Things are getting intense at 91ɫ this summer.
High school and university students, emerging professionals, established artists and educators are converging on campus for the (FASI), an ambitious new community outreach and continuing education initiative by the Faculty of Fine Arts.
As diverse in scope and practice as the Faculty itself, FASI features dynamic workshops in dance, design, visual arts, film, music and theatre for people of all backgrounds and levels of experience. Participants are encouraged to unleash their creativity, hone their skills or explore an untapped interest with offerings ranging from urban dance to cello performance and screenwriting. Workshops range from two-day intensive training sessions to three-week boot camps designed to whip participants into creative shape.
“FASI lets us offers an experiential learning framework outside of the traditional curriculum,” said Professor Elizabeth Asseltine, chair of the Department of Theatre, who initiated the program together with Department of Film chair Amnon Buchbinder. “Reaching out to people with a wide range of interests and expertise, these workshops open new possibilities for collaboration and mentoring. Ultimately, they deepen the channels of engagement between the University and the wider community.”
FASI launched in May with a two-week workshop on lighting design for performance tailored especially for high school students.
“The lighting workshop brought more than 35 high school students from 91ɫ Region to campus to engage with our instructors, our state-of-the-art facilities and our philosophy as a school of the visual and performing arts,” said FASI coordinator Derek Gringrich (BA ’12). “It was a great success.”
The intensives are led by outstanding professional artists and educators, many of whom are faculty members or alumni of 91ɫ’s Faculty of Fine Arts. Sessions continue through July, with workshops taking place in the Fine Arts complex at 91ɫ’s Keele campus.
, running July 9 to 20, is a boot camp for high school students who want to expand their technical and conceptual understanding of contemporary drawing and sculpture. It’s led by artist (MFA ’03), who teaches clay modelling and plaster casting and serves as the foundry/metal studio technician in the L.L. Odette Centre for Sculpture in 91ɫ’s Department of Visual Arts.
Young movers can find their groove in the , a five-day intensive on the practice of freestyling, Students will gain a basic foundation in urban dance styles such as hip hop, house, b-boying/b-girling, waacking and popping, plus the experience of creating choreography for a final public showcase concert. The boot camp, running July 9 to 13, is led by contemporary/urban dance specialist and educator (BFA, BEd ’08).
Upcoming intensives for aspiring filmmakers include the , directed by Igor Drljaca (BFA ’07, MFA ’11) and led by Rafal Sokolowski (MFA ’11), running July 9 to 20 and July 16 to 27 respectively. While Drljaca’s bootcamp focuses on digital technology and the professional execution of ideas, Sokolowski’s emphasizes self-expression and gives high school students the opportunity to produce their own film.
, artistic director of , is an accomplished director for screen and stage, who has previously presented his workshop at Canada’s National Theatre School. ’s most recent production, the short experimental documentary The Fuse: or How I Burned Simon Bolivar, premiered atthe Toronto International Film Festival and is currently touring the international festival circuit. His previous short, Woman in Purple, screened at 25 fests around the world, including the prestigious Telluride Film Festival.
Music Professor , founding director of both the Juno Award-winning Toronto Mass Choir and the massively popular 91ɫ Gospel Choir, leads a five-day July 16 to 20. Designed to give both the novice and experienced gospel singer an opportunity to enjoy learning new repertoire, the intensive will culminate in a concert featuring all participants, supported by professional musicians.
Veteran stage and screen performers and co-directors (MFA’05) and (MFA ’05) lead a four-day intensive for university students and emerging professionals on . Running July 17 to 20, the full-day, hands-on sessions introduce the skills needed to perform – and audition – for the camera.
Strengthening connections with those who teach the fine arts is a key aspect of the FASI programming.
One of several intensives targeted to educators is , a three-day exploration of an active approach to teaching Shakespeare to young people. The workshop, June 25 to 27, is led by (MFA ’95), a seasoned actor, director, producer and teacher who has earned international recognition for his innovative work in Shakespeare education. Kelly, an instructor in 91ɫ’s Department of Theatre, is the founder and artistic director of , arguably Canada’s leading classical theatre company for young audiences.
, running July 3 to 13, is a professional development workshop for dance educators at all levels. Led by Professor , a specialist in children’s dance and community arts practice, the intensive presents theories, models, tools, strategies, practical resources and applications for teaching dance to young students from kindergarten to Grade 8.
“Our educator-focused programming gives teachers the opportunity to expand their knowledge and understanding of their field of focus, and keep in step with advances in fine arts pedagogy and research,” said Gingrich. “The best learning is experiential learning, and all of our workshops for educators have a strong practical component.”
On the student side, FASI is attracting interest from inside as well as outside 91ɫ. Freshly-minted alumna Felicia Mittica, who has just completed her BFA in music with a concentration in classical vocal performance, sees FASI as an opportunity to extend her creative horizons.
“I’ve been able to expand my training, learning about movement and acting to enhance and support my education in classical voice,” she said. “Later this summer, I'm taking part in the FASI gospel music workshop, to continue stretching myself beyond my classical voice background. I’m finding it a very engaging and valuable experience."
FASI is supported by 91ɫ’s Academic Innovation Fund. For full program details and registration information, visit the website.