Interdisciplinary arts projects bring together educators and artists from various disciplines and media to explore big ideas, challenge perceptions, discover new meaning and understanding of a topic all within the context of time and place, and relationships to events and to each other.
They begin with a big idea or question that inspires the artists, teachers, and students to build stories, songs, spoken word and dance that are then reflected in the visual art…or vice versa An inspiration can come from stories, songs, poetry, proverbs and rhymes, great works of art, film and theatre, the spiritual and natural world, historical and current events, our community and world leaders etc. They also include cross-curricular learning from social studies, history, geography, media studies, literacy, to citizenship and character development as well as FSL and much more!
These inquiry-based arts experiences engage students in a meaningful group creation leaving a legacy of learning along with a heightened awareness of the importance of the arts in our lives.
With the support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation, MITS and ICA artists have developed performing and visual artists collaborations with classroom teachers along with school librarians and music teachers in TDSB and TCDSB school communities, to provide child-centered, story-inspired interdisciplinary projects for grades 1 to 8 students. Students reflect, express and celebrate their learning while deepening community ties and leaving a beautiful visual legacy. Focus is placed on science and math concepts, critical environmental and social justice issues and an understanding of identity, belonging and wellbeing.
Bees That Dance with Sarina Condello & Bailey Davis and Beautiful Sculpted Bees with Charmaine Lurch (in collaboration with Inner City Angels)
Gr. JK to 8
Chaos Theory and the Butterfly Effect with Pria Muzumdar, Moojan Nazmi and Paul Walty (in French) and dance with Sarina Condello and Bailey Davis from Mariposa In The Schools
Gr. JK to 8
Constructual Flow Theory Pria Muzumdar and with Mariposa In The Schools dancer-choreographers Sarina Condello and Bailey Davis
Gr. 3 to 8
The Kirtan with Jim Gelcer
Gr. JK to 3
Seven Sacred Grandfather Teachings with Esther Osche
Gr. 3 to 8, 9 to 12
* 2017/18 Ontario Arts Council Indigenous Artist in Community & Schools project grant providing assistance with travel and programming expenses ~ Limited Availability ~ contact MITS office for details.
MITS Legacy Composers in the Schools programs
MITS Legacy songwriters, arrangers and composers and spoken word artists offer songwriting and music composition, along with interdisciplinary experiences where students collectively create and learn to perform their work. Workshops incorporate big ideas, rich topics and cross-curricular learning such as social studies, history, geography, media studies, literacy and character development as well as FSL and much more! Reduced fees for these programs are available for a limited time, with special thanks to the SOCAN Foundation, together with generous contributions from other project funders, and supporters of our Equity of Access fund.
Construct compositions and sound scores influenced by the remarkable Tabla and other Indian percussion with Gurpreet Chana, Jim Gelcer and Ed Hanley and the rich rhythms of West African percussion with Njacko Backo, and create Kirtan chants with Jim Gelcer.
Gr. 4 to 8, 9 to 12
Craft lyrics to traditional songs or original simple melodies with Chris Rawlings.
Gr. 4 to 8, 9 to 12 including FSL
MITS Legacy French Traditions for Core & Immersion French Students
By participating in authentic activities including games and dances, music and song, legends and folktales students experience the link between language and culture found in oral traditions from French speaking North America and West Africa. These opportunities will provide students with opportunities to enjoy the language and realize how much French they can understand. The following programs are appropriate for Core and Immersion French students.
Story
French Canadian Folktales & Legends with Marylyn Peringer
Grades K to 8, 9 to 12| 150 performance or 2 classes/session, maximum 3 sessions/day
FSL |Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments | History
Marylyn evokes the isolated rural atmosphere of French Canada and brings to life the humorous and fanciful tales related by raconteurs of Quebec, Northern Ontario, Acadia and other French speaking parts of our country, providing students with a glimpse of the daily life, beliefs and superstitions of French-speaking Canadians in times past, as well as the importance of storytelling and storytellers in French-Canadian culture.
Dance
Lets Dance For Life with Njacko Backo
Grades 1 to 8 | 5-day residency including student showcase | 2 classes/ session, maximum 2 sessions/half-day
FSL | Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments | Health & Physical Education: Active Living, Movement Competence, Healthy Living
Njacko ramps up daily physical education and dance programs by incorporating traditional African choreography and chants in a safe, fun and simple dance repertoire. In keeping with tradition, older students are encouraged to assist younger students deepening their sense of community. Available for a single visit as well as a residency including student showcase.
Rigodon… Dansons! with Andrea Haddad
Grades 4 to 12 | 1 class/session, maximum 3 sessions/day
FSL | Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments | History
Tout le monde balance et tout le monde swing! Hold a québécois veillée in your classroom and watch out for that queue du loup! Students learn to play the spoons, dance the gigue, a cotillon or a carrée, and enact the story of Rose Latulippe as Andrea introduces students to customs, traditions and lifestyles of New France expressed in the social dances of the time.
La Bastringue va commencer! with Bill Russell and Anne Lederman
Community Dance
La Bastringue va commencer! is a fun, interactive program for dinner dances, fundraisers and potlucks. Bill calls and Anne fiddles for an evening of traditional danses canadiennes.
Music
African Voyages Africains with Njacko Backo
Grades 1 to 8, 9 to 12 |performance maximum 150
FSL | Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments
Students play percussion instruments and learn traditional West African dance and singing responses as Njacko shares the music and stories of Cameroon, his West Africa homeland.
Amusons-nous! with Salut (Marylyn Peringer with Chris Rawlings and Bill Russell)
Grades K to 8 | performance maximum 350 | available as duo, trio or as a quartet with Peter Jellard
FSL | Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments | History
Celebrate the seasons with le Carnaval, la St-Valentin, le printemps with French North American music, songs, and folktales with Marylyn, Chris and Bill.
Carnaval de Québec with Chris Rawlings (as a solo or duo)
Grades K to 8 | performance maximum 350 | available as duo, trio or as a quartet with Peter Jellard
FSL | Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments | History
Celebrate the Carnaval de Québec with joyous music from la belle province. Easy sing-a-longs, hands-on music making and simple movements highlight this energetic performance.
Chantez, dansez, jouez! with Bill Russell
Grades 1 to 8 |250 as performance or 2 classes/per session, maximum 3 sessions/day
FSL | Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments
Drawing on his experience and knowledge of Cajun, Creole and Zydeco music and folklore of his native Louisiana, students learn the historical and cultural connections between them and the traditional music of French Canada through participating in the songs, dances and games passed down from Cajun and Creole oral traditions.
Fêtons le Carnaval! with Bill Russell
Grades 1 to 8 | performance maximum 250
FSL | Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments | CC History
Take a trip through French-speaking North America, from Québec to St-Boniface and from l’Acadie to la Louisiane and celebrate le Carnaval!
Laissez les bon temps rouler! with Bill Russell Grades 7 to 8, 9 to 12 | 250 performance or 2 classes/session, maximum 3 sessions per day FSL | Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments | History Who are the Cajuns? What’s the Canadian connection? What’s a fais-do-do or a zydeco? Students learn about French Louisiana through traditional music, dance and lots of remarkable images that further illustrate the connection among the many French traditions of North America.
Rigodon … Chantons! with Andrea Haddad
Grades 4 to 12 |150 as performance or 1 class/session, maximum 3 sessions/day
FSL | Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments | History
Andrea presents a musical history of daily life, traditions and celebrations experienced by settlers to New France and demonstrates the connection to and influences of the world they left behind on their life in the new world. Students will learn songs of the voyageurs and the habitants of French Canada. They will also be introduced to several French musical instruments like the épinette des Vosges and the hurdy gurdy. Be prepared for lots of participation!
Rigodon …. Fêtons! with Andrea Haddad
Grades 4 to 12 |1 class/session, maximum 3 sessions/day
FSL | Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments | History
Pull la tire Sainte-Catherine! Find the future in les crêpes de la Chandeleur! Who gets the rotten potato at la Mi-Carême? Andrea brings French North American celebrations right into the classroom with a variety of authentic activities including games, music, food, legends and treats to match the occasion.
Song Writing in French with Chris Rawlings
Grades 4 to 8 |minimum 3 sessions/class, 1 class/session | maximum 3 session/day
FSL
Chris assists students in composing their own songs, paying attention to verses, lyrics, rhythm and beat as well as uniquely French phrases, with a theme selected in advance with their classroom teacher. Also available as 5-day workshop series with student showcase and/or as an interdisciplinary collaboration project.
Tuom Kak, Chaa Chaa, Keeuk (Drums Maracas and Bells) with Njacko Backo
Grades 1 to 8 | maximum 2 sessions/half-day
FSL | Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments
Students make their own percussion instruments from recycled materials as they do in villages throughout Africa, and learn to play basic rhythms and beats. Materials required.
Vieux Montreal with Chris Rawlings
Grades 4 to 8 | maximum 250 performance as solo
FSL | Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments | History
Clap and sing along to music found in the boites-a- chansons and brasseries, with traditional and popular songs originally sung by street buskers, poets, pop stars, and the revolutionaries – all in one show! Peter Jellard joins Chris as a duo for a larger audience up to 350.
We Are One With the Drum with Njacko Backo
Grades 1 to 8 |5-day residency including student showcase | 1 classes/ session, maximum 2 sessions/half- day
FSL | Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments
Learn of village life in Cameroon while playing percussion instruments made from everyday objects and build a repertoire of African songs and dance steps.