A comprehensive year-long classroom program designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary to learn music composition, create original compositions, form music groups, bands, or ensembles, and to promote their work on local and national stage. Through a combination of instrumental training, music theory, composition techniques, and industry tools, students will embark on a journey from individual musicians to collaborative creators, culminating in the production of their original work and how to bring their efforts to market.

Jordan Taylor Hill & Ensemble: Celebrating Rhythms from the Diaspora Join Jordan Taylor Hill & Ensemble for a vibrant journey through the rich tapestry of African Diasporic music and dance. As a seasoned educator and performer, Jordan Taylor Hill brings to your school an interactive exploration of traditional drumming, dance, and song that illuminates the cultural heritage and historical significance of these art forms. Jordan's workshops and performances are designed to engage students of all ages, providing them with a hands-on learning experience that enhances their understanding of world cultures, rhythm, and movement. Our offerings are tailored to complement educational curricula in arts and humanities, aiming to foster an appreciation for cultural diversity and inspire creativity among students. We are available for bookings across multiple regions, ready to bring our dynamic and educational presentations directly to your school. Whether it's a one-time assembly, a detailed workshop, or a short-term residency, Jordan Taylor Hill & Ensemble are prepared to create a memorable and enriching experience for both students and faculty. For bookings or more information on how we can tailor our programs to meet your educational goals, please reach out to us. Let's make learning unforgettable through the power of live performance and active participation!

The tradition of sugar painting in China can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty, where noble families would mold small animals out of sugar for religious rituals. Over time, sugar painting gained popularity and techniques evolved. It eventually merged with other art forms like shadow theater and paper cutting, which also focus on two-dimensional shapes. As sugar painting became more widespread, artists learned to create increasingly complex shapes and designs. Hui liu from New York is guaranteed to bring an authentic taste of China to your event - literally! An expert in this Chinese folk art, our sugar painting specialist keeps tradition alive by offering guests at your event a sweet treat. Sugar painting may have originated during the Ming dynasty when small animals made of sugar were created in molds for religious rituals. A specialist in this Chinese folk art, this Chinese sugar painter can create a wide range of patterns and figures at your event right before your guests' eyes. When completed, a thin wooden stick, used to hold the figure, is attached in two or more places with more sugar. An entertainment option loved by children, these delicious sugar figures will get kids queuing up throughout your event! Mainly focused on animals, our Chinese sugar painter can create delicious food sculptors of any of the 12 existing Chinese sings according to your birth year. He can also produce other forms and shapes based on any image of even brand logos! Not only a treat for the eyes, this tasty Chinese tradition will also leave your tongue suitably impressed. Especially loved by kids and people with a sweet tooth, this Chinese folk art is guaranteed to be an instant hit at your party and leave guests delicious memories! Especially suitable for Chinese New Year’s celebrations and festivals, our Chinese sugar painter is also perfect for street celebrations, shopping malls, children’s parties and cultural and corporate events, etc. If you’re interested in booking this Sugar Painter from China, then contact us today and make an enquiry. Our dedicated team of Entertainment Experts will be delighted to provide further details on this Chinese folk art as an entertainment option and guide you through the booking process.

Yo Re Mi provides arts-integrated social-emotional learning experiences that combine live music, movement, and mindfulness to support student regulation, engagement, and overall learning readiness. Through interactive classes, assemblies, residencies, and workshops, students develop emotional awareness, self-expression, and focus using developmentally aligned, play-based practices. These experiences are designed to be engaging and accessible for all learners while reinforcing core SEL competencies and arts-in-education standards. What sets Yo Re Mi apart is its connection to a broader, school-wide approach. Our work not only supports students in the moment, but also introduces a shared language and set of strategies that can be used throughout the school day, helping classrooms run more smoothly and supporting consistent Tier 1 social-emotional learning practices. In addition to direct student programming, Yo Re Mi offers educator certification and professional development, equipping school staff with practical, classroom-ready tools to sustain and integrate these strategies into daily routines over time.

We offer a variety of programs that blend expressive arts, mindfulness, and social emotional learning. Our goal is to engage youth of all ages in safe, interactive art activities focused on self-expression and empowerment while promoting mental well-being. All programs can be customized to better meet teacher and student needs, as well as curriculum goals. We incorporate a variety of art processes, techniques, and materials in our lessons. Those include drawing, painting, ceramics and pottery, sculpture, collage, printmaking, creative writing and journaling, STEAM projects, and more! Creative Mindfulness (grades K-5): We have developed a unique Creative Mindfulness curriculum for students in grades K-5. These 45-minute lessons can be taught in isolation or organized into a weekly program that is tailored to meet the needs of your students and strengthen your class community. Each hands-on lesson incorporates breathwork, mindfulness strategies, movement, and an expressive art activity. Many lessons also have a literacy component and are paired with high-quality children’s literature. Participation in our Creative Mindfulness program equips students with the tools to help them be more resilient, improve self-regulation and communication skills, build positive self-esteem and self-confidence, and increase overall happiness. Collaborative Art Projects (grades PK-12): Another program we offer is to come in and work on a collaborative project. This can be within a classroom, a grade level, a school, or a whole district. Collaborative projects help to build self-confidence, establish social cohesion, improve communication skills, and strengthen classroom/school communities. This is a great way to add meaningful art to your school hallways and turn plain walls into interesting, colorful, art-filled spaces that students are proud of. Collaborative art can be posted on walls, hung from ceilings, put in display cases, or painted right onto the walls (inside or outside). YES… we do murals, too! Professional Development (all grades): We also offer Professional Development for teachers and staff at all grade levels. Topics include Social Emotional Learning Through Art, Mindful Arts for the Trauma Informed Classroom, Art & Mindfulness for Teacher Self-Care, and Process Art Experiences for Team Building. In our workshops, we share the research that supports what we do and provide easy to implement practices that will enhance your school community, as well as teacher and student well-being. We teach practical ways to use art and mindfulness for coregulation, to increase feelings of safety and connection, reduce stress, and improve focus. All PD workshops can be customized to meet your school’s needs and available time.

Get Patriotic with Democratic Values. Uncle Sam’s Comedy Jam is a crazy shindig celebrating American Freedom! The Bill of Rights and Constitution will be there, and so will many of our core democratic values. But be warned, this 40-minute show isn’t just a party. It’s a bash! Teachers and students won’t be able to stop laughing as Uncle Sam, with help from the Statue of Liberty and 16 volunteers, teaches the fundamental beliefs that unite all Americans. Kindergarteners through sixth graders learn how America became a free nation during the funniest history lesson ever. Democratic values have never been this funny! Topics in this patriotic elementary assembly include: Constitutional Government | The Importance of Rules | Separation of Powers | Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness | Symbols of Freedom | Checks and Balances | The Bill of Rights | Individual Freedoms | Shay’s Rebellion | The 13 Colonies | Common Good | Federalism | Patriotism | Equality | Justice | Declaration of Independence | Amendments and Rules | Democratic Values | The Framers | Articles of Confederation | Three Branches of Government.

Fun and creative hands-on crafts projects that demonstrate concepts in electrical circuits, coding, robotics, renewable energy, materials engineering, and more! Kathy Ceceri has been teaching and writing about STEAM activities in schools, libraries, museums, and Maker Faires for over 15 years. She is the author of Making Simple Robots, Paper Inventions, and more.

The program involves creating movement plays. Experimental Dance Theatre.

About Anna (check out my website to learn more about me and my art practice): Anna holds her BFA in Printmaking/ Education from The College of Saint Rose and her MFA in Studio Art from The State University of New York at Albany. Anna is a Professionally certified K-12 Visual Arts educator in New York State. Anna currently teaches High School but has experience teaching homeschool, elementary/middle and college level courses. -Example of Services- I'm also interested in working with YOU to create a unique lesson/ workshop/ PD As an artist and educator I'm dedicated to amplifying the importance of art in our lives. My goal is to provide an intimate insight into art making, collaboration and reflection. All workshops can be for any grade and can be tailored to what you are specifically looking for. Artist Talk/ Lecture (Workshop/ PD- Hands on or Virtual): - I share my background and artistic journey focusing on past and current artworks/ concepts. - I critique classwork and provide feedback/ insight Graduate Work Exploration (Workshop/ PD- Hands on or Virtual) -Part of my graduate work I focused on object(s) as portraits of people from my life. Through a personal excavation, I collect and repurpose intimate artifacts that have been preciously stored away. These personal relics and other mass-produced items are combined with the common house fly in portraits of significant people from throughout my life. I examined our obsessive fascinations with objects and their associations with individual people. -Students will listen/ watch a presentation of my work and then pick an object that has significance in their life- students will sketch out this object from memory and at the end we will see which object(s) reappear between students- the link that joins us all together. Printmaking (Workshop/ PD- Hands on): With my extensive background in Printmaking, Bookbinding, and Paper making I can do a variety of hands on workshops for students and staff. -Printing demos of: Relief, Intaglio, Mezzotint, Kitchen Litho, Monoprinting. -Paper Making Demo -Paper Making Workshop -Bookbinding Workshop -Zine Workshop Other: Polymer Clay Jewelry or Cane Building (Workshop/ PD- Hands on) Cyanotype: what is JUNK? (Workshop/ PD- Hands on) Hand Tufting (Rug Making) (Workshop/ PD- Hands on) Mixed Media (Workshop/ PD- Hands on) Portfolio Building/ Critique

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.

We offer Theater and Arts Mini Camps where youth learn and develop skills such as acting, singing, dancing, script writing, and other various theatrical skills

Sasha Kahn offers author visits virtually or in-person for preschool and K-5th. Pre-K and K focus on readings and art activities and are 20-30 minutes. Author visits for grades 1-5 are 45-minute presentations or assemblies, including Q+A. Designed to inspire and invite children into the creative process, author visits provide a glimpse of Sasha’s path as an author/illustrator, how to turn an idea into a story, how the words and pictures move the story along, how a book gets made, and more. She offers two programs, one for grades 1-3 with an emphasis on story and one for grades 3 and up with an emphasis on STEM topics, research and revision.