Arts education: opera, theater and dance
In addition to interviews with Frances Smith Cohen of CDE Pheonix and Stephen Wrentmore of ATC of Tucson, award-winning arts writer Lynn Trimble spoke with Joshua Borths. Joshua is the education manager for Arizona Opera in Phoenix.
Opera helps students comprehend concrete and abstract elements of visual images, says Borths, who notes that these are skills needed in a wide variety of academic and career areas. Not every kid is skilled in math or science. Opera can be an important segue into learning for students who do better in arts-related subjects. Through the Arizona Opera, schools can sign up for student nights at the opera, visit the opera’s studio space where kids and artists perform for each other or connect to studio activities via Skype.
Opera: Joshua Borths, education manager for Arizona Opera in Phoenix and Tucson.
Dance: Frances Smith Cohen, artistic director for Center Dance Ensemble (CDE) of Phoenix.
Theatre: Stephen Wrentmore, associate artistic director for Arizona Theatre Company (ATC) of Tucson.
The arts help you break down, express and comprehend your world. These are fundamental skills. The job of education is to broaden your world. We need to reach every kid.