We offer a variety of tours and workshops related to NYS curriculum. Immersive experiences in our recreated Bark house and 1790's Seneca Log house, as well as guided and self-guided tour options. We also feature our permanent exhibits, and seasonal exhibits from a variety of different art forms/perspectives. If you have any questions or would like more information as to how we can customize and experience for your group, please reach out via phone or email.

It’s not just a highly engaging circus-themed school show! And it’s not a normal character education school assembly. While most character ed assemblies focus only on defining character traits and explaining how to use those traits, Diversity Circus goes much deeper. This powerful and effective character assembly will teach your students that every person belongs. “Be Fair, Be Aware, include others, and use Respect” are the four lessons students will learn during the Diversity Circus character education school assembly. This effective elementary character education program also covers Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s character message, Cultural Diversity, Diversity in the Classroom, Being Fair, and more. It’s a perfect program to honor the MLK Holiday, and Black History Month, and to support your school’s PBIS program and anti-bullying efforts. The Diversity Circus character school show uses TONS of audience participation, hilarious comedy, kooky characters, costumes, incredible one-of-a-kind magical illusions, and non-stop hysterical action to engage students and to keep kids talking long after the show is over.

The Shadow Box Theatre’s (SBT) mission is to touch the minds and hearts of children through shadow and three-dimensional puppet-based theatre arts. SBT's programs encourage creative exploration, celebrate diversity, and teach humanistic values such as how to deal with bullying and respecting individual differences, peaceful solutions, and appreciation of our earth. This is accomplished through an integrated program of performances given in our spaces and brought to your space, creative theatre arts workshops for children, teachers, and parents, and picture books with companion audio, as well as films and audio recordings based on our musical puppet productions.

Through the Caffe Lena "On The Road" program, we coordinate 2-3 day residencies with professional touring bands and musicians, sending them around the Saratoga Springs community and wider Capital Region for private, unadvertised, 30-60 minutes performances and/or interactive workshops. The program is supported by grant funding and donations to our non-profit venue, and each community visit is FREE for the host organization. The locations range from school visits (music classes, assemblies, after-school programs) to elderly care centers, shelters, soup kitchens, recovery programs, and other spaces which serve people who may not be able to seek out this professional music in a standard venue for a variety of reasons. *IMPORTANT* These residencies do not occur on a regular basis. Please reach out if you would like to be added to the list of host organizations, and we will contact you when there is an opportunity to coordinate a visit from a band or artist.

I offer four topics for my School Assembly Programs. Below are details about my Reading, Dental Hygiene, Ocean Sciences and Social Awareness Programs. 1. Sugar Bug Showdown: Elementary schools that engage my services for the ‘Sugar Bug Showdown‘ performance consistently request my return every third year to do it again. They want to be sure each child in kindergarten through 3rd grade gets the benefit of this unforgettable lesson in good dental hygiene. Your students will learn the right way to brush their teeth (even adults get it wrong!), why dental hygiene is so important, and much more. Dental Hygienists can give the facts, but nobody will motivate or help them remember those facts like Pipsqueak! To ramp up the fun, we demonstrate flossing using kids dressed as teeth. Another segment features caped cavity-defenders in an epic battle against sugar bugs. Here are some additional highlights: How much toothpaste to use How often to brush and proper techniques How cavities & plaque form How “sugar bugs” hurt your teeth Why a healthy diet matters 2. Reading is an Adventure: This program is perfect for PARP (Pick A Reading Partner) or Read Across America incentives. Specific children’s books are referenced & highlighted. My job with this show is to get your students excited about reading. I periodically change the lineup, but the main messages are: Curiosity fuels invention Reading is an adventure Readers are leaders 3. Kindness Quest: This program fits Respect Week and Character Education incentives like a glove! The following key themes are woven throughout: Friendship Kindness Respect Appreciating differences Sharing 4. Waves of Fun: Oceans of Possibilities is a STEM school assembly that sparks an interest in learning about ocean sciences. Students in kindergarten through fifth grade will be motivated to learn about the amazing things that can be found in the ocean. The program is curated to add more advancing educational content at upper grade levels with marine biology, geology, and ecology professions showcased for the 5th grade. We’ll even use your own school library books in the magic performance! Laugh your way through the “silliest, goofiest, wackiest treasure hunt in the world!” Meet a very intelligent seal who does tricks. Of course, Vern (the bird) will make an appearance. This program is unique and so much fun! It is designed for students K-5th grade.

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is an essential part of The Mystery of the Character Surprise show. In this 50 minute interactive assembly show students learn the communication skills and attitudes they need to help create a bully-free learning environment. Fifteen students participate on stage, putting these lessons into action – cooperating to stop a bully from ruining the assembly show. Students will also learn how to stop social aggression in its tracks. And they’ll have a blast while doing it! Topics covered throughout this bully-proofing magic assembly show include Being responsible in achieving goals, helping others, and empathy. Plus: Forms of bullying, solutions for victims, responsibilities of witnesses, tattling vs. telling. Includes: Courage | Flexibility | Perseverance | Effort | Making Good Choices | Bullies, Targets & Bystanders | Sense of Humor | Responsibility | Empathy | Honesty | Teamwork | Tattling vs. Telling

Margot and Murray -- her fluffy, loveable and kid-friendly Sheepadoodle, love to visit with children aged 3 – 7 years and talk about friendship, bravery, and perseverance. Margot’s energy is infectious and she easily bonds with children. And Murray is a hit with kids. In Margot’s debut children’s book, Murray Goes to the Playground, Murray learns an important lesson: while not everyone may want to be your friend, there’s always someone out there who will be your friend. Our 30- 45 minute school visits include an opportunity to meet and pet Murray, reading our book, Q & A, and a discussion about making friends, meeting dogs, or moving on from rejection. Murray has his Canine Good Citizen accreditation.

On Monday they’re cast as characters. By Saturday, they’ve GAINED CHARACTER. The kind that really counts! A week-long residency STARRING 50-60 of your local school age children in a full-scale musical. A tour team arrives in your town in their Red Truck loaded with a set, lights, costumes, and props, everything it takes to put on a play…except the cast. The team holds an open audition and casts 50-60 local students to perform in the production. The show is rehearsed throughout the week and two public performances are presented at the end of the week! Our Mission: Empowering children and adults through theatre education and performance to develop lifelong skills while enriching communities worldwide through live productions.

Create A Space NOW is an interactive social justice platform, creating art to combat bias, racism, and systemic oppression. We believe that art is a powerful tool, and we're committed to creating space for art to inspire change, educate, and activate. At Create A Space NOW, we deliver dynamic, art-centered educational programming that goes beyond performance, and we spark dialogue, critical thinking, and courageous imagination. Our curriculum includes dance, theater, film, and poetry and media productions, workshops, presentations, syllabi, and engagements rooted in social justice, equity, and healing practices, giving students the tools to process complex realities and build skills for positive change. Create A Space NOW is committed to equipping schools, teachers, and young people with creative tools that challenge oppression and nurture liberation. Through the transformative power of art, we believe every student can learn to build a more just, joyful, and connected world.

The ELLEN SINOPOLI DANCE COMPANY offers a range of workshops and performances for schools using dance narrative and technique to bring new meaning to literature, science, math and social studies. These are designed to offer young people the opportunity to experience the bravery of creativity and invention; to step into the realm of how one might learn differently and to see themselves in the most positive way possible. All programs can be customized to meet the unique needs of each school. ESDC’s participatory performances bring that same use of creativity and imagination for young people to enjoy. Story Hours allow children to see books through movement rather than just words, enhancing the learning adventure. CREATIVE MOVEMENT WORKSHOPS: (Grades: K-12) $225 Held on their own or in conjunction with an ESDC performance, workshops are designed to nurture the creative potential of each student and to encourage kinesthetic learning experiences while deepening their understanding of classroom curriculum. Led by 2 dancers and a musician, these workshops introduce children to the basic elements of dance: movement skills, body shapes/parts, space, time, force and form. Students explore theme-based ideas transforming themselves through movement choices to become bats, monkeys and jaguars from the rainforest; mimicking earthquakes exploding from the center to ripple out; experiencing the dynamics of reflection and refraction while moving through space. Students present a sampling of their activities for fellow classmates and families. PARTICIPATORY AND REPERTORY PERFORMANCES SCIENCE IN MOTION: BRINGING SCIENCE TO LIFE (Grades: K-5) $2000 An interactive program that brings the study of clouds, water, birds and their habitats to life. ESDC performs selections from its repertory as well as inviting students to join the dancers on stage to join in the exploration. ESDC’s CHOREOPHYSICS (Grades 9-12) $2500 Lecture/Demonstration, designed for High Schools students, is based on the laws of Physics. IF BOOKS COULD DANCE! CHILDREN’S LITERATURE THROUGH DANCE (Grades: K-5) $2000 Exploring literature, poetry, creativity, and visual art with movement, ESDC brings books to life. These captivatingly creative dances incorporate the stories of Kobi Yamada’s What Do You Do With an Idea?, poetry from Jack Prelutsky’s Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant, and Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are. UNDERCOVER PLAYGROUND: A SITE-SPECIFIC OUTDOOR PERFORMANCE (Grades: K-5) $2000 This performance is created exclusively for your school playground with dancers utilizing the equipment in unexpected and fun-filled ways. This playful performance is outside and outside-of-the-box! The space offers each audience member a unique perspective and an opportunity to get up close and personal with the dance and the dancers. Live musical accompaniment! DANCE BY CHANCE: A FUN, INTERACTIVE SHOW INTEGRATING MATHEMATICS (Grades: 3-6) $2000 Mixing math with movement and matching learning to fun, we ask the audience math questions in an engaging way, leaving pencil and paper behind. The show teases their brain power, enhancing classroom learning in fun and unique ways. SEE THE DANCE! HOW MOVEMENT CAN BE USED TO COMMUNICATE (Grades: K-12) $2000 Favorite works from ESDC's repertory will be selected based on your school’s needs and interests, areas of study, or curriculum. This performance demonstrates how creativity and movement capture thoughts, ideas, actions, emotions, images, and concepts. FROM THE MIND OF A SINGLE, LONG VINE ONE HUNDRED OPENING LIVES (Grades:3-12) $2500 ESDC unites dance and visual arts through timeless stories inspired by African influenced wood sculptures created by craftsman Jim Lewis. The dance follows a community of people through the universal aspects of childhood, leadership, conflict, death, and healing from within. Students are encouraged to think about their role in the global community, working together to create a better place. MOVEMENT STORY HOUR: LITERACY THROUGH MOVEMENT (Grades: PreK-3) $125 Reading from the company’s library of children’s books, ESDC incorporates creative movement to enhance the reading experience. Children become a part of the story and find a love of reading!

Via Aquarium is the only full-scale aquarium in the Capital Region. We provide an avenue for students of all ages to explore the natural world from freshwater to saltwater and even terrestrial life with reptiles and amphibians. If your school can't make their way to us, our education team can travel with select animals to provide these experiences within your classroom. Field Trips - $12 admissions per student, free admissions for staff, $14 admissions for chaperones, $5 for add-on educational programs, and $10/cup of stingray food. Outreach Programs are $350 for a 60-minute program, $200 for a 30-minute session, and any session after that is discounted. Our travel fee is $0.75 per mile over 30 in both directions (i.e. first 60 miles are excluded in the fee). Programs are available for students in preschool through high school.

Bring a theater-style grand-illusion show to your school in this interactive magic experience! Not your typical "magic show"... A little about the show..."The Extreme Magic of Eric" is one of the largest illusion shows in the country (but based out of New York!)! Combining cutting-edge illusions, escapes, cool music, customized lighting, and humorous audience participation, Eric and his assistant bring an illusion show experience to your school! Eric's performances have been seen on NBC's America's Got Talent, live with Jimmy Fallon, at MSG for the Knicks and Rangers, and in Europe, the Caribbean, Times Square and Las Vegas! We make a student float in the air, make someone disappear while surrounded by students, a Houdini escape, etc. Each show would be appropriately geared to the age of the audience (elementary, middle, or high school). The illusion show is 100% interactive (one of the only in the country!) with every routine involving student participation…volunteers from the audience assisting onstage and by their seats! Our website www.ExtremeMagicOfEric.com has more info and videos too! You can also google search "Eric Wilzig" and reads tons of only 5 star reviews from schools across the country. The #1 Entertainment Choice for your schools: PTA/PTO Family Fun Night School Day Assembly Fundraiser Event Holiday Program End of Year “Field Day”