Recommended: Elementary level

Undercover Playground is the newest project of the Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company and is a site specific piece that is performed on playgrounds. It is being developed over the spring and summer months and will premiere in public performances in the late summer/early fall of 2011. It will then be available to be a part of the company's Arts-in-Education programs. The work will be approximately 15 minutes in length and it is anticipated that it will be performed with live musical accompaniment. Since playgrounds are all different, the work will have a strong improvisational quality and will vary with every location. For schools, the entire program will be approximately 30 minutes in length - a five minute introduction, the performance work and a ten minute Q&A period with the performers. When visiting schools with the program, the company can present the full 30 minute program 3 to 4 times over the course of the day with several classes attending each showing. The size and setting of each individual playground will determine the number of audience members who can attend at any one time. Since the weather is a factor, we will want to work out a secondary date in case Mother Nature isn't cooperating. In addition to the performance programs, the company can come to school in advance of the performances or return to the school after the performances to work with individual classes in movement workshops. Two of the company's dancers will conduct these workshops which will explore basic movement vocabulary, the nature of improvisation and the use of structure in movement work.

For more information, contact
Kim Engel
Education Coordinator
(518) 442-5738
kengel@albany.edu