Starting Fall 2006: A Sparkplug Dance Children's Company
The Sparkplug Dance Children's Dance Company is a place for children of all abilities to engage in student-directed choreography, learn new works with professional choreographers and to share their experiences with other children in both informal and formal performance settings.
Who it Serves
With assured directorial structure and artistic encouragement, participants ages 7-15 will discover that learning happens not just through the appreciation and study of dance technique, but in the commitment, challenge and excitement that surround the creative process.
In this uniquely integrative approach, we will provide kids with a new way to relate to each other and their world: through the dance discipline, we'll emphasize a respect towards self and others. Choreographically, we'll focus on each individual student's talents to build self-esteem, to enable children to accept each other and to encourage an environment of kindness and respect.
And through accomplishing the Herculean task of moving from rehearsals to a real audience, students will take in all that they can achieve, things they might not have thought possible. The Sparkplug Company will share the amazement many of us who've worked on productions already know: The chance to take part in a quality creative process, from inception to performance, can make durable and reliable boosts to the developing sense of self.
Sparkplug Dance will collaborate with Bonnie Simoa, director of the Lane Dance Program at Lane Community College. Simoa says the Children's Dance Company is a "wonderful thing to add to this community and Rachael (Carnes) is the person to do it. She brings intellectual vigor and know how on educating young dancers."
Simoa said she doesn't yet know the effects on LCC, but gives high hopes that we are creating young dancers that will pursue dance or use dance to pursue their other interests. Lane has invited the Dance Company to present in their winter concert January 26 and 27th. Additionally, Lane dancers will have the opportunity to apprentice with Carnes and learn her teaching process. Simoa hopes that the collaboration will eventually produce high quality dance educators in the community.
Performance Opportunities
The Children's Dance Company will serve as a flagship for the organization, offering opportunities to perform, including informal community settings, studio "informances" or recitals, school assemblies, community performances at area colleges and campuses, regional, and even national and international conferences and exchanges. As a producing partner, Lane Community College will feature Sparkplug works in their ongoing performing season.
Artistic Intention
A student-centered Children's Dance Company will open up new windows to create and develop audiences for dance and nurture opportunities to raise the level of dance education in our area.
The compounding and accumulative experience of working together over time is essential for children to gain skill mastery and to evolve creatively from learners to makers of dance.
In addition to pieces set by local professional choreographers, the company will feature student-created works. This provides the most essentially "Sparkplug" experience, and would be, in this community, inimitable.
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DIRECTIONS: Washington Park Community Center, located at the bottom of College Hill in Eugene. From downtown, take Willamette to 18th. Take a right on 18th and a left on Washington. Travel south two blocks to 20th Ave. and Washington. The Community Center is on your left, in front of a park with playground, ballparks and tennis courts. The Community Center has a large entry room for relaxing in before and after classes, or for waiting for a child during his/her class.
