White Bird-Malpaso Dance Curriculum Guide

TO: Interested PPS School Teachers Grades 6-12 FROM: White Bird/PPS Collaboration 2016 SUBJECT: FREE opportunity for you and your students to fully experience MALPASO DANCE COMPANY with a curriculum guide and performance You and your students will have an opportunity to participate in an exciting, interdisciplinary curriculum that culminates in a free performance of the MALPASO DANCE COMPANY at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall on Wednesday, May 4, 2016 from 11am – noon. The cost for this trip is completely sponsored by White Bird, including round-trip school bus transportation via PPS Transportation Services. To read about White Bird and the partnership with PPS, click here. The following pages outline a curriculum that has been designed to prepare your students to experience Malpaso, a modern dance company from Cuba. There are numerous links embedded in the packet, include videos that will give teachers a glimpse into a variety of topics regarding the arts, culture and history of Cuba. Please note, while we would love to be able to discover Cuba’s history in full detail, this packet is focused on the world of dance and culture of Cuba, and the interconnectedness that germinates from those relationships. If you have time, we invite you to take your students deeper into Cuba’s history as it pertains to your classroom and curriculum. Thankfully, the Internet provides infinite resources for you to curate your own experience in this vein as you see fit. WHAT DOES WHITE BIRD REQUIRE OF TEACHERS TO PARTICIPATE? Commit to the equivalent of at least five hours of class time to prepare students for the performance. This packet will serve as the backbone for curricular connections; however, you are welcome to use it as inspiration to develop other lessons more uniquely suited to your own curricular needs. Make your reservation through the White Bird-Malpaso Dance Reservation Form link. Be prepared to enter the following information: Grade level of students attending Number of wheelchair-accessible student seats needed Number of regular student seats needed Number of staff/chaperone seats needed How you will get to the theater via school bus, TriMet or walking A brief paragraph or two describing how you will make curricular connections and your plan for utilize this packet. Upon email approval, make arrangements for transportation through PPS Transportation Services at 503-916-2000, x77280. Complete the post-show survey embedded on the final pages of this packet. NAVIGATING THE PACKET: Downloading the packet will increase the size of the font for easier readability. If you download the packet, the YouTube video links will no longer work. The clickable hyperlinks, however, will still work. The cloud-based version of the packet has a small default view. To zoom in, use the Command and + keys on a Mac, or Alt and + keys on a PC. You'll need to use the cloud-based version of the packet to play the embedded videos. If you click PLAY on a YouTube video and then try to expand to full screen, the video will appear and then disappear. To alleviate this, repeat STEP 3 a SECOND time, clicking PLAY and expanding to full screen. The video will then play in full screen mode for easier classroom presentation. It is with great gratitude to White Bird that we are able to offer this opportunity to PPS schools. We hope you enjoy discovering Malpaso with your students. We’ll see you at the show! Kristen Brayson PPS Arts TOSA kbrayson@pps.net Live performance by members of the Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble wednesday, may 4, 2016 11am-noon arlene schnitzer concert hall A teacher's curriculum guide malpaso dance company: TABLE OF CONTENTS 16th outreach-supporters 1 malpaso & modern dance 9 about the company 2 identity & cultural expression 10 about los bailarines 3 poetry & dance 11 what you'll see at the theater 4 cuba today 12 history of dance in cuba 5 about white bird 13 the dances of cuba 6 bibliography 14 a narrative of cuban dance 7 post-show student review 15 understanding dance 8 a cuban dance project Artistic director, osnel delgado White Bird & Portland Public Schools White Bird’s 16th Annual Outreach Project with Portland Public Schools is made possible in part by generous support of the Herbert A. Templeton Foundation, Rose E. Tucker Charitable Trust, Regional Arts & Culture Council, James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, Ken and Ann Edwards, Multnomah County Cultural Coalition, Oregon Cultural Trust, Enterprise Foundation, and Portland’5 Centers for the Arts. click here for a detailed article ABOUT THE COMPANY: Malpaso Dance Company - Artistic Director, Osnel Delgado, a Havana-based contemporary dance company, had a successful debut in the United States at the Joyce Theater of New York on May 27–June 1, 2014, then moved on to perform in Miami June 4-6. Dancers Delgado and Daileidys Carrazana Gonzalez, both formerly with Cuba’s largest contemporary dance company, Danza Contemporánea de Cuba, founded Malpaso in December 2012. Friends advised them against the move, saying it was a misstep, a mal paso. And yet, less than two years later, the founding duo and seven talented colleagues are performing for international audiences. Malpaso premiered [its] works at Havana’s Teatro Mella on March 28–30, 2014, going on to impress New York audiences and critics a mere two months later. The ambitious U.S. performance tour included community outreach and master classes in both New York and Miami. By any standard, these achievements are significant. For a Cuban company, the trajectory is extraordinary. Performance exchanges between the U.S. and Cuba involve logistical challenges and high expenses, and Malpaso operates without governmental funding. That said, the company’s accomplishments can be explained by looking beyond the nine Malpaso dancers to consider the individuals and institutions from both countries that have made their poetic steps and “missteps” possible. The video below shows Malpaso in action at the Joyce Theater in New York City last year. "As the theatre begins to vibrate with accumulated energy, you get the feeling that they could dance just any genre with jaw-dropping style. Which makes their unique expression of Cuban culture in all its profound and complex glory all the more special." - Kathleen Smith, NOW Toronto Dailedys Carrazana Gonzalez, Founder Maria Karla Araujo Isvel Bello Rodriguez Osnel Delgado, Founder & Choreographer Maria Karla Araujo Isvel Bello Rodriguez Dunia Acosta Arias Randy Cívico Rivas Joan Rodríguez Hernandez Maria Karla Araujo Isvel Bello Rodriguez About los bailarines: Fundamental to Malpaso’s success was the dancers’ excellent training in Cuba. Three company members graduated from ballet schools: two from the National Ballet School in Havana and one from the National Ballet School in Camagüey. The other six company members graduated from modern dance programs, four from the National Dance School in Havana and two from the Regional Dance School Manuel Muñoz Cedeño in the eastern city of Bayamo. The New York Times writes, "It’s impossible to choose favorites among the dancers, many of whom studied at Cuba’s National Ballet School. They have the pristine technique but none of the rigidity that comes with that kind of training, as comfortable on the ground — in coiling, capoeira-like flips and tricks — as they are in the air. They’re both humble and sparklingly present — and remarkably strong all around, with the men and women doing equal lifting." Manuel Durán Calzado Beatriz Garcia Diaz Taimy Miranda Ruiz de Villa credits: Despedida Entre mi amor y yo han de levantarse trescientas noches como trescientas paredes y el mar será una magia entre nosotros. No habrá sino recuerdos. Oh tardes merecidas por la pena, noches esperanzadas de mirarte, campos de mi camino, firmamento que estoy viendo y perdiendo... Definitiva como un mármol entristecerá tu ausencia otras tardes. - Jose Luis Borges Farewell Between my love and me three hundred nights like three hundred walls will have to be raised and the sea shall be like magic between us. Nothing will remain except memories. O afternoons brought in with suffering, the nights aspiring to see you, the fields on my way, the firmament that I am seeing and losing... Certain as marble your absence shall sadden other. - Jose Luis Borges WHAT YOU'LL SEE AT THE THE THEATER* *subject to change Despedida Choreography: Osnel Delgado (collaboration w/ dancers) Music: Arturo O'Farrill Lighting Design: Al Crawford Costume Design: Reid Bartelme Harriet Jung Producers: Nick Schwartz-Hall Rachel Katwan Farewell Between my love and me three hundred nights like three hundred walls will have to be raised and the sea shall be like magic between us. Nothing will remain except memories. O afternoons brought in with suffering, the nights aspiring to see you, the fields on my way, the firmament that I am seeing and losing... Certain as marble your absence shall sadden other. - Jose Luis Borges despedida There are two dance pieces you'll see at the theater on the day of the show. One piece is called Despedida, which translated into English means "farewell." The piece draws inspiration from the eponymous poem by Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges and deals with themes of solitude and leave-taking. A moment of farewell becomes a melancholic metaphor for defenselessness as a condition of human nature; the piece develops a poetic approach to a cultural reality in which the sea, featured as a collective character, plays a defining role. The emotional journey of the work travels through five movements: Mare Nostrum The intruder The sound of a memory Absence Farewell to the broken gods Cuba is known for its strong folkloric and ballet dance roots, but not as much for modern dance. Malpaso is a unique company in this vein because it bridges the gap between the beloved, rich traditional styles of the older dance forms of the country while simultaneously evoking a new movement narrative. Born out of this, its work represents a fusion of two worlds. This is witnessed in its creative movement style which is a mix of American modern dance and Afro Cuban folklore and Santeria influences. BRIEF GLANCE Like other counties around the world, Cuba has had an amalgam of heavy influences that have shaped its culture today. Indigenous people, voluntary and non-voluntary immigrants (slaves from Africa), in addition to the unforeseen conflicts of war and foreign occupation of the land, have all contributed to the landscape of Cuba's diverse scene. More specifically, the land that was home to Cuba's indigenous people was invaded by Christopher Columbus over 500 years ago. Columbus decided to make claim to the land by pushing out and/or enslaving the indigenous tribes. Eventually, Cuba became overrun by Spanish settlers and controlled by the Spanish government. Spain began trafficking humans from Africa to Cuba to work as slaves in the crops and to build a European-colonized infrastructure. In 1898, the United States won the Spanish-American War. Spain then gave control of Cuba over to the U.S. government and the United States began managing relations in Cuba. Though Cuba saw centuries of external rule, numerous revolutionary attempts were made by the people of Cuba for complete independence. The most famous and lasting of these revolutions was led by Fidel Castro in 1959 and was a turning point for the country. LESSON SUGGESTION: First have the class watch the various dance clips on the next page without discussing Cuba's past influences. Watch the clips twice: once for students to take it in and then a second time for students to write down their observations. Have a full class discussion about the observations. Ask students if they can make any inferences or wonderings about what influences they observe within various dance clips. Read the information on this page and ask students to make connections about how new forms of art evolve as cultures mingle. Essential Questions: In what ways is a population's dance forms influenced by its inhabitants? What do Cuba's dance forms and U.S. dance forms have in common and how do they differ? In what ways is a population's dance form influenced by its inhabitants? Havana, the capitol of Cuba History of dance in cuba Afro Cuban dance: Students dance class in Havana Danzón "In Cuba, a country with a healthy vein of machismo, the art of ballet carries more weight than an outside observer might expect. Cuban ballet dancers are arguably the country’s most esteemed export, they often earn more money than doctors, and they perform locally to the type of cheering crowd that in the United States would be reserved for pop stars." -PBS, Independent Lens (to read more CLICK HERE) Casino rueda National Ballet of Cuba the dances of cuba Rumba Cha, cha, cha National ballet of cuba During the colonial period, Spanish ships stopped in Havana to have their cargoes inventoried and taxed. The ships then sailed to their final destinations of Buenos Aires, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and other ports. When they returned to Spain, they would stop again in Cuba for inspections and taxation. Consequently, Cuba’s developing dances, such as the closed-position habanera (with its steps on counts “1, 2, and,” to a 2/4rhythm), were as well known in Montevideo, Uruguay, as they were in Havana. In the 19th and 20th centuries Cuba’s habanera, danzón, son (not to be confused with the Mexican son), cha-cha-chá, and mambo would continue the island’s influence on dance throughout Latin America. The first Cuban danzón is credited to Cuban cornet player Miguel Faílde, who composed “Las Alturas de Simpson” (1879; “Simpson Heights”). Faílde, born of a Spanish father and a mother of mixed African-European descent, began his musical career playing for bailes de color (dances for people of colour). His music quickly gained popularity with middle-class Criollos (Creoles), the Cubans of European descent who had fought alongside black Cubans during the war of independence against Spain (1868– 78). The Creoles hungered for subtle statements of rebellion against the Spanish, some of which they made by adopting black- infused Cuban music and dance forms. Artistically, danzón marked a separation from colonial domination and the emergence of an independent Cuba (click HERE to continue reading). Salsa—characterized by vibrant, energetic hip swinging inflamed by an intense beat—coalesced in the 1960s as a blending of Cuban mambo and Latin jazz infused with choreographic and stylistic imprints from Puerto Ricans living in New York City. In Colombia and Venezuela salsa gave expression and identity to the marginalized barrios of urban centres. Salsa dancers constantly manipulate and vary steps to create new ones, and competition becomes part of the fun. Salsa has broken the barriers of ethnicity and class to become the epitome of Latino pride and sentiment. By the 21st century, salsa was considered a world beat, a variety of music and dance performed throughout the world (click HERE to continue reading).   Afro-Cuban ritual dances form a huge group of Cuban dances and reflect the four main groups of Africans that were transported to Cuba: the Kongo-Angola of west-central Africa, Arará (as they are known in Cuba, descendants of Fon and other ethnic groups from what are now Benin and Togo), Yoruba (largely from Nigeria), and Carabalí (as they are known in Cuba, from the Calabar River regions of Cameroon and Nigeria). The best-known dances are attached to the Yoruba-based Afro-Cuban religion of Santería, or La Religión Lucumí. Santería is a syncretic interlacing of intra-African and Roman Catholic–African belief systems and religious practices. Both men and women sing and dance, but only men traditionally play the sacred batá drums that accompany the rituals. The percussive rhythms, songs, and dances of Santería are meant to please the orishas (deities) and to persuade them to join the celebration; their acceptance is signaled by their manifestation within the dancers’ bodies, what participants often describe as possession. Possession is signaled when a dancer abruptly breaks from the basic repetitious dance step, pitches forward or shakes, and then begins the distinct movements that characterize the orisha. For instance, Yemaya (whose name has several variant spellings) is the orisha of the ocean; when a female dancer experiences possession, she may lift her skirts and move them in a way that suggests the swells of an ocean wave. Transformation through dancing in pursuit of spiritual communication is also found in Haitian Vodouand Brazilian Candomblé (click HERE to continue reading). A narrative of cuban dance What is dance? Do you dance? How does it make you feel? Does anyone in your family like to dance? Does anyone you know not like to dance? Why? What are the most popular dance styles in your school, community and country? Can you demonstrate these? Why is it that all cultures dance? Is dance valued in your community? Does dance help a person's confidence? Does dance contribute to a person's sense of identity? What kinds of training do you think professional dancers require and for how long? What are some popular American TV shows that focus on dance? What do they tell us about dance? understanding dance TIME is applied to both a musical and dance element, which includes beat, tempo, accent and duration. ELEMENTS OF DANCE ACTION refers to locomotor and non-locomoter movement. Locomotor action includes movement that travels through space, such as walking, running, jumping and leaping. Non-locomotor movement is when you move body parts while the main part of the body stays planted in one space, such as swaying, shaking, stretching and twisting. SPACE refers to the space the dancer’s body moves through, the shapes the body makes, the direction of the movements, and the shapes, levels and movement patterns of a group of dancers Audio Technician: Responsible for sound equipment and music during the performance. Costume designer: Creates original clothing for specific dance pieces to enhance the overall performance. Lighting Designer: Creates an original lighting design specific to a performance by arranging lighting that enhances the overall performance experience. Stage Manager: Can be responsible for calling cues for lighting, sound, curtains, performers and directing the theater technicians. Technicians: Responsible for backstage technical activities, such as lighting, sets, curtains and sound. Wardrobe Supervisor: Prepares, organizes, repairs and cleans costumes for the performers before, during and after the production. BODY refers to the awareness of specific body parts and how they can be moved in isolation or combination. MOVEMENT IN THE CLASSROOM If this is the first time that you have worked with students on movement in your classroom, here are some tips to help your activity be successful! -Set some collective rules of behavior for when the group starts movement. These can include keeping hands and feet to yourself, etc. -Start each part of the activity by demonstrating a movement before asking students to participate. -Consult your dance or physical education specialist in your building, or partner with another teacher who has experience leading students through movement. Behind the scenes ENERGY refers to the force applied to dance to accentuate the weight, attack, strength and flow of a dancer’s movements. malpaso & modern dance You may have noticed that ballet dance, a European art form, was listed as having influence in Cuba. This is because of Cuba's strong relationship with Russia, a nation of ballet enthusiasts and home to some of the best ballet companies in the world. The ease of travel between Russia and Cuba generated a great incubator for ballet schools to be established in Cuba and many young men and women have aspirations of training and dancing at the Cuban National Ballet School (Escuela Nacional de Ballet de Cuba). Most of Malpaso's members have trained at Cuba's state-supported ballet school. Like most forms of art, each new generation casts a new view into the art forms of the past. Modern dance cracked the door open to Cuba with ballet being the catalyst. In the United States and Europe, modern dance began to emerge in the late 19th Century as U.S. and European citizens began to turn away from strict social structures of the aristocrats. For dance, this meant that new forms of thinking provoked questions that broke out of line with the status quo. Formal, more structured forms of dance, such as ballet, began to see a decline as the birth of modern dance emerged. Note, for the purposes of this guide, modern dance is referred to a genre of dance that is closely linked to ballet, jazz and African dance. It is a different category of dance than what might, in today's language, be thought of as social modern dance such as hip hop. Although, it's worth noting that every genre of dance always informs other forms, just as one culture's language, dress, food and customs affects others. TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT MODERN DANCE LOOKS LIKE, WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW: Watch Malpaso's artistic director, Osnel Delgado, explain the relationship between modern dance in America and Cuba: To view another glimpse of modern dance in Cuba, watch a video on the Danza Contemporanea de Cuba: Cuba has been influenced by many dance forms, but the integration of Cuban dances and ballet have developed new forms of dance. These forms are influenced by the past and inspired by a need for artists to create their own forms. The history of modern dance in America also has had a lasting impact on dance throughout the world. Modern dance history is an art form that is alive and always changing, but it has a clear history forged by the American pioneers of modern dance. questions for students to discover: Who are the pioneers of modern dance in America and how did they shape the art form known as modern dance? Is modern dance a static or evolving art form? What differentiates modern dance from ballet, or jazz, or even traditional Cuban dances? What dance companies had a strong influence on Malpaso? What and who brought this company to America? resources in reach build knowledge: Apply: LESSON PREPARATION: guantanamera: a poem & a song This class lesson teaches about the Cuban folk song made famous by Pete Seeger with lyrics from a poem by Jose Marti. Play the song again. Explain that the song was made famous by Pete Seeger and that the words come from a poem by Jose Marti. Note that these two men lived in different times in two different countries, but that their lives had many similarities. Explain to the students that this song brings together several traditions. Mr. Seeger writes that in 1961, a young Cuban was working at a children’s summer camp in the Catskill Mountains when he read some simple verses by Jose Marti. He found that the verses could be fitted to an old popular song of Havana that was used to sing any verse one wished. He combined Marti’s patriotic verses with a chorus addressed to a country girl. This combination ennobled the old street melody. Later that summer, while Mr. Seeger was singing for the children, they taught him the song they had learned from their Cuban counselor. Now the song is an international favorite. Divide students into small groups. Ask the students to look at the lyrics and discuss why the combination of Marti’s verses with the chorus is either effective or ineffective. Give students a copy of the Jose Marti Biography handout located under 'Resources in Reach'. Read it with students, making sure they understand everything. Distribute the Marti Biography Questions handout located under 'Resources in Reach'. Have students complete the handout and turn in their work. Give students a copy of the Pete Seeger Biography handout located under 'Resources in Reach'. Read it with the students, making sure they understand everything. Distribute the Seeger Biography Questions handout located under 'Resources in Reach'. Have students complete the handout and turn in their work. Have students create a Venn diagram comparing Jose Marti and Pete Seeger. (One similarity is the fact that they are both musicians. One difference is that they are from different places in the world). Have students present their Venn diagram to the class (or to each other in small groups).  SUMMARY: In this lesson students will listen to "Guantanamera," a Cuban folk song made famous by Pete Seeger with lyrics from a poem by Jose Marti. They will discover that the song brings together multiple traditions and is indicative of the revolutionary history shared by these two men. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Listen to and discuss the song "Guantanamera." Compare revolutionary activities of Jose Marti and Pete Seeger. LESSON SET UP: Teachers should familiarize themselves with Pete Seeger and Jose Marti using the following sources found on the web: Article on Pete Seeger Pete Seeger background Jose Marti Background PRIOR STUDENT KNOWLEDGE: Students should generally be familiar with the concepts of poetry, lyrics and music. They should also be familiar with the concepts of connotation and the format of a Venn diagram. PHYSICAL SPACE: Classroom GROUPING: Small group instruction STAGING: Have the song "Guantanamera" ready to play as students walk through the door. Have students use information they learned throughout the lesson to write an essay responding to the following questions: Discuss how the song Guantanamera brings together multiple cultural and stylistic elements. How can men from such different backgrounds create such a powerful and popular song? In your opinion, what are some of the most effective elements of the song (melody, combination of lyrics)? Can you think of any present day songs written by two people from different backgrounds? Have students get into small groups and share their essays with one another. Here are the resources you'll need for each activity, in order of instruction: Vocabulary - Guantanamera Biography - Jose Marti Questions - Jose Marti Biography - Pete Seeger Questions - Pete Seeger Assessment - Answer sheet reflect: engage: identity & cultural expression through the arts and its global importance Play a recording of “Guantanamera." Ask the students if anyone has heard this song before. Ask what languages they hear (Spanish and English). With the LCD projector, display the lyrics to "Guantanamera" (available online HERE) and go over the lyrics with students. Have the students read the lyrics along with you. Lead a discussion about the meaning of the song. Ask students what they think the meaning and the purpose of the song might be. Ask them for a list of words they heard in English and Spanish. Ask them about the connotations of these words. What do they represent? How are these words indicative of or linked to revolutionary activity? Play the song again. Give the students a copy of the student Vocabulary List located under 'Resources in Reach', and go over the words with the students. Students will be introduced to the activities and objectives of the unit. Elements of dance: space, time and quality, and choreographic principles (see page 8 for a reference) Connotation and Denotation Exercise- What are connotation and denotation? Why do poets make specific word choices? Can students find examples in the poem where a word with strong connotations is used? How does it affect the meaning of the line or poem? Can students demonstrate the connotations of words, phrases and lines using movement? Action Words and Descriptive Words Exercise- Review the definitions of verbs, adjectives and adverbs before reading the poem(s). Identify examples of each from the poem. Select a group to explore the poem(s) with specific focus on the words in your assigned category. Can your group members perform the poem to a dramatic reading? How do group choices and performances compare or contrast when focus is shifted to different types of words? Theme Exercise- What is theme? What is a theme statement? Can students identify a theme for a poem? How would they embody that theme using movement(s) or a montage? Rhythm exercise- What is rhythm? Can students pick up on a rhythm and repeat it? Can they create their own rhythms? Can they identify rhythm in poetry? poem suggestions: LESSON PREPARATION: OVERVIEW & PURPOSE: This series of activities was designed to allow students to explore poetry through movement. Many of these lessons can be done in one class period or spread out among several class periods. It is our intention to explore how dance can inform one’s understanding of poetry and conversely how poetry can inform one’s understanding of dance. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Students will be able to: explain/ relate a connection between movement and language make discoveries and interpretations of the meaning of various poems using the elements of poetry (diction, sounds, rhythm, connotation, theme) and the form of dance (time, space, quality) show how rhythm, connotation, theme, action (verbs) and descriptive words (adverbs and adjectives) can be expressed through movement achieve a deeper understanding of poetry through physical exploration MATERIALS NEEDED: space for students to move freely handouts with guidelines, procedures and definitions index cards containing words with varied connotations pens or pencils copies of poems you will use and explore during exercises moving metaphors: Lessons in poetry & dance INSTRUCTION: Because Malpaso has married together poetry and dance in the piece Despedida, you may want to use that in one of the exercises above. Nicely paired with this lesson is also the following poems: I Am Accused of Tending To The Past by Lucille Clifton for the connotation and denotation exercise Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes for the action and descriptive words exercise Still I Rise by Maya Angelou for the theme exercise We Wear the Mask by Paul Laurence Dunbar for the rhythm exercise poetry & dance Why were the borders between the U.S. and Cuba closed to begin with? Why weren't U.S. companies allowed to do business in Cuba? What's significant about the U.S. Embassy reopening? How will Cuba and the U.S. be affected by this new direction of relations? Based on what you've discovered about the influence of different cultures on new and emerging dance forms, what will the future of dance in Cuba look like now that Americans and Cubans can travel to each others countries? Student research & discussion CLICK HERE TO PLAY cuba today NPR's Renee Montagne reports that, "President Obama and the first lady will travel to Cuba next month [March 2016], the White House announced this morning. It will be the first visit by a sitting U.S. president in 88 years, and will carry enormous symbolism in a country that has long been isolated. Just over one year ago, President Obama began the process of allowing U.S. companies to do business in Cuba. Most dramatically, the American flag was raised last August as the American embassy reopened in Havana." paul king walter jaffe White Bird, co-founded by Paul King and Walter Jaffe, is committed to bringing the best Portland-based, regional, national, and international dance companies to Portland, Oregon, and to foster the growth of dance in the region. Dedicated to education and broadening the audience of contemporary dance, White Bird has developed a series of programs that bring dance into Portland area schools and dance studios. The programs range from master classes and interactive workshops with major dance companies to an annual month-long curriculum taught in Portland Public Schools. Since 2001, White Bird and Portland Public Schools have successfully partnered in developing a month-long, multi-disciplinary curriculum on a particular artist or theme inspired by a dance company that White Bird is presenting. The curriculum, taught through the lenses of history, anthropology, literature, art, music and dance, sparks a passion on students who otherwise might not be exposed to the contemporary culture. Each project culminates in a free student performance for 2,700 students and teachers by the dance company at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in downtown Portland. White Bird has presented the list of companies in the orange box with an extensive study guide to enrich the experience of students in Portland Public Schools. Designed to provoke conversations about culture and art, each dance company has offered a unique theatrical experience and challenged students to dig deep into their own personal lives. about white bird Walter Jaffe and Paul King launched White Bird in July 1997 as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to bringing excellence in dance to Portland, Oregon. Their cockatoo Barney, the ‘CEO’ and namesake of the organization, keeps things lively, and is over 27 years old. pps curriculum performances 2001 - present Ballet Hispanico (New York, NY) Black Grace (New Zealand) Compagnie Kafig (France) Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre (New York, NY) Complexions Contemporary Ballet (New York, NY) Dance Brazil (Brazil) Urban Bush Women and Compagnie Jant-Bi Dayton Contemporary Dance (Dayton, OH) Beijing Modern Dance (China) Children of Uganda (Uganda) Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet (San Francisco, CA) Dorrance Dance w/ Toshi Reagon & BIGLovely (New York, NY) curriculum Writing team The Malpaso Teacher's Curriculum Guide was written with generous contributions from Portland Public School teachers, Chisao Hata, Julana Torres, Renee Mitchell, Marty Perez and Kristen Brayson. contact: P.O. Box 99 Portland, OR 97207 "Introduction." - The World of 1898: The Spanish-American War (Hispanic Division, Library of Congress). Library of Congress, 27 June 2011. Web. 27 Feb. 2016. <https://www.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/1898/intro.html>. Blackburn, Jenn, and Jodi Falk. "Moving Metaphors: Lesson in Poetry and Dance." Dancing Soul RSS. Web. 27 Feb. 2016. Burke, Siobhan. "A Young Company, Yes, but Taking More Than Baby Steps." The New York Times. The New York Times, 28 May 2014. Web. 27 Feb. 2016. "Latin American Dance - The Caribbean." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 27 Feb. 2016. Gron, Phyllis, and Jen Westmoreland Bouchard. "The Kennedy Center: ARTSEDGE - the National Arts and Education Network." ARTSEDGE: Guantanamera: A Poem and a Song. The Kennedy Center. Web. 27 Feb. 2016. "Malpaso Dance." Malpaso Dance. Web. 27 Feb. 2016. <http://www.malpasodance.com/>. Montagne, Renee. "President Obama's Latin America Trip Will Include A Stop In Cuba." NPR. NPR, 18 Feb. 2016. Web. 27 Feb. 2016. Schwall, Elizabeth, Ph.D. "MalPaso Dance Company: Steps and “Missteps” in the Right Direction." MalPaso Dance Company: Steps and “Missteps” in the Right Direction. Cuban Art News: Cuban Arts and Culture Worldwide, 12 June 2014. Web. 27 Feb. 2016. Gron, Phyllis, and Jen Westmoreland Bouchard. "The Kennedy Center: ARTSEDGE - the National Arts and Education Network." ARTSEDGE: Guantanamera: A Poem and a Song. The Kennedy Center. Web. 27 Feb. 2016. White Bird relies on robust participation in post-show feedback. This part of the process is essential to continued funding. Your final requirement for attending this performance experience is to fill out the survey by May 18th (two-weeks after the show). In addition to your feedback, you'll need to have at least five students, if not your whole class, fill out the survey as well. bibliography white bird outreach feedback link to White Bird survey I saw__________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ My favorite part of the dance was________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ I heard________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ I wish I had seen more__________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ The dance made me feel________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ I learned______________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ Post-Show Student Review MY REVIEW! NAME:_____________________________ You are a reporter for your school newspaper! Write and illustrate a review article to inform others about the performance you just saw. Name your article, illustrate a moment in the dance and write about the performance! Title of your review: