Welcome to the Statewide Art and Enrichment Roster, Hosted by CiTi BOCES
Regions Map
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This directory of artists, presenters and vendors is for contact information only. Please note that all
approvals are determined by individual BOCES and/or District criteria and do not guarantee acceptance of
proposed contracts.
Treehouse Shakers
Founded in 1997, Treehouse Shakers’ creates award winning, original dance-plays that encourage multi-generational audiences to experience greater connections to their community. Melding theater, dance, music and visual elements with a script, our current school repertoire includes 7 tour-ready performances that explore narrative styles through universal themes addressing every age level within youth programming.
Solidifying our role in the American theater scene, we created and toured the first dance-play for babies, Hatched, in 2012. We remain one of the few companies making thoughtful professional performances for the very early years. Our current roster includes: Hatched for ages 0-6, Flutter for 6-18 months, Sail Away for 18-24 months, Olive & Pearl for ages 2-5, The Littlest Cove for ages 3-6, The Boy Who Grew Flowers, ages 5-10, and Under the Tangle for 8-13. We also offer Pillow Fort, a web-series & Dance Break, an educational series to be streamed into the classroom.
Treehouse Shakers also offers a variety of exceptional public workshops, in-school residencies, and staff developments tailored to specific arts programming and age ranges. We specialize in Storytelling, Dance, Writing, Creative Drama and More. Our arts in education programs encourage young people to think, learn, and truly be engaged through the discipline, innovation, and creativity of the arts. We can offer a half-hour workshop to an entire year of learning!
Buffalo Comedy Collective is Western New York’s home for improv comedy! Our offerings break down into three major sections:
- Performances: Our mainstage show is Comedysportz, an all-ages improvisational comedy show played as a sport. This high energy short-form improv show has two teams of professional comedians improvising games, songs, jokes, and scenes while a referee calls fouls and fields suggestions from you, our loyal fans. Loyal fans will vote for which team they like best and Mx Voice will declare an ultimate winner for the evening! Best of all, this show uses humor that is appropriate for people of any age. We're clean enough for your kids to enjoy and funny enough to have adults laughing out loud.
- Education: We offer workshops that help students connect, open up, and laugh! These interactive sessions have students up & moving while being creative, working together, and learning the importance of support through positivity. Workshops can be held as individual focus groups, combined with a performance, or set-up as an interactive, informal performance where the focus is on getting as many participants involved that are interested.
- Professional development: The fun isn't only for kids! Improv helps to develop comfortability in public speaking, enhance communication skills, improve active listening & adaptability, and boost creativity. Studies have shown that improv also helps to reduce anxiety, stress, and uncertainty intolerance, making these skills useful in both a private & workplace setting.
Please take a moment to consider my StoryFaces and Talking Art assembly programs for schools, a unique presentation of storytelling and visual arts with a variety of content for grades K - 12, family audiences and events. Christopher Agostino’s StoryFaces is a fusion of language and visual arts, an exciting storytelling show in which volunteers are face painted to illustrate the stories as I tell them, captivating the audience with traditional folktales and my uniquely animated original stories like The Amazing Face Story and The Amazing Face Story Activity, a follow-up activity in which students create an original story starring themselves — including Talking Art programs focusing on art history for upper grades — and programs for adults and family audiences. Assembly Programs are available for grade levels K - 12, with variable content for different grade levels. For middle and upper grade levels the performances also include cultural information on the use and significance of masks and makeup. Performances run 45 - 60 minutes, and work best for an audience of 250 students or less. In most shows I paint 8 to 12 volunteers during the performance, while mesmerizing the entire audience with stories ranging from traditional tales like Aesop’s Fables to legendary adventures like Punia and the King of the Sharks, The Tail of the Dragon and the samurai hero tale Raiko vs. the Goblin Spider, plus my original stories such as The Tiger that Went to the House of the Sun, When A Man First Met a Crocodile and in my Talking Arts programs, stories about art -- origins, inspirations and appropriations -- such as my mask design demonstration: Two Lizards on Four Faces, and Picasso the Thief and the birth of Modern Art.
Black Girls Don't Get Love is a book and multimedia coming of age brand for girls of color. Our mission is to use media to turn silence into language and change the way Black women and girls are perceived in society. Our non-Profit arm, Black Girls WILL Get Love, Inc. facilitates all of our philanthropic Programs such as the acclaimed Black Girls Don't Get Love Prom, the Black Girls Don't Get Love Slumber Party, the Black Girls Don't Get Love Outdoor Exploration, the Black Girls Don't Get Love Film Training Program and the black girls don't get love screenwriting workshops and labs. Our programs are a creative and engaging approach to addressing DEI and low literacy rates.
The Kalish/Walker Duo offers interactive educational violin/piano performances for kids from pre-K through high school. We currently have the following shows ready to go; these can be adapted to different formats or audiences, depending on your needs. We’re also excited to write new shows to connect music with any other curriculum or theme you want us to cover. Available for masterclasses, chamber music coaching, and sectionals as well.
A Whole Wide World of Musical Moods
In this interactive performance, children will respond to classical music through movement, coming up with stories or scenes that match the musical ambience, and making art in response to the music. Featuring music by important female composers and black composers, students are encouraged to believe that they too could become composers one day. Grade levels: K-2, Categories: Music, Music-Classical, Social-Emotional Learning, Diversity Equity and Inclusion
Musical Adventures in American History:
Thomas Jefferson, Violinist in Chief
Thomas Jefferson was not only the author of the Declaration of Independence and America’s 3rd president, he was also an accomplished violinist. Students will sing, dance and clap to the music that Jefferson himself knew and played. We’ll explore the musical form of “theme and variations,” with students identifying mood and emotion in music, and explore the American Revolutionaries’ fight for independence.
Grade levels: K-2, Categories: Music, Music-Classical, Social-Emotional Learning, History
Musical Adventures in American History: Thomas Jefferson, Revolutionary and Violinist
Students will explore music from the time of the Revolutionary War (from fiddle tunes that Thomas Jefferson actually played in the White House to beautiful ballads like Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier), as well as later musical selections that illuminate American history and the ideals of the Revolution. Students will identify changes of mood and emotion in a theme and variations and learn to create and listen for hemiola (changing between 6 8th notes being divided into 2 groups of 3 and 3 groups of 2.) Grade levels: 3-5. 6-8 Categories: Music, Music-Classical, Social-Emotional Learning, History
The Author Village is a community of forward-thinking and award-winning children's book authors and illustrators and educators available for in-person and virtual school visits, library visits, festivals, conferences panels, workshops, professional development, and special events.
Many of our authors are currently scheduling both in-person and virtual author visits for the 2024-2025 school year.
For in-person visits (up to three presentations, lunch with a small group of students, and book signing), our authors charge between $2000.00 and $7500.00 (plus travel expenses), depending on the author. For full day virtual visits, our authors charge in the $1500.00-$4500.00 range, depending on the author. For individual 45-50 minute sessions, the authors charge between $750.00 and $2000.00, once again, depending on the author.
My name is Michael Fry, and I'm a 4-time World Champion jump roper, speaker, and founder of Let's Jump L.A.
Let's Jump L.A. offers jump rope assemblies and P.E. Takeovers for schools across the country. We’ve worked with over 90 schools, teaching students how to jump rope as an exciting way to learn about persisting through failure, working together, and treating others with kindness.
The assembly is a 35 minute show that includes jump rope performances, audience participation, double dutch, high-energy music, and motivational messages. We focus on the importance of kindness, working together, and being persistent in the face of failure.
The P.E. takeover is more hands-on learning. We work with rotating groups of up to 50 students at a time, for 30 minutes each. With each new skill they learn, students realize that they can improve at any endeavor with practice and patience.
We are a movement of second chances and self-worth through media content, music, school assembly programs and outreaches. Reminding people that it's NEVER too late for a CLEAN SLATE! You are WORTHY to "Rewrite Tomorrow
Misty Yarnall is a writer and teaching artist. She actively teaches creative writing and theatre workshops through libraries, homeschool co-ops, and nonprofit organizations. She is passionate about creating brave spaces for people of all ages to share their stories. A few examples of workshops she has led in the past are included below.
World Building 101: Do you love reading adventure books with fantastical settings and magical elements? Have you ever wanted to write a story set in a place you’ve never been? In this workshop, students will master the layout of the land within their stories, no matter what genre. Students will take inspiration from real plants, animals, and cultures, and apply what they've learned to their made-up worlds.
Writing for the Screen: Have you ever wondered how your favorite TV show got to the screen? Want to try your hand at writing a script made for TV? In this workshop, you will learn to write your own screenplay and collaborate on a pilot episode for a TV series. We will generate ideas, learn to use the three-act structure, and operate as if we were in our own TV writers' room.
Playing with Plays: Through movement-based improv games and collaborative writing prompts, students will better understand how plays go from the page to the stage. We will learn about character motivations, use of props, scene structure, and understanding of performance. Students will end the workshop with a new play to showcase.
Guided Journaling: Have you always wanted to start journaling, but aren’t sure where to start? Have you been journaling for a while and want a community to write and share with? In this workshop, participants will complete writing prompts geared towards eliminating the daunting, listy idea of journaling and replace it with interactive, fun activities for all ages and backgrounds. No prior journaling or writing experience necessary!
An 8-week, high-engagement enrichment intensive that empowers students to find their voice through the art of filmmaking.
Social-Emotional Growth: The cooperation nature of the process requires students to practice empathy, active listening, and conflict resolution during the high-stakes production phase.
Confidence Through Creation: By moving a project from a blank page to a public screening, students develop the belief that they can tackle complex, long-term goals.
Career & Technical Foundations: Students gain early exposure to digital media careers, developing a portfolio-ready short film and a foundational understanding of the digital arts.
The NYSATA Legislative Exhibit is the flagship event for Youth Art Month and NYSATA's largest public display of student artwork in a government building. The exhibit is co-sponsored by New York State United Teachers (NYSUT).
Founded in 1990, this student art exhibit is held in the Legislative Office Building in Albany each Spring, providing an exciting opportunity for students and their families to connect with their legislators. A committee of dedicated art educator volunteers makes all of the arrangements and notifies legislators of participants in their electoral districts. Legislators from across the state are invited to recognize the artistic accomplishments of their aspiring artist constituents at a reception for students, parents and teachers held on the 3rd Floor Terrace Level of the Legislative Office Building.
Families may pre-arrange a meet-and-greet with the Assemblyman and/or Senator from their local district, which may include a photo session, office tour and/or written correspondences with their Legislators. The reception concludes with an interactive and inspiring ceremony.
With the return of artwork, each student entrant receives a Certificate of Participation from NYSATA and a copy of the Legislative Student Art Exhibit brochure.
Registration is $25 per teacher for up to two works from grades K-12. District Members receive a reduced registration fee, applied automatically upon log in.
Diane Edgecomb brings top quality entertaining performances to your school that enhance elementary school curriculum. Folk & Fairy Tales! Myths! Environmental Literacy! Seasonal Nature Tales for young learners! Diane’s dynamic storytelling assemblies get every single student excited about core-curriculum topics, proving once again that story is the shortest route to imaginative learning.
Choose from performances designed to enrich and engage: Folktale Superheroes around the World dovetails English core studies in folktales and myths. Students discover that folktales from China, Africa and South America all have their own versions of Superheroes! Tales for the Earth teaches important lessons about bio-diversity and water conservation through Diane’s engaging original tales. Environmental literacy can be not just meaningful but fun.
Looking for something for K-2? Choose Diane's Seasonal Nature Tales for young learners: Fall Tales Celebrates how the leaves got their colors and the Star in the Apple, Spring is for Planting Seeds, Nesting Birds and Composting Adventures, Insect Comedy teaches about the value of our six-legged friends through entertaining and informative stories sure to get students excited about the unbelievable lives of insects.
Diane galvanizes student’s learning with award-winning stories. Give your teachers a helping hand in meeting English Core Curriculum requirements with Diane’s follow-up master class in storytelling techniques. Students learn about the power of their own imaginations through hands-on exercises sure to have everyone participating. By the end of the workshop, each student is retelling a folktale to a partner an English core-curriculum requirement!
“Your stories were wonderful. The teachers and the students agreed that your presentation is one of the best we’ve ever had. Thank you so much for bringing to life our study of myths and legends.” - Missy Thomson, teacher and school librarian, Woodville School, Wakefield, MA
“Ms. Edgecomb had even the most restless audience members completely mesmerized. Her physicality, variety of voices/sounds, involvement of her young charges, and respect of nature ~ appealed to me as well as my students. Thank you! The program was first rate.” - B. O’Connell, teacher, Ralph Talbot School, Weymouth, MA
Diane has received numerous awards for her work, including the ORACLE award for storytelling excellence in the Northeast, the national Circle of Excellence award and the Parent’s Choice Silver. Diane has been featured on NPR and is one of New England’s favorites storytellers as recommended by Elementary library school collection.