Who: Pacific Clinics of Pasadena
What: Arts C.A.R.E. residencies with MCED, a collaborative after-school program based on the belief that imagining, creating, sharing and performing can be a transforming and healing experience for emotionally disturbed youth and their families
Staff: Malu Ortiz

Two classrooms on the campus of a community church were buzzing with activity on weekday afternoons in July and August, as about 30 youth, ages 5-18, participated in Arts C.A.R.E. residencies with MCED artists, sponsored by Pacific Clinics of Pasadena. Arts C.A.R.E., a collaborative after-school program with mental health agencies, is based on the belief that imagining, creating, sharing and performing can be a transforming and healing experience for emotionally disturbed youth and their families.

Students worked with two artists, attending workshops with each twice per week. Puppeteer Ellen Schulze of The Art of Puppets and Marionettes paired with improvisational movement specialist Leonard Crofoot to work with the younger children, while the teenagers participated in mask-making with theatre specialist Beth Peterson and urban contemporary movement with choreographer Robert Gilliam.

At the end of six weeks, the residencies culminated with a special joint presentation for families and staff. Using a design concept often incorporated in short-term workshop projects, these multi-session residencies paired MCED artists in separate disciplines (in this case, theatre and dance) to teach basic elements of their art form, and work collaboratively to encourage students to make connections and complement what they were learning in the companion series of workshops.

The younger students (ages 5-11) created puppets with Ellen Schulze. In addition to building their puppets, students worked on characterization and manipulation, learning how to make pop-up rod puppets show emotions, climb a ladder and do the back-stroke. Marionette animals were made to sit, beg and nod. And a special feature at the culmination - life size, foam full-body puppets as big as the students -- were attached to the tops of their shoes so that as the children walked and danced, so did their puppets.

>An agency staff member remarked that it is often difficult to get students to make big gestures, but they seemed uninhibited behind their puppet characters. Students were able to use movement ideas learned in workshops with dance artist Leonard Crofoot to help bring their puppets to life. Leonard also encouraged the students to add their own creative interpretations to enhance choreographed dance steps.

A mask-making residency with Beth Peterson was a great project for the older students. They worked together to build masks on each other's faces using strips of fabric and plaster. As Beth said to the group of about 60 family members and agency staff at the culmination, "it takes a lot of trust to lie down and let your friends cover your face, and it takes a lot of patience, too."

These are important characteristics - trust and patience - that are often hard for these students. In their dance residency with Robert Gilliam, the teens worked on a hip-hop routine, a traditional Mexican folk dance and an original dance they created themselves using yoga poses that Robert had taught them. At the family event, students demonstrated their presentation skills by introducing each of their dances to the audience and also sharing what they liked/learned about dance.

By the end of the program, the students learned not only art-making and dance presentation, but also the life skills of trust, patience, confidence and speaking to a large audience of peers and adults. They shared work that they created with pride and confidence, learning about themselves in the process.

For information about how an MCED artist can be a part of your district or school program, call (213) 250-ARTS or e-mail us at schoolprograms@musiccenter.org.

Written by Marlene Leuenhagen, Associate Director, School Programs