Educational Workshops for Children with Special Needs
presented by The Performing Arts School at bergenPAC
bergenPAC Performing Arts School located at 1 Depot Square, Englewood, NJ announces educational workshops for children with special needs at the Felician School for Exceptional Children located at 260 Main St in Lodi, NJ. The artist-in-residence workshops are offered by the Limitless Arts Program at bergenPAC as part of the beyond bergenPAC outreach program. For More information: Renee Redding Jones, Limitless Arts Program Director, 201-482-8194 or rjones@bergenpac.org.
Dates and Times:
- January 13th: Guitar Group at 9:15am (See Photos attached)
- January 21st: Rock Band at 9:15am
- February 3rd: Hip Hop (2 Workshops/ Dance & DJing) at 12:30pm
- February 18th: Guitar Group & Rock Band combined at 9:15am
- March 9: Guitar Group at 9:15am
- April 13th: Guitar Group at 9:15am
- April 27th: Hip Hop Beat Box at 12:30pm
- May 6th: Spring Performance
The workshops are an expansion of what bergenPAC had begun last summer as a free one day performance and workshop (featuring Hip Hop Connection), via a grant provided by the Kennedy Center. As a result of the students’ response to the performance and workshops held on July 30th, 2015, The Felician School and bergenPAC began the new Artists-in-Residence workshops for the spring of 2016 in the Felician School.
"The residency at the Felician School speaks to the uniqueness and diversity of what Limitless Arts offers in content and format. We can certainly go into a school, and create and administer a program. However there are many schools, like Felician, that have existing programs and staff. The music therapist at Felician understood the benefit of our partnership. She knew exactly what and how she wanted to use our artists and together we created a residency that has enhanced the skills of the students, increased their level of involvement and renewed their enthusiasm!" said Renee Redding Jones, Limitless Arts Program Director.
The Felician School’s music therapist, Barbara Giaquinto MT-BC, created the Guitar Group and Rock Band program in the school, educational music classes which help support children with special needs. With the new artist in residence program offered by the bergenPAC, the Felician School will now receive support to build and expand the instrumental, vocal, and dance skills introduced in the summer workshop, in addition to those previously taught by their music therapist. The participants are all current students in the Felician school, Limitless Arts music therapist, Samantha Colon (Sam), and Barbara Giaquinto, Felician’s music therapist.
“Our Felician School music program was taken to a whole new dimension! Renee’s dynamic “jump- right -in” choreograph techniques got our students moving and connecting in the music. Sam’s presence with our students and her intense and calm therapeutic music skills allowed them to express themselves with joy. Thank you, Limitless Arts!” said Barbara Giaquinto.
During the artist in residency program, bergenPAC will also be co-creating and rehearsing content for the school's spring concert. The Rock Band group will also be given the chance to perform in an outdoor concert that will be open to the public. In addition, the Guitar Group will be featured in a documentary created by Barbara Giaquinto and shown on May 6th.
Class Descriptions:
Hip Hop Workshop: Students will meet to build skills using the components of hip hop. They will learn the inner workings of a hip hop performance, such as Rapping, Break Dancing, Popping, Scratching, and improvisation.
Rock Band/ Guitar Group: This workshop gives students who have musical skills an opportunity to enhance those skills and experience what it feels like to be in a rock band! Teaching Artist will help assist Music Director with existing music, songwriting, and music introduction. This will include working with your current Guitar Group.
Photos Courtesy of bergenPAC. Photo description: Felician School students participate in the January 13, 2016 Guitar Group workshop
About Limitless Arts
bergenPAC’s Limitless Arts program offers classes in dance, music and drama for children and teens ages 2-18+ with special needs. The classes run in collaboration with Renee Redding-Jones of The Center for Life and Learning. Classes are taught by trained and experienced professionals and offer small class sizes. Classes run throughout the school year. Registration is accepted throughout the year. Visit bergenpac.org/limitlessarts for details. To enroll now or for more information: (201) 816-8160 x78 or education@bergenpac.org.
About The Felician School For Exceptional Children
The Felician School For Exceptional Children is a private special education school. It was founded by the Felician Sisters and approved by the New Jersey State Department of Education in 1971. They have been recognized as a “School of Excellence” by the National Association of Special Education Teachers. They offer both quality educational programs and vocational training for their students. To contact the Felician School: Dennis Cruz, Principal 973-777-5355
###