Educational Performances & PROGRAMS
Tickets for the school programs are $5/seat and limited scholarships are available. To reserve tickets for your class, please complete this form: https://forms.gle/Lrc2YyoWHWeLVimq8 Questions can be directed to Liz Celeste, Curator of Education & Exhibitions at eceleste@nmc.edu.
STRAIGHT AHEAD: CO-SPONSORED BY THE ALLUVION
Friday, February 23rd — 10:00 AM
Out of Detroit’s lively jazz scene, which has produced some of the best musicians in the world, comes the groundbreaking jazz group Straight Ahead for an educational concert for K-12 students. Widely recognized for their eclectic and soulful approach to creating music, the Straight Ahead sound ranges from mainstream jazz to Salsa and neo-soul. They received international exposure when they were invited to open for the legendary Nina Simone at the Montreux Festival in Switzerland. At that time- they were the first all-woman jazz ensemble signed to Atlantic Records. The band has shared the concert stage with a who’s who of the music world including: Kem, Stanley Clark, Roy Ayers, the Yellowjackets and Tony Bennett. These Grammy-nominated recording artists have travelled extensively in the United States, the Caribbean and Europe with rave reviews.
Science of DRAWING A Superhero!
(Ed program SOLD OUT - check Jerry's public program here)
Monday, March 11th — 10:00 AM
In conjunction with our exhibition Hemingway in Comics, we are excited to welcome Marvel comic book artist Jerry DeCaire to the Dennos. Jerry, an internationally renowned artist and Michigan native, hosts a captivating and educational program for students of all ages. Through a Live Drawing Performance, Jerry demonstrates the practical application of science and math, including fractions, geometry, ratios, proportions, and algebraic equations, in creating superhero characters. The sequential development of a superhero drawing in real-time mesmerizes students, helping them connect the dots between math and art. Jerry emphasizes the importance of reading and writing in the production of a comic book, highlighting their role in understanding core subjects and fostering lifelong learning. The program, tailored to students from Pre-K to 12th grade and beyond, engages audiences with a Power Point slide show that explores the influence of math on the creation of superheroes. The unique blend of entertainment and education leaves students talking about the experience for months and inspires them to view core subjects in a new, 'cool' light.
Grupo Folklorico Xochiquetzal
Thursday, April 4th — 1:30 PM
We are thrilled to welcome Grupo Folklorico Xochiquetzal. Composed of volunteers from around our region, the dance group came together in July 2022 to bring awareness of Latino culture and music to Northern Michigan. They will perform various dance styles from parts of Mexico and Panama dressed in traditional attire made in Mexico.
Video Content For Teachers and Students
Our YouTube channel has plenty of educational videos available for use in the classroom. Conversations featuring artists who have performed on stage are featured here and here. In addition, our channel also contains live performances from spring 2021.
JazzReach Presents Get Hip!
As a producing partner, the Dennos Museum Center is excited to share the first episodes in a new series from New York-based JazzReach. Get Hip! Everything You Never Knew You Wanted To Know About Jazz Music is a twelve-episode educational docuseries on the subject of jazz music that aims to cultivate a greater appreciation, awareness and understanding of some of the many facets of the art form that make it such a rich, vital, compelling and uniquely American musical tradition.
