The EFA Rep

  • 2024-2025 Season
    • Dance
      • Inlet Dance Theatre | What Do You Do With An Idea?
      • Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company | Red Firecracker
    • Music
      • JazzReach | Hangin’ With The Giants
      • San Jose Taiko
    • Theater
      • Manual Cinema | The Magic City
      • TheaterWorksUSA | Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus! The Musical!
    • Visual Arts
      • Cross Currents: The Art Of Japanese Woodblock Prints Traveling Exhibition
      • Legendary Voices: Art For The Next Century
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Alternative Arts Initiative

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The Alternative Arts Initiative provides opportunities for students in alternative schools and special education programs to engage in the arts at no charge to the schools.

Teaching Artists who specialize in dance, music, theater, and visual arts facilitate workshops with students to explore the creative process through their art form. During these workshops, students are asked to make choices individually and within groups. The goal of these workshops is not the creation of an end product, but that the students are making choices (when possible) and connections within the art form.

Each residency in the Alternative Arts Initiative (AAI) is designed to serve the specific learning goals and needs of the students through the lens of the creative process. Possible goals of residency work may include:

  • Coordination;
  • Socialization;
  • Life/Social skills;
  • Connections with curriculum;
  • Communication;
  • Self expression;
  • Teamwork;
  • Exploring social justice topics.

To enhance the learning experience, students attend live performances and exhibitions by professional artists both in-school and on field trips. EFA provides a bus transportation rebate to assist with transportation expenses.

Residency Roles

Teaching Artists lead the students through workshops that have been planned with the cooperating educator.  Cooperating educators and Paraprofessionals are welcome to participate in activities with the students, as well as support Teaching Artists by managing classroom behavior. Educators and Paraprofessionals know their students best and are encouraged to let Teaching Artists know what is working well for their students.

Thank You!

This activity is supported in part by an award from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council.

QUESTIONS?

For more information about the Alternative Arts Initiative, call Angie Melvin at (269) 250-9392.

RESOURCES

AAI Video

EFA Wins Arts Innovation Award

In May, EFA was recognized with the Arts Schools Network 2024 Arts Innovation Award. Designed to recognize schools committed to taking innovative artistic risks, this award is presented to a school that has “broken the mold” in using the arts as a vehicle for teaching academics and/or making a positive difference in the lives of students and/or the community. MORE

About EFA

EFA enhances arts education for all K-12 and special education students in Kalamazoo County by making dance, music, theater, literary arts, media arts, and visual arts an essential part of comprehensive education. MORE

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