Spotlight on DANCE

Global Dance

Grades:  K-12

Students will be taught one or a variety of dance forms, broaden their dance literacy and develop an understanding of the historical and cultural connections in dance.   Dance forms can include Ballroom Dancing, Ballet, Tango, Merengue, Salsa, Hip Hop, Tap Dancing, Modern Dance, and Theatre Dance.  

 

East Asian Dance

Grades:  K-12

Students will learn East Asian folk dance techniques and incorporate traditional items into routines like the ribbon and fan.

 

Spotlight on LITERARY ARTS

 

The Art of Storytelling

Grades:  K-12

Students will explore oral traditions from a variety of cultures and stories genres such as myths, folktales, fairytales, epics, legends and Pourquoi tales.  Students will learn the particular literary structures and stock characters of these traditions and use them in creating their own exciting stories.     

 

Def Jazz Poetry

Grades:  3-12

Jazz and poetry go together like jam on toast.  Students will explore key elements of jazz like rhythm, improvisation, repetition and call-and-response and learn about the great musicians and singers who have made major contributions to jazz over the years.  Students will also learn different types of poetry and develop new ways of expressing their ideas and experiences.  Using their newly acquired skills in both areas they will create and then perform their own jazz poetry.

 

Spotlight on VISUAL ARTS

 

East Asian Calligraphy

Grades:  K-12

Did you know that calligraphy in Chinese, Korean, and Chinese all mean “the way of writing?”  In this workshop students explore the beauty, structure, and meaning behind this important form of East Asian communication and the most refined form of East Asian painting.  Students will use brush and ink to explore and design their own calligraphy characters.

 

East Asian Painting

Grades:  4-12

Traditional East Asian painting is characterized by water based techniques, less realism, "elegant" and stylized subjects, graphical approach to depiction, the importance of white space (or negative space) and a preference for landscape (instead of human figure) as a subject.  Students will learn the foundational painting techniques associated with this ancient art form to create expressive paintings with brush and ink.

 

Chinese paper-cutting

Grades:  4-12

Papermaking is considered to be one of the Four Great Inventions of Ancient China, since the first papermaking process was developed in China during the early 2nd century.  Students will learn about the early history of paper and the unique art form of that followed it.  Students will try different paper-cutting techniques to create their own designs.

 

Spotlight on TOURS

 

Guided tours of our galleries and exhibitions will give students the opportunity to learn about artistic style and motivation, art history, and visual arts literacy.  Tours are followed by an arts workshop in our on-site classroom or beautiful courtyard where students get to explore the themes and pieces of the exhibition with an art project facilitated by a Flushing Town Hall teaching artist. 

 

THE AESTHETICS OF DIVERSITY curated by Heng-Gil Han

Showing through December 31, 2008

Duration:  90 minutes

Grades:  3-12

The Aesthetics of Diversity is a dynamic exhibition that invites students to examine the concept of diversity by focusing on the differences between works of art.  The exhibition includes an array of art mediums by over 75 artists and will introduce students to sculpture (resin, wood), painting (acrylic, oil), printmaking, mixed-media, found art, drawings (pencil, ink, charcoal, colored pencil), photography, and ceramics.

 

History and Architecture Walking Tour

Available:  September – Early November 2008;  April – June 2009

Location:  Flushing Town Hall

Duration:  90 – 120 minutes

Grades:  5-12

This tour begins at historic Flushing Town Hall to view historical photographs and items from our 1862 time capsule.  The tour continues with stops at several historic sites along the Flushing Freedom Mile including the Civil War Monument, Friends Meeting House, Flushing Armory, Kingsland House, Bowne House and the Lewis H. Latimer House. 

 

Spotlight on HISTORY

 

Flushing Town Hall was built in 1862 in the Romanesque Revival style and has served many exciting purposes over the years.  It was used as an assembly point for Union soldiers during the Civil War, a lecture stop for PT Barnum, a bank, a police station, a jail, a grand ballroom and a courthouse.  We value the connections our building and community landmarks have to significant figures and periods in American and Jazz history.  Let us know what you’re interested in exploring or what topics you’re studying that could be enhanced by a visit and/or workshop at our historic site. 

Jazz in Queens

Grades:  K-12

Many may be surprised to know that Queens was once called home by many legendary jazz musicians and singers like Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Fats Waller, Billie Holiday, Tony Bennett and Dizzy Gillespie.  Students will explore the lives of these famous past neighbors and the impact they had on the cultural diversity of the Queens community.