Persaphanie’s Return to Summer Academy

“Mr. Christopher, you know that I am coming to the Summer program.”

“Yes, Persaphanie, I know you will.”

“Mr. Christopher, you know that I am going to come here every year.”

“Yes, Persaphanie, we are here for you.”

“Mr. Christopher, you know that I am going to work here someday.”

“Yes, Persaphanie, we want you to.”

This was the gist of just one conversation, one of many, which I have had with Persaphanie, the precocious first grader, a few weeks ago. I believe each one of you reading this right now has had the good fortune to meet a youngster like Persaphanie; if you bought a raffle ticket at our Feast for the Senses auction benefit, you will know who she is.  A young person who, like the Persephone of Greek myth, brings with her and plants vibrant pulses of goodness wherever she trods.

Our good fortune blew in on a calm and cool breeze last July when Persaphanie walked from her morning summer program at Macdonough school.  Regardless of the heat outside, she had a smile on her face. Actually, almost every student walked in with a smile on their face, but it was the smile that they carried home that mattered the most to their families and us.  It was probably that smile that Persaphanie used to convince her older brother and her two cousins to attend our After School program this past Fall.

Now, remember if you have not met one of these Persaphanies lately in your own life, please take some time out of your busy day to come down to our Summer Academy in July and you will meet at least one by name and many others with that lively smile.  I hope that you will also catch a glimpse of students engaging their creative energies while making ice cream, solving problems with partners, designing artwork, dancing and singing, or walking back from the North End Farmer’s Market with sacks of fruits and vegetables.  Many years from now, Persaphanie may write her own blog entry about her own students greening Middletown in some way I cannot even imagine today.  I can only hope.

Submitted by Christopher Aceto, Youth Programs Education Supervisor

Summer Youth Programs

Summer Arts & Science Academy Registration
Register by June 15th
Students entering grades 1-6
July 5th to August 4th, 12:45pm to 3:00pm

Young Women’s Leadership Institute Registration
Register by June 15th
Students entering grades 5-7
July 5th to August 4th, 3:00pm to 5:15pm

Join the vibrant community of arts and science students at Green Street for our special 5-week summer programs. Students can sign up for one program or both! Summer Academy classes include Exciting Science Experiments, Music and Sound Exploration with African Drums, Movement and Motion, Community Science Field Trips, and the Science of Visual Art. The Young Women’s Leadership Institute is designed to explore creativity and present young women with the opportunities to meet and learn from local female scientists, artists, business leaders, and professionals.

Scholarships up to 90% off of tuition are available for families on free/reduced lunch. For more information call Sarah-Jane at 860-685-7860 or click here.

A Feast for the Senses: A Sensational Success

Green Street’s Caribbean-themed A Feast for the Senses benefit auction held on Friday, April 8th was both sensational and successful.  Middletown community members, Wesleyan faculty, staff, and students, Green Street staff and volunteers, and many more filled the building on Friday night to bid on auction items and support students in Green Street’s Summer Arts and Science Academy and, the Young Women’s Leadership Institute.

Upon entering 51 Green Street, guests were met with the sweet sounds of steel pans from musical duo Mimosa. Melodies from Mento drifted from the second floor to accompany the anticipation in the tropically-colored rooms.  The event buzzed with excitement as attendees sampled Attendees browsing auction items.delicious hors d’houvres, perused the auction, and excitedly bid on their favorite items. While the online auction had already garnered $7,000 for Green Street’s Summer Youth Programs, guests still sought out spectacular items such as a Nintendo Wii with various games, wine baskets, Mets tickets, hand-crafted jewelry and scarves that handsomely adorned the tables.

During the program Managing Director Jessica Carso welcomed guests as they gathered in the Performance Studio to listen to heartfelt testimonials by 2011 Young Women’s Leadership Institute Coordinator Shamar Chin ‘13 and 2010 Summer Academy Science Teacher Julie Kastenbaum’09.  Many were especially touched when nine year-old student Kayla talked about “dealing with bad days” and just how Green Street has helped her “reach [her] full potential.” These inspiring speeches and the encouraging words of celebrity host and Master of Ceremonies Ray Hardman from WNPR made the “raise your paddle” portion of the event so successful: we raised $4,700 and ultimately surpassed our goal and raised a total of $43,000 to support the students enrolled in our Summer Youth Programs.

None of this would have been possible without our generous presenting sponsors Mary Beth and Stephen S. Daniel ’82. A special thank you to our additional supporters: Citizens Bank, IT Direct LLC., Shipman & Goodwin LLP, Done On the Run LLC, A.R. Mazzotta Employment Specialists, The Inn at Middletown, Middlesex Hospital, Centerbrook Architects and Planners, The Peach Pit Foundation, Terry Eastman, Barbara-Jan Wilson, Christine Pina, and Marlisa Simonson.

An especially heartfelt thank you to all who attended and made the event such a success: we would be nothing without our dedicated supporters!

 

If you weren’t able to join us, don’t worry, we are already planning our next big benefit event. Be sure to mark your calendars for the Tierney Sutton Jazz Band Performance, a benefit concert for our After School Arts & Science Program, on Friday, May 20, 2011.

Social Justice, Education, and Geoffrey Canada: A Green Street Worker’s Response

On January 21st, Harlem Children’s Zone founder and Waiting for Superman contributor Geoffrey Canada came to Middletown to speak at Wesleyan University’s Social Justice Leadership Conference.  A Bronx native and long-time educator, Canada’s defense of the importance of quality education in the inner city comes from personal experience.  Many involved at Green Street were in attendance, and one Wesleyan student was inspired to write about Canada’s words and how they apply to the work she does in Green Street’s After School Arts & Science Program.

Sam’s response:

Geoffrey Canada’s lecture was certainly just as relevant and inspiring as it was a call to action. He asserted that at the moment, America is not living up to its potential in providing equal, first-rate education to every one of its children. Progress is made by going the extra mile, beyond the expected and what is simply required, even if that means working for the cause around the clock and in spite of hardships, frustrations, and setbacks. Canada stressed the importance of all citizens taking accountability for the quality of education in America. We are all responsible for how children learn and are taught, just as we are responsible for the kind of attention they receive. Politicians and reformers with power and influence are definitely making progress as witnessed in a public arena, but Canada said that not everyone can be a “general” in the education reform struggle. “Soldiers”, those who work on the front lines directly with students, out of the spotlight, are also necessary.

Education reform begins with the belief in every child’s academic potential, right to good education, and opportunity for growth. That belief fuels the work we do at Green Street, and our faith in the ability of each child manifests itself in our encouragement and interactions with them. By treating every student as an individual and catering to their interests and concerns, our students understand that they matter and that they are capable of achievement. The people of Green Street are very much the kind of “soldiers” about which Canada spoke. Little by little, differences are made in the lives of the children as they spend a few hours after school at Green Street each day. The extra academic enrichment and care they receive are small steps to making a big difference in not only their extra-curricular learning, but also in their entire academic, social, and developmental lives.

Submitted by Samantha Maldonado, ’13, After School support staff

Get in the Holiday Spirit at Green Street

HeBuru Stylere we are in the first days of December, looking forward to the increasingly cold weather that the winter will most certainly bring. Thanksgiving has come and gone, Black Friday has tortured us all, and our relatives have made it safely home from a boisterous and happy holiday week. All that is left for us to do is to finish eating leftovers, break out the decorations, and start our holiday shopping, right…?

If you said “NO WAY!” to the previous question, then you, my friend, are the perfect candidate to attend this Friday’s Omnidenominational Holiday Celebration at Green Street Arts Center! If you said something along the lines of “yup” or “pretty much” then perhaps you need a Friday night party more than you might think.

This Friday’s event is a fundraising, album-releasing, community-celebrating concert/party/potluck with many Middletown musicians providing the entertainment. The Japanese, Static Stamina, Eric Lichter, The Kid Fiddlers, and Buru Style will all bust out their hippest, funkiest, zaniest takes on holiday classics from all denominations! WESU DJ Lord Lewis the Velvet Knight will bring two turntables, a microphone, and some holiday funk to keep the party going before/between/after the bands play. It’s an all-ages event, so bring the kids, a dish to share, and your dancing shoes!

Buru Style CD CoverAs a staff member at Green Street and a musician in the band Buru Style, I am literally bouncing off the walls with excitement for this party. We (Buru Style) decided to put this event together in order to have a release party for our latest album, The Omnidenominational Holiday Experience, while also sharing the stage with local musicians. Green Street Arts Center was the one and only place to have this event and I am thrilled to share our music with the Middletown community, both in live and recorded formats. We’ll see you Friday night!

What to bring:canned food

  • Some food to share (potluck!),
  • A canned good,
  • Your dancing shoes,
  • A few dollars to support Green Street Arts Center
    ($5 recommended donation),
  • Your friends (even if you have to kidnap them),
  • And your family,
  • And as many high-fives as you can fit in your pockets!

Submitted by Andrew Fogliano ’09, After School Support Staff & Receptionist

Green Street Arts Center Holiday Celebration
Friday, December 3rd | 7:00pm-9:00pm
Suggested Donation: $5

Buru Style celebrates the release of The Omnidenominational Holiday Experience with a musical holiday party at which scads of local musicians gather to perform around a theme. The Japanese, Blues Not Bombs, House of Moses, Static Stamina, Eric Lichter, The Kid Fiddlers and Buru Style—a diverse cast if ever there was one—will each perform short sets featuring creative takes on holiday music. WESU DJ Lord Lewis the Velvet Knight …will spin holiday funk twixt the sets.

A Place for Community Involvement within Academia: Students Respond to Stimulating Article

helping handsRecently, the Hartford Courant published an opinion piece by Harvard University student, Alexander Heffner on the importance of community involvement in higher education.  According to Mr. Heffner, “College should be home to learning that has consistent social application — not to students glued to their textbooks in straitjackets for the sake of passing courses. Learning should draw a connection between course material and its potential relevance in the ‘real world.’” Click here to read the whole article.

Wesleyan University’s Green Street Arts Center is a perfect vehicle for what Mr. Heffner feels is lacking in the collegiate experience.  Green Street is an extension of Wesleyan University into Middletown’s North End.  Every day we have students from Wesleyan University and Middlesex Community College come to intern in the office, work with after school students, volunteer, and take part in recreational classes or events.

Upon reading Mr. Heffner’s opinion, we were inspired to ask our own students to share their thoughts on the matter. We encourage you to leave a comment with your response to the article as well!

Isabel Dickinson ‘11
Isabel DickinsonAs a student at Wesleyan, a university that encourages service learning, community involvement, study abroad, and growth outside of the classroom through the arts and sciences, I feel that this article does not accurately describe American collegiate institutions.  However, after a moment of reflection, I have to take into consideration the amount of initiative it takes for any one student to become more active in the community in which they live and study. It is not the institution’s sole responsibility to make their students active; anything less than making community service a requirement for graduation will leave some students inactive.  But for the most part, I think that the majority of students are not willing to let experiences such as tutoring underprivileged youth or participating in Feet to the Fire or taking a service learning course, among many other opportunities, go by the wayside in their four years at an elite institution such as Wesleyan.

Sydney Lowe ‘13
Sydney LoweAlexander Heffner is adamant that colleges should require community involvement—in his article he calls for a redefinition of the collegiate education system, advocating for a new civic focus on learning. I think he’s completely right.

In my experience, most university students tend not to recognize the significant connections between service learning and their academics when they should.  I, on the other hand, grew up where community involvement was an actual requirement.  In my New York City public high school, all students were required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of community service per year.  I spent my four years volunteering at libraries, at children’s museums, and most memorably coaching my middle school swim team.  By the time I had graduated, I’d simultaneously completed over 400 hours of community service and cultivated an appreciation for service learning that I’ll carry with me for years to come.  It is this appreciation that I see all the time at Wesleyan.  Founded on the dual principles of scholarship and service to community, Wesleyan University stands as an exemplar to other schools.  There are so many incredible opportunities to get involved on campus and in the surrounding Middletown community; it would honestly be a shame for those who didn’t take advantage of them.  Service learning shouldn’t have to be a requirement, but I think rather needs to be an integral part of the human philosophy: we should do it because we sincerely want to—because we want to change the world starting with our local communities.  I’m so glad to have found a family at Green Street Arts Center where I can fully participate in service learning and make a difference.  I’m excited to get to know the others who will join me in saving the world as well!

Alanna Badgley ‘13
Alanna BadgleyWith Thanksgiving coming up, I am bound to answer the question, “how is school going?” more times than I will be able to count.  My answer will not start with a review of my classes, or a recap of the most recent concert I went to.  Instead, I will be most likely to talk about how I spend my afternoons.  From 3-6pm every school day, I’m not napping as a result of a late night cram session the night before, but rather I’m at Green Street Arts Center working with the After School Arts and Science Program.  My second year at Wesleyan University is also my second year at the center, which I initially discovered through a community service initiative during my freshman orientation. As a result, I am now on first name, high-fiving basis with more than one hundred youth in Middletown, many of whom I see as I walk down Main Street, or that I sled with down the hill on our campus when it begins to snow.  This is my college experience.  I’m not isolated in a bubble of academia. I’m intimately involved with my community, and will leave Wesleyan in two and a half years not only with a Bachelor’s degree and a few good stories, but also with the fulfillment of truly connecting with the community around me.

Charming Yu ‘13
Charming YuThere are many forms of learning, and while the standardized classroom environment is crucial, I also believe that community engagement is a well-rounded approach.  After exploring Wesleyan University’s Office of Community Service last school year, I learned about Green Street Arts Center and began actively participating in its After School Arts & Science Program.  Being a part of the After School Program gives me the opportunity to interact with not only my fellow Wesleyan University students, but also volunteers from high schools and colleges in the area.  Perhaps more importantly, I am also able to interact with the younger generation (elementary and middle school students) and see how various changes, especially technological advances, in the past decade distinguish their experiences from my own experiences when I was in primary school.  Being involved in the community alters my perspective and helps me see where I stand in relation to different social circles, something that is difficult to achieve when you stay in your college bubble.  However, staying involved in the community and understanding the situations around you is only the first step to tackling the various problems the 21st century presents.

William Tyner ‘13
William TynerIn the opinion of a Wesleyan University student, what sets Wesleyan apart from other liberal arts institutions is its strong encouragement of student community involvement.  Throughout the school, there are numerous programs in which students can get involved such as WesReads, WesMath, and Green Street Arts Center, among others.  With great effort, Wesleyan tries to bridge the gap between educational theory and its application, and as a transfer student that is precisely why I chose to attend Wes over other liberal arts colleges.  I think it is crucial that as students, we have the opportunity to descend from our ivory towers and apply our often overly theoretical knowledge of the world to contribute something with real and tangible outcomes to society.  While many students are compelled to participate in social engagement, many do not do so, and I believe that it is the institutions job to promote it.  To me, the overall goal of an education is to cultivate our reflexive self-examination skills by adapting what we learn in the maths, sciences, humanities, and so forth, to our own individual projects and goals and simultaneously to the progress toward the common good. Along with developing excellent numeracy and literacy skills, the goal of education should be to prepare students for civic engagement by encouraging them to get involved in their community, and this is something that few institutions foster in their curriculum.  For example, this semester I am taking a Sociology of Education course that requires each student to observe and volunteer at a local school.  This type of curriculum gives me a place to actively apply the knowledge learned in class to my observations and volunteer experiences at the local school.  I am then able to apply my practical knowledge of society that is influenced by my academic knowledge to my work at Green Street.  Green Street is a place where students from all different corners of the community can come and contribute something meaningful to society, and I believe that having an outlet to positively influence society is a powerful asset.  Green Street is a prime exemplar of the coalescence of academic theory and its real world, practical application.  The fact that Wesleyan strongly encourages its students to become a part of the Green Street community and other Middletown community organizations is something truly special and beneficial in the long run.

Jenny Huang ‘11
Jenny HuangAttending college is often regarded as “training for the real world,” but consider this: we’re already living in the real world.  As college students striving to be engaged and responsible global citizens, we must start within our own community.  Working with and learning from people with diverse backgrounds is just as important as the research we develop with our fellow scholars.  The various and numerous resources that Wesleyan students have at their disposals enhance our power as citizens to make a positive impact in the community we live in.  An existing model for university engagement within the community includes Green Street, which draws upon the dynamic resources of Wesleyan and Middletown in an effort to enrich the lives of the students and families that utilize the facilities.  Privileged institutions, like universities, have the ability and obligation to foster a sense of social responsibility among students to engage in community advocacy.  Incorporating hands-on involvement into the curriculum would support Wesleyan’s recently launched Making Excellence Inclusive initiative, which aims to re-imagine “how to better educate our students to become more effective and thoughtful citizens.”  As Heffner suggests, we must redefine the priorities of today’s colleges.  The ivory tower does not have to be a bubble!  We may be students for only a limited time, but we are citizens for life.  Look around–this is the community we live in and it sure is real, so what are we waiting for?

Camille Martin ‘11
Camille MartinAlexander Heffner has an interesting point of view on college curriculum.  It’s important for students to relate what they learn in class rooms to their environment.  This type of hands on experience will carry them through college and the rest of their lives.  Student’s often become preoccupied with passing classes and don’t spend time applying what they learn.  However, most colleges offer humanities and science courses in which you can intern or volunteer in the community.  Coming from a community college I’ve been able to intern and work in the community. In fact, the college I attend offers a human services program where you choose two internships your second year. Interning at Green Street Arts Center I get to work with kids in an art setting.  This experience counts toward my college credit and is viewed as an actual class.  Working in a field I’m interested in has taught me things I’d never learn in a class room setting and has enabled me to apply what I’ve learned in school so far!

Gabe Gordon ‘11
Gabe GordonAs a student majoring in Philosophy at a liberal arts university, I know what it means for higher education to remain tied down in an abstract, seemingly arbitrary level of learning.  I agree with Mr. Heffner’s plea for an American educational system that emphasizes more hands-on community involvement over the rote standardization of knowledge.  I am also grateful that my school helped found the Green Street Arts Center in an effort to collaborate with the town in which it resides. Dozens of my fellow students volunteer as tutors, private music teachers, and support staff at Green Street’s After School Program.  The kids and students work together to give back to the community through the arts.  Organizations like Green Street are invaluable parts of any community that wishes to unite people of all generations and backgrounds and to realize the ideas that Mr. Heffner proposes.

To close, I would like to add, that Green Street is not the only way Wesleyan continues to work with Middletown.  Wesleyan has the Center for Community Partnerships (CCP), where combining the assets of the Service-Learning Center, the Office of Community Service and Volunteerism, the Office of Community Relations, and Green Street Arts Center, the CCP seeks to serve the development of both the individual and the community, guided by principles of mutual respect and shared responsibility.  While many colleges have these types of programs, how many are actively encouraging their students to participate?  And how many have resources like Wesleyan’s CCP and Green Street Arts Center?  How many students are looking to get involved in their communities?  The resources are there. Reach out. Find them.

Compiled by Lisa Bruno, Development Assistant, and Rachel Roccoberton Griffin, Administrative Assistant, with the help of the above students

To reach out and find ways in which you can get involved in Green Street Arts Center, call 860-685-7871 or email gsac@wesleyan.edu.

From Cosby to Hawai’i and Back

Wesleyan University’s Green Street Arts Center’s Homecoming/Family Weekend events were an enormous success. The building was bustling with community members and Wesleyan families, thank you to all who participated during this weekend of wonderful events.

On Friday, the entire neighborhood hummed with excitement, as jazz wafted from Green Street’s entry way out into the cool, Fall night. The space at 51 Green St. was transformed to a warm and inviting autumn oasis of rich browns and crisp oranges for a night with the one and only Dr. Bill Cosby. With the arrival of Dr. Cosby, a line quickly formed of people waiting to meet, shake hands, and take pictures with the famous comedian, actor, author, and educator. Guests were treated to delicious food, marvelous entertainment, and fine art as they enjoyed the event. After the reception, guests were treated to Dr. Cosby’s on-campus performance at the Center for the Arts.

[slideshare id=5634750&doc=cosbyslideshow-101101113104-phpapp02]

Saturday afternoon, Green Street hosted an Open House and welcomed over 125 attendees. Popular Wesleyan band Buru Style filled the Performance Studio with fun and entertainment, while Jocelyn Pleasant and Lovette Caesar-Johnson lead guests in the sounds and rhythms of West African drumming and dance in the Dance Studio. Later on, Green Street’s resident salsero, Jason Pepin, introduced people to the sultry sounds of salsa dance and music. The community drum circle was also a popular choice for all ages as was the visual arts projects. This event was featured in an article in The Middletown Press.

Our Sunday Salon Series continued with Professor J. Kehaulani Kauanui’s “Hawaiian Nationhood & Indigenous Rights”.  With 30 attendees, this intriguing event offered insight into the outstanding Hawaiian independence claim and persistent issue of sovereignty facing the Kanaka Maoli (indigenous Hawaiian) people. Said one participant, “This was a fascinating topic and a dynamic presentation. Kehaulani truly engaged the audience in an intellectual and passionate conversation void of pretension. I was riveted the entire time.”

Dine & Donate, Green Street’s delicious weekend-long fundraiser, provided Homecoming/Family Weekend attendees with a great excuse to sample many different Middletown restaurants. In a true show of community partnership, seven local restaurants (Esca, Fiore, Mikado, New England Emporium, Puerto Vallarta, Thai Gardens, and Typhoon) generously agreed to donate a portion of their weekend proceeds to Green Street Arts Center.

If you weren’t able to join us this weekend, don’t worry, we are already planning our next big benefit event. Be sure to mark your calendars for “A Feast for the Senses”, our second annual auction benefit, on Thursday, February 17.

Submitted by Lisa Bruno, Development Assistant

Green Street Celebrates Homecoming/Family Weekend in Style

On behalf of the Green Street Arts Center of Wesleyan University, we invite you to participate in a weekend of engaging and exciting events.

Dine & Donate: A Delicious Fundraiser
Friday-Sunday, October 22-24
Support the arts simply by dining on Main Street! Download, print, and present this coupon to your server at one of the following local restaurants and they will generously donate a portion of your bill to Wesleyan’s Green Street Arts Center.

Esca Restaurant & Wine Bar
Fiore II Italian Restaurant
Mikado Japanese Cuisine
New England Emporium
Puerto Vallarta
Thai Gardens Restaurant
Typhoon Thai Cuisine

Green Street Open House
Saturday, October 23 | 2-4pm
FREE
Green Street celebrates Wesleyan Homecoming/Family Weekend in style. Join us for Salsa, West African Drumming and Dance, visual art projects for the whole family, and a spectacular performance by the popular band Buru Style! Enjoy tours, refreshments and a special pre-registration discount if you sign up for a Session Two class before you leave. Light refreshments will be served.

Sunday Salon: Hawaiian Nationhood and Indigenous Rights
with Professor J. Kehaulani Kauanui
Sunday, October 24 | 2-3:30pm
Suggestion donation: $5

This talk will address the outstanding Hawaiian independence claim and the persistent issue of sovereignty facing the Kanaka Maoli (indigenous Hawaiian) people. Come learn more about how the U.S. government came to acquire Hawai`i and the spectrum of political activism relating to self-determination and nationhood.

For more information on any of these events or to reserve your seat call 860-685-7871 or email us at gsac@wesleyan.edu. Information about these and all of our programs and offerings can be found on our website: www.greenstreetartscenter.org.

We hope you will join us this weekend and thank you, in advance, for your support of Wesleyan University’s Green Street Arts Center.

Tell us! What restaurants will you be going to?

Latin Dance: Sizzling Salsa Nights

Salsa Social

My name is Jason Pepin and I proudly hold the title given to me as Green Street Art Center’s “resident Salsero”. I have been teaching Salsa and Latin dance at Green Street for almost a year and a half now. I began as the Latin dance instructor in the after school program and was blown away by the charisma and talent that all of the students in the program have. I am a classroom teacher by profession, and really enjoy working with children beyond the classroom, especially when that work is teaching dance.

I also teach adult group classes and host the very popular Salsa Socials in the evenings, bi-monthly. The adult classes are extremely enjoyable for me. Many times, people come to their first beginner class with no dance experience. Others have lots of experience, only not with Latin rhythms. It is a true blessing to see the transformation that happens to both of these crowds in my group classes. I’m really looking forward to getting started in another session soon!

The Salsa Social is a one-night event where anyone can come to Green Street, get a taste of Salsa with a beginner lesson, and then spend a few hours being immersed in Latin culture. Music videos are projected onto the wall while sultry Latin rhythms fill the space of our beautiful performance studio. Beginners and guests can practice what they learned in the lesson from 7-8 and watch dancers of all levels as the fiesta unfolds. In the past, we have had Salsa CDs for sale from live musicians that teach dancers in attendance about the Latin instruments. It is really an experience that can only adequately be summed up by the feeling of being there. So come by and see for yourself on October 9th or December 11th!

Submitted by Jason Pepin, Green Street Teaching Artist

Salsa Socials
Saturdays, October 9 & December 11 | 7-10 pm
Jason Pepin
Regular: $8; Members/Family & Friends/Students/Seniors: $5
Green Street’s resident salsero Jason Pepin presents two evenings of hot music, open floor, and the best dance crowd in Connecticut. Beginners welcome for instruction from 7-8 pm (included in price of admission).

Salsa for Beginners & Intermediates
Wednesdays | 6:15-7:15 pm (beginning November 3rd)
Regular: $60; Family & Friends/Students/Seniors: $51; Members: $48
Drop-ins Regular/Family & Friends/Students/Seniors: $10; Members: $8
Explore the roots and rhythms of Salsa music and dance. Learn basic steps and turns as well as individual footwork and trick steps. You will gain an appreciation for the Latin rhythms that make up Salsa music and the confidence to dance socially.

Upcoming Native Arts & Events Series Not to be Missed

Native Dance

I find that Native American dance is usually misunderstood by the general public, if not entirely overlooked.  Knowing that Green Street offers a number of dance classes and workshops, and that Wesleyan has a vibrant Dance Department, I thought there would be plenty of interest to hold a workshop on Native American dance.  Join Rebecca Perry-Levy (Pequot/Narragansett) and her family in an exploration of a number of different Native American Dance traditions, in full regalia. This workshop includes a question and answer forum, in depth explanation, and teaching of social dances.  Participation is welcome, but not necessary.  Please join us on Saturday, September 25th, 2-4pm whether you want to dance or simply sit back and enjoy!

Be sure to join us for other events in this fantastic series:

File Under Miscellaneous StillThe next event in the series is a special Halloween-themed film screening on Friday, October 29th, at 7pm.  Montreal-based writer and director Jeff Barnaby (Mi’kmaq) will discuss The Colony and his new film, File Under Miscellaneous, both of which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.  File Under Miscellaneous received a warm reception at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival and has been called “a dark SciFi gem” by critic Todd Brown. Barnaby’s psychological thrillers will make you reconsider stereotypes of what Native/First Nations art “should be.”  In addition, there will be a screening of Bruce Curliss’ (Nipmuc) short film Survivor, which deals with the atrocities committed against the Nipmuc at Deer Island.  On October 30, 1675, Native people from what is now South Natick were removed to Deer Island in Boston Harbor.  Without adequate food, clothing, or shelter, the majority of the people—mostly women, children, and elders—perished. (Viewers should note that The Colony and File Under Miscellaneous are not suitable for viewers under the age of 18 without parental accompaniment.)

On Friday, November 12, at 7pm, Green Street will be hosting a panel moderated by anthropologist and UMass Boston professor Amy Den Ouden. Panelists will include Schaghticoke elder Trudie Lamb Richmond and Ruth Garby Torres, also a member of the Schaticoke Nation, and representatives from the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation and the Golden Hill Paugussett Indian Nation. Our knowledgeable panelists will discuss issues facing their tribes, including federal recognition. They will happily answer questions from the audience, with the hope that the event will be an open, informative dialogue.

Submitted by Stephanie Elliott, Friend of Green Street and Publicist at Wesleyan University Press

To reserve your spot for any of these events, call 860-685-7871 or email gsac@wesleyan.edu.Native Dance

Native American Dance Workshop

Saturday, September 25 | 2pm

General: $10; Members/Students/Seniors: $8

This event is co-sponsored by the Wesleyan Dance Department.

File Under Miscellaneous: Short Films

Friday, October 29 | 7 pm

Suggest donation: $5

The State of Native Connecticut

Friday, November 12 | 7 pm

Suggest donation: $5

Keeping the Beat: Green Street Encourages Life-Long Students

A Note of Thanks

Thank you to everyone who attended our Opening Evening on September 10th; the night was a great success and we enjoyed meeting new friends and seeing familiar faces.  We’d like to thank Michael Roth, Wesleyan University President, Sonia Mañjon, Wesleyan University Vice President for Institutional Partnerships and Chief Diversity Officer, and our incredible Green Street Advisory Board members and Wesleyan Trustees who joined in the festivities and showed their support for GSAC.  We hope you all experienced some of the great offerings, like the salsa workshop, West African Drumming and Dancing, and family art projects.  Green Street is fortunate to have fantastic advocates like you.  Buster and Paola, two of our supporters, have shared their Green Street experience with us below.

Keeping the Beat

Green Street Arts Center is an essential part of our lifelong learning process.  Buster and I are both teachers. He teaches fourth grade at Macdonough School in Middletown and I teach sixth grade at Sunset Ridge Elementary Academy for Arts and World Languages in East Hartford. He is a Middletown native and I live in Glastonbury, which makes for a convenient commute to Green Street for both of us.  Last spring, we participated in the West African Drumming: Djembe Orchestra class led by expert instructors Jocelyn Pleasant and Aaron Greenberg, who teach with humor and patience. We not only practiced drum technique, but also learned about the various rhythms and cultures of West African countries with our diverse, energetic, and good-natured classmates.

In addition to expert instruction and welcoming classmates, another key feature of the Green Street Arts Center is its partnership with the greater Middletown community.  As a culmination to our drumming course, many class members joined the instructors and younger Green Street students to perform at a community festival celebrating the arts open to all.  For a novice musician such as me, performing a public concert for an intergenerational audience was thrilling!

Buster and I always look forward to Green Street’s new course offerings because they stretch our minds and rejuvenate our spirits.  In the future, we hope to explore Salsa dancing, creative writing, martial arts, and of course, more drumming.

Thank you, Green Street Arts Center for helping us stay bright and lively!

Sincerely,

Paola Maina and Buster NelsonFall Catalog Cover
Submitted by Paola Maina and Buster Nelson, Green Street students and After School support staff

If, like Paola and Buster, you are interested in staying bright and lively through one of Green Street’s offerings, view our fall course catalog here.  To become a member and receive great discounts at Green Street and partner organizations around the state, email gsac@wesleyan.edu or call (860) 685-7871.  Click here for all of the membership benefits. We look forward to hearing from you.