Lively Arts

Our lively arts curriculum provides a rich and varied context that encourages children to explore their creative impulses and ideas. By familiarizing children with a gamut of performance-related mediums, we help them develop multiple competencies and uncover areas of special talent.

Children at all grade levels participate in daily music making sessions. Using voices, drums and both traditional and self-invented musical instruments, children create rhythms and melodies and write lyrics to accompany original compositions. In addition, older children have the opportunity to record, mix and master their material in the state-of-the-art Blue Man Productions recording studio.

Storytelling is central to our performing arts curriculum. Children will be encouraged to develop stories to be recited and acted out by themselves and their peers, as well as parents and teachers. A special emphasis on active listening and the step-by-step documentation of children's stories helps them recognize the importance of their narrative ideas and fosters their sense of authorship. A weekly guest puppeteer works closely with children to adapt their stories and bring them to life in a theatrical setting.

Expressive movement and dance are a part of the curriculum, which evolves to keep pace with children's developing coordination and motor skills. Our soft room provides a safe environment for younger children to challenge their bodies to try new things. Younger children learn to keep time, dance and sing along with music. Older children will collaborate with peers and teachers to choreograph solo and group movement pieces that draw from a variety of world cultures.

Our curriculum takes advantage of New York City's incomparable musical, theatrical and dance offerings through field trips that expose children to a world of performance genres, styles and techniques. Guest artists and artistic consultants make frequent classroom visits, introducing children to new performance-related ideas, and helping to mentor children who want to explore specific areas of interest further.

Our performing arts curriculum reaps huge benefits from our access to Blue Man Group's performance resources. Children interact with sound stages, rehearsal spaces, musical instruments, recording and videotaping facilities, editing suites and theatres. Working together, our children, teachers and parents use these resources to explore the expressive power and sheer fun of the performing arts.