Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre
Learning through Creative Movement!
ARTSPLUS is a TEKS aligned, arts-in-education program directed and taught by Andrea Ariel, Artistic Director of Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre, based in Austin, TX. Founded in 1999, the program shares the belief with Austin ISD that creativity is essential to nurture and develop the whole child.
AADT is an Austin ISD approved vendor. A specific program is designed by working closely with the needs and goals of principals and teachers for grade levels K-12. Due to COVID-19 this program is now available to be taught online, outdoors, or in social distanced environments.
Classroom Residencies & Master Classes
Large Group Assembly Workshops & Company Performances/Lecture Demonstrations
Choreography for Programs for Student Performances
Professional Development for Teachers
ARTSPLUS offers a unique experience aimed to empower students to explore realities, relationships, and ideas through creative dance and theater while incorporating additional content that relates movement to music and art concepts as well as subjects such as math, science, language, social studies, and nature. Bringing together investigations that incorporate all these disciplines and diverse content engages and motivates students through active learning, critical thinking, and innovative problem solving. ARTSPLUS crosses disciplines and advances student progress in learning dance, music, art, and theater as well as in their academic achievement using creative movement and theater structures. The program provides a foundation and vehicle for physical development and well-being, creative expression, and the integration of learning in other contents and disciplines, individually and in groups.
ARTSPLUS offers professional development for teachers through workshops and co-teaching curriculums in the classroom with defined goals that lead to sharing strategies for using movement and other structures to enhance learning across all subjects. Due to COVID-19 this program is now available to be taught online, outdoors, or in social distanced environments.
ARTSPLUS offers large group assembly workshops, company performances and lecture demonstrations that will provide an interactive and learning experience for students of all grade levels.
Previous Experience:
This program has been held at Brentwood, Barbara Jordon, Brooke, Lee and Metz Austin ISD Elementary Schools for 1-12 week residencies since 1999. Over the years, Ms. Ariel has taught some of the same students from Kindergarten through 5th grade and was able to see their advancement over this time. David Huff and Kathryn Stuart at Lee Elementary developed one of their TEKS curriculums through material they learned during one of Ms. Ariel’s residences with their combined PE/Music classes.
Testimonials:
“Ms. Ariel’s curriculum is based upon the shared concepts and vocabularies of dance and music. The children are encouraged to explore movement and dance in a safe and nurturing classroom environment and challenged to express their artistic and academic creativity. The children at Lee Elementary have greatly benefited from Ms. Ariel’s program. They are more confident in their artistic abilities and more secure in taking risks. Ms. Ariel has a teaching style that is captivating for the students. They embrace the concepts and creativity that she introduces and take it to the next level. Student’s enthusiasm level is at an all time high! They understand how to express themselves physically and with their own unique personalities in a free flowing environment with no expectations to impede desire. Ms. Ariel is so well organized, and she has a natural way with children to bring out the best in them.”
Ms. Ariel’s program also provides exposure to an art form that is not accessible to all students. Learning from working artists who serve as role models, as well as teachers, further enriches the children. Ariel Dance Theatre has strengthened the P.E. and Music programs at Lee Elementary. The students were very excited, enthusiastic and engaged from the moment they walked into the gym until it was time to be dismissed. Ms. Ariel is always developing new ways to teach and get the children fully immersed and involved. I’ve work with Ms. Ariel for over 10 years and I always enjoy her creative, professional style of teaching. She is a natural when it comes to teaching children. Her style of tapping into their creative minds and abilities is a joy to watch. I only wish we could have Ms. Ariel longer.”
David Huff, P.E. Coach, Lee Elementary davidlhuff@yahoo.com or (512) 705-0415
“Concepts of music and physical education are reinforced in the program, which also led to the students understanding of connections to science, math, and other academic subjects through movement. Ms. Ariel is a very enthusiastic instructor and her passion for her work is evident in her teaching. Students are always excited to be involved in the program. The instruction helps to reinforce the state TEKS music, art, and P.E. The children learn to work together, collaborate ideas and improvise for different activities. It encourages creative thinkers. We love having Ms. Ariel, and hope to see her again next year!”
Regina Mabry, Metz Elementary (former Music Teacher).
“Ms. Ariel’s teaching leads students to let go of inhibitions and become highly engaged. Students become more overt – even the introverted ones. The explorations of space, movements with their bodies, and movement in space with each other was all very cool. Ms. Ariel works so well and communicates so well with the students – they are all engaged! I wish we could have the program for more days and more time each time Ms. Ariel comes. Fabulous program!”
Kathryn Stuart, Music Teacher, Lee Elementary (Retired)
More about Andrea Ariel
Andrea Ariel is the Artistic Director of Ariel Dance Theatre and a teacher of dance, creative movement and theater for children and adults for over 25 years. She holds an MFA in Dance from the University of Illinois were she was the recipient of the 1986 Creative and Performing Arts Fellowship Award. Since 1999, Andrea has developed and taught many arts-in-education programs including The Self-Portrait Project and ARTSPLUS, an arts-in-education program held at numerous elementary schools including Brooke, Metz, Lee, Rosewood (for multiple disabled youth) and at affordable housing community centers including Fairway Village and Oak Creek Village in Austin, TX. Since 2004, she has been a Lead Teacher and Supervisor for an eight-week summer arts program at Creative Arts Studio in Brooklyn, NY creating and teaching creative dance and theater curriculums while leading a Junior Counselor Program for 11-14 yr. olds. She has been the Creative Director for Leap of Joy’s Care to Dance program since 2015. As a teaching artist on the TCA Texas Touring Roster, Andrea taught a three-week residency for the Paris, TX ISD in 1999. Her other teaching credits include the University of California at Santa Cruz DanceReach Program; University of Illinois, Champaign County Schools Gifted Performing Arts Program; Texas State University; Austin Community College; and the University of Texas in Austin.
For more details visit: http://www.arieldance.org/community/education/
Contact:
Andrea Ariel, Artistic Director and Teacher
Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre
Telephone: (512) 423.0457
Email: andrea@arieldance.org