After School Programs

Starting Arts is excited to offer a huge variety of after school arts classes at your school site, making the arts accessible and affordable to all students. Starting Arts programs run during both the fall and spring, scheduled to coordinate with the school calendar year. Call us to get them started at your school!!

DANCE: Dance classes typically run twice a week (2 -2 ½ hours per week) for 12 weeks with a culminating performance or recital.

  1. Jump In! - Grades K-2 – Primary students explore a variety of dance styles and creative movement to popular music with an informal recital at the end of the session.
  2. Lights, Camera, DANCE! – Grades 6-8 & 9-12 – Students interested in taking their dance skills to the next level will love this class. The twelve weeks will culminate in a video shoot. The video shoot is an exciting, rare opportunity for dancers to star in a dance video. Dancers will get to perform on a working set with cameras and lights. Classes run for 1 ½ hrs twice a week. DVD is included.

THEATRE: Theatre runs twice a week (2 ½ - 3 hrs per week) for 12 weeks with a production at the end of the session. Performance can be held at their school or at a local venue.

  1. In the Spotlight – Grades K-2 – Introduction to theatre, improv, theatre games. Classes can either have an informal recital at the end or keep it in a workshop format.
  2. Theatre Production – Grades 3-5 & 6-8 – Students participate in either a play or musical production. Mulan, Annie, Willy Wonka, Aladdin, School House Rock are just a few examples of our productions.
  3. Acting Explorers – Grades 3-5 & 6-8 – Students experience a theatre workshop environment. Learn skills with no formal production at the end.
  4. Broadway Rocks! – Grades 3-5 – This class is for students interested in developing skills in music, theatre and dance, and exploring musical theatre history. Classes will be workshop based with an informal revue at the end.

VISUAL ARTS: Visual Arts classes run once a week (1 hour) for 6 or 8 weeks, depending on the age group.

  1. American Artists: Grades K-5 - Students will learn about a different Master of American Art (Warhol, O'Keefe, Calder & more) while making their own creations each week in pastels, watercolor, sculpture and more! 1 hour class for 6 weeks or 8 weeks.
  2. Paper Making: Grades 2-5 - Create paper & learn about reuse of paper. Children will make paper, learn print processes, create some drawings and even make their own cards & stationary! Perfect for gift giving!
  3. Authors & Illustrators: Grades K-3 in this 1 hour class, we will read a story, learn about the illustrator & create a wonderful project based on the book of the week.
  4. Art Masters: Grades K-5 - Students will learn about a different amazing artist each week and create wonderful works of art based on the artist’s life or medium. We'll work in oil pastels, watercolor, chalk, charcoal and more to make beautiful creations.
  5. Comic Book Studio: Grades 2-5 - Students will learn the basics about drawing expressions, creating characters, doing story boards and making final creations with animals, people & finally, a final cartoon strip.
  6. The Magic of Murals & Mosaics – Grades 3-5 & 6-8 – students can participate in the creation of a mural or mosaic. This might take more than the usual 6 weeks. Possibly 12 weeks.

MUSIC: Before & after school classes in choir and band. Classes generally meet twice a week (a total of 2 hours per week) for 12 weeks, and conclude with a professionally produced performance/exhibition.

  1. Choir – Rocking Robins (younger kids) /Super Songbirds (older kids) – Before School & After School – Grades K-2 & 3-5 – Students learn a large variety of songs ending the session with performing in a choir concert on school site and as part of our Starting Arts Spring Sing in April.
  2. Band – Before School & After School - Grades 3-5 – Students are introduced to instrumental music. They learn to play numerous pieces of music on their instrument as well as how to play in a band as a whole. Students will perform in a year-end concert.

ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS: These are special programs that happen later in the evening as well as during the summer.

  1. Winter Musical – Beauty and the Beast – Grades 3-12 & Adult cast. Show dates are Dec. 10, 11 & 12 – Cost: $350
  2. Summer Musical 2010 – The Music Man – Grades 3-12
  3. Film Camp 2010 – Grades 6-12 – Students experience the magic of film by learning how to be in a film as well as behind the camera.
  4. Dance Camp 2010

NOTE: Our after school programs can be funded by the PTA (we work out a contract based on the number of hours we teach, plus rehearsals and performances) or by individual parents. If the PTA pays for it, they make it possible for all students to participate. PTA may also wish to pay a portion of the costs, thereby reducing the individual students’ enrollment costs. Classes need a minimum of 15 students to run.