Music

Warm Up with Green Street

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After the rush of the holidays and the start of the New Year, January settles down to be a nice, quiet month, right?

Not at Green Street!

This month is filled with classes, events, and workshops that are sure to bring you out of hibernation and warm you up.  The bright lights of Green Street will shine into the night beginning January 18th when the After School Program and Winter Session classes begin.  And then the days and nights are filled with workshops in Flamenco and Social Media, a Salsa Social and Family Fun Day, classes of all kinds, and more.  Check it all out below.

Winter Registration
Ongoing
 Register online here or by calling 860-685-7871 for one of our
great winter classes. Here is a sampling of our offerings to tempt you:

Women Playing with Hair by Meredith ArcariSalsa Dance with Cori Presutti
Mondays | 7:30-8:30pm

Figure Drawing Open Studio with Elena Grossman
Tuesdays | 6:30-8:30pm

Writing in Motion with Christine Woodside
Tuesdays | 6:30-7:30pm

So You Got a Digital Camera with Shawn Hill
Wednesdays | 6:30-7:30pm

Yoga with Gia Khalsa
Thursdays | 6:15-7:15pm

Writer’s Out Loud with hosts Cocomo Rock & Al Bower
Thursday, January 20 | 6:30 pm – 8:45 pm
Regular: $5; Member: $3

Prose writers are invited to share works-in-progress, socialize, and seek out constructive comments. Presentations are limited to prose short stories or excerpts under 10 minutes. Sign-up begins at 6:30pm, readings begin at 7pm.

Salsa Social
Saturday, January 22 | 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Salsa SocialRegular: $8; Member/Student/Senior: $5

Overcome the sub-zero temperatures with one of Green Street’s acclaimed Salsa Socials.  Salsero Jason Pepin hosts an evening of hot music, open floor, and the best dance crowd in Connecticut.  Admission includes refreshments and free instruction from 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm.

¡Viva Flamenco! A Demonstration and Workshop with Marta Torres
Friday, January 28 | 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Regular: $8; Member/Student/Senior: $5

Marta Torres of Madrid will a demonstrate flamenco dance, and explain its history, concluding with a question and answer session.  The final half hour will allow audience members to try flamenco for themselves – participation encouraged, but not required.

Using Social Media – A Two-Part Workshop
Instructor: Eric Lopkin
Saturday, January 29 | Part 1: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm and Part 2: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Regular: $30 per session; $50 for the day | Member: $25 per session; $40 for the day

Social Media WagonPart 1 covers the basics, including the different social media platforms (Facebook, Linked In, Blogs, etc.,) and how to get started with the right settings to protect yourself.  Part 2 explores more advanced functions of all forms of social media, and prepares you to launch or enhance your home business, creative writing or political action.

Family Festival at Green Street – Come in from the Cold!
Saturday, January 29 | 10:00 am – 2:00 pm | FREE

Kids having funJoin us at Green Street for a day of family activities for all!  Activities include Community Music Initiative, Creative Arts Workshop, Storytelling, Early Childhood music for parents with children aged 9 months to 5 years, Hip Hop and Breakdance for kids aged 7-13, and more!  All ages are welcome; children must attend with a parent or caretaker. This event is free, but your donation of $8 per family will help us hold future events.

With all these activities, why stay at home?  Call us at 860-685-7871 for more information or to join one of these events.  We hope to see you soon at Green Street!

‘Twas a Green Street Holiday

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Green Street has some fantastic gift ideas for the holidays, and what better way to share them with you than to the tune of “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.”  We hope this gives you some ideas and gets you into the holiday spirit.  After reading this, we hope you’ll check out our Facebook page to view pictures from our Omnidenominational Holiday Celebration on December 3rd and the Winter Solstice on December 10th.
Enjoy!

‘Twas the night before the Omnidenominational Holiday Celebration, when all through the Center

Every creature was stirring, even the presenters;

The lights were focused in the Performance Space,

In the hopes that Buru Style would soon take their place.Arsean Breakdancing

The children all practiced breakdance and ballet;

While teachers were putting artwork on display.

The staff was all ready for winter to start;

With classes like Tai Chi, Writing, and Acrylic Art.

When suddenly the phone rang with a loud bleat

A staffer picked it up, and said “Green Street!”

“Have you any classes for someone age two?

“Or something after school for kids to do?”Anna Skates, Receptionist

“My co-worker Lisa’s interested in art,”

“And Claudia would like her lesson to restart.”

“I’m happy to assist you,” the staffer replied;

Her voice clearly showing organizational pride.

“We’ve something for Lisa, and Claudia too.

And an After School Program you cannot outdo.Membership Cards

There’s Private Lessons in violin and guitar.

With a Gift Certificate, you can really go far.

Use them for classes, lessons, or events.

They will take care of your holiday presents.”

The caller was intrigued, she asked to hear more.

About the great gifts Green Street had in store.Buru Style at the Omnidenominational Holiday Celebration

“There are Memberships!  Class Cards!  Tickets galore!

Treat yourself to a night out, don’t be a bore.”

The customer then smiled to find she was done

With all the holiday shopping that she’d just begun.

The staffer was pleased to have served one and all

And Buru Style took their place in the hall.Ceramics Work by After School Students

The students performed their ballet and breakdance.

And the artwork received a second, or third, glance.

With a look through the Center, the staffer declared

“This is the best time of year!” and that opinion was shared.

Happy Holidays
From Green Street

Submitted by Rachel Roccoberton Griffin

Give the Gift of the Arts this Holiday Season. Whether for yourself, a friend, a loved one, or someone else that will enjoy the experience of active creativity, Green Street makes giving art easy.  Click here to view more information.  To purchase any of these great items call (860) 685-7871 or email gsac@wesleyan.edu.

Get in the Holiday Spirit at Green Street

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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.