-11-17T10:27:00.000-08:00

The great Sean Masterson joined us today for a 90 minute workshop with fellow magician Ben, followed by a magic show in our Fasseas White Box theatre. A great group of 26 kids learned some tricks of the trade, including birthday girl Carolyn and several of her friends!

We were delighted to be a stop on Sean's "Chicago Tour" this fall and had a great crowd of almost 60 people who were dazzled and mystified. I admit, I started out a bit skeptical and by the end of the hour I was truly amazed! Sean's style theatrical style of performance combined with his interaction with the audience lent us all an enigmatic and sometimes hysterical experience!

You can hear an interview of Sean on WBEZ by clicking here: http://audio.wbez.org/848/2006/07/848_20060720h.mp3

For more information about Sean, and for information about the rest of his Chicago tour, visit www.mastersonmagic.com

Youth Ensemble "Dances through the Ages" at Centre East

2009-11-15T19:09:00.001-08:00

Our fabulous Youth Ensemble got the opportunity to provide some intermission entertainment at Thodos Dance Chicago's opening night of the Fall Concert at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts. After warm-up class and a dinner break (including an exciting trip to the Panera....), we got in costumes and waited until right before intermission to enter the lobby.

The concert was almost sold out, and nearly 800 people poured into the lobby to watch our girls in their newly finished piece, "Dance Through the Ages", choreographed by Ms. Jessica. It's difficult to see the dance in the video because of where I was standing, but you should get an idea of how many people got to see them! After 2 run throughs, we quickly changed and headed to the auditorium to watch the second half of the show.

The world premier of "Fosse Trilogy" was by far the highlight of the evening for me. With so many dramatic works in Thodos' rep it was nice to see them just dance and have fun and play with the audience.

If you didn't get a chance to see the show, there will be an encore performance at the Harris Theatre for music and dance on November 28. Menomonee families are being offered a special 20% discount by using a promo code on your ticket order through the website, or mentioning it over the phone. If you are interested, visit www.harristheatrechicago.org or call 312-334-7777. Call or email me if you need the promo code or have any questions.

Lookingglass "Informances"

2009-11-09T09:38:00.000-08:00

What a great time watching our Lookingglass kids show off the things that they've learned in their end of session "informances" with Ms. Anne and Ms. Kaycee. Both groups did such a great job!

Tale Chasers presented two folk tales from two very different cultures: China and Russia. Ms. Anne mentioned that due to a few absences many of the kids had stepped up to learn new lines and new parts that very day. This skill, in life and in theatre, will serve them well!

Our Performance Skills group showed us 6 scenes from Alice and Wonderland. What we did not know until the talk back session was that Campbell and Grace actually wrote 3 of the scenes we saw! We were all amazed at their abilities to memorize lines and change from one character to the next as the show went on. Dormouse appeared to be a very popular character among the cast, and the kids noted that a challenging element of the class was the addition of scene changes to the show. Not only did they have to remember their lines, blocking, and props, but were also remembering to set the scenery between each section.

The new session starts January 11th!

Alumni create theater group in Chicago, keep ties to MU - Campus

2009-11-01T16:52:00.000-08:00

Alumni create theater group in Chicago, keep ties to MU - Campus

Chicago Tonight interview with Ann Reinking and Melissa Thodos

2009-10-28T13:12:00.001-07:00

Click on the link below and find the link to "October 27, 2009- Ann Reinking" to view an exclusive interview with Ann and Melissa on Chicago Tonight!

http://www.wttw.com/main.taf?p=42,1/

Open Rehearsal with Ann Reinking

2009-10-25T16:33:00.001-07:00

We are so lucky to have had a visit from Ann Reinking today. Several of our families came to watch an open rehearsal with Ann and Thodos Dance Chicago as they prepare for their upcoming premier of Fosse Trilogy, a special project reconstructing 3 original Bob Fosse works with Ann's guidance. This rehearsal was just for our families, and it was wonderful to see the kids watching their teachers dance!

Our Youth Ensemble also had the opportunity to meet with Ann and premier a new work of their own. Co-Director Ms. Jessica explained that this new piece is an exploration of the history of contemporary dance. Each of the dancers takes us on a journey through time using iconic movements from Isadora Duncun, Ruth St. Dennis, Paul Taylor, Martha Graham, and Alvin Ailey (I think I got them all).

All in all, this was an amazing day at Menomonee!

Welcome to the Backstage Blog!

2009-10-23T11:58:00.000-07:00

Check here for updates and information on program happenings, events, info on children's dance and theatre education, and much more! Here you will find everything you need to know to be informed and involved in Menomonee Performing Arts!