Spokane Field Trip

Thanks to generous donations from Panhandle Alliance for Education (PAFE) and Showkidz!, the Arts Track (and several students from other tracks) was able to go for a field trip to Spokane on Thursday, May 5th.

The day started at the Museum of Arts and Culture (MAC) where students viewed several different exhibits.  The first was an exhibit showing how the museum puts together artifacts and displays.  The second was of Norma Bassett Hall's incredible printmaking.  Next was a display of the Nez Perce art of beading that was phenomenal, and the last was an interactive exhibit on buried treasure.

After a full morning at the museum, students and chaperones went to River Park Square for lunch and a bit of free time before heading over to the INB Performing Arts Center at 1:30 to watch the Broadway musical Newsies.  It was a spectacular show with jaw-dropping dancing and singing.

Next week brings the last rehearsal and preparation time for the play performance on the 17th and the talent show on the 20th.

Mathis tries his hand at cracking the safe in the Treasure exhibit

Leslie, Jane, Mathis, Jordan, Naomi, Sammy, and Allison pose in front of the giant chalkboard wall

Cierra sketches her favorite exhibit

Brian and Evan raise the Jolly Roger

Evan adds his mark to the wall

Bella pans for gold in the interactive exhibit hall

The students sitting outside the MAC in front of the beautiful wisteria

Thank you, Showkidz, for the fabulous opportunity!

Thank you, PAFE, for all you've done in supporting us this year!

Monique examines the hats

The Nez Perce Display

Beading

Students draw their favorite pieces

Before Newsies!

How Charming!

Since returning from Spring Break, the Arts Track has been hard at work prepping for the talent show, specifically for the one-act play, Charming!, that they will be performing.  Today was the first rehearsal completely off script, and the kids did so well.  While there's still a lot of preparation needed, they are going to have stellar performances.

Performance Information:

School Performance of Charming! will be on Tuesday, May 17th, at 2:15 PM in the CFHS Cafeteria.  The student body will see the play for the first time, and parents, friends, and community members are encouraged to attend.  There is no admittance cost. NOTE: The play will not be performed during the talent show because two of our leads will be at Track State on May 20th, the day of the talent show.

CFHS Third Annual Talent Show will be on Friday, May 20th, at approximately 1:30 PM (exact time will be announced closer to the date) in the CFHS Cafeteria.  All of the tracks will be doing a presentation, as well as individual and group acts.  Parents, friends, and community members are encouraged to attend.  There is no admittance cost.

Below are some pictures from today's rehearsal.  Next Thursday will be a track day, and the Arts Track will be traveling to Spokane to go to the Museum of Arts and Culture and to the Broadway show Newsies.  We are so thankful to the Panhandle Alliance for Education (PAFE) and Showkidz! for providing the funds for us to do this at no cost to the students.  Pictures of our trip will be posted next week!

Jerrica, Davalynn, Cicorra, and Hannah plan their dastardly deeds as members of the Wicked Stepmother's Association

Eliska is thrilled by Prince Charming (Emily) paying her attention, while Catherine looks on.

Cicorra, Jerrica, and Davalynn list their wicked deeds

Evan laments his lack of sleep due to a pea in his mattress, while Lia serves as his long-suffering lady-in-waiting.  Brian plays Candyland in the background.

Lily thanks the prince (Emily) for saving her once again

Nona serves as the faithful, but spunky, narrator to this fairy tale.

The Charming(!) Cast

The Arts Track has completed auditions and is officially working on their spring show, a funny fairy tale spoof titled Charming!

Now the hard work of line memorization, set building, costume designing, blocking, and rehearsals begins.  Performances will be on May 22nd during the CFHS Annual Talent Show, and (hopefully) we'll also be traveling to two elementary schools.  We hope to see you there!!

Guest Instructor Jesùs Quintero

The Arts Track continued their foray into the acting world with internationally-renowned guest instructor Jesùs Quintero of the American Laboratory Theatre.  Students were able to learn from Mr. Quintero and his wife, Carolina Sa, through a series of improvisation games and beginning scene work.  Students commented on how they now feel more comfortable with their peers and themselves, which is so important in acting.  Students were able to explore the give and take necessary for being an actor through tag games, and to hone characters through scene work.  It was a wonderful day, and everyone learned a lot!  Next week, students will learn the basics of stage movement and blocking notations before diving into their play that they'll perform in May.

Lia, Evan, and Eliska act out a scene at a dinner table

Nona demonstrates an action in an improvisation game

Hannah "brushes her shark's teeth"

Nona and Hannah enact a scene with a mysterious letter

Shilah and Cicorra enact a scene of a doctor giving her patient bad news by mistake

Nona, Hannah, and Brian discuss "the letter"

Cicorra reacts to the news

Carolina Sa and Jesus Quintero talk with students

Students play a game to use the stage fully

"We're at the disco!"

Never Say "No", Just "Yes, And..."

Students in the Arts Track participated in their first acting exercises this morning, led by Ms. Palmer (a former theater teacher) and Quynn Cashman  (a student at NIC and former acting student of Ms. Palmer).  They learned the importance of respect, listening, focus, and giving to team members, in addition to vocal and physical warm up exercises.

Ms. Palmer started the day by talking about the rules of theater, including respecting one's self, one's teammates, and one's environment.  She demonstrated the different areas of the stage and led them through a series of focus exercises.  Students then learned warm ups for both body and voice before playing improvisation games to put it all together. The improv games allowed students to practice the cardinal rule of acting: never say "NO", just "Yes, and...". It was a fun morning with a lot of laughter and energy!

Students play "The Party Game" where the "host" of the party has to guess what characters the guests are portraying.  Nona was an excellent hostess, and her party guests were quite entertaining!

Quynn "drives" the taxicab as she picks up various hitchhikers.  This game teaches focus and improv as the other people in the car have to pick up on the traits of the hitchhiker.

Students practice listening and focus skills with the old party game "Telephone".  There were some hilarious results!

Arts Track Brings the "Flavah" to Hip Hop

Lynsie Morris, a dance instructor from Coeur d'Alene (and a former student of Ms. Palmer) spent the morning teaching the Arts Track the basics of Hip Hop. After getting warmed up and learning basic stance (keep it low!) and rhythm, she taught the group choreography to four different songs.  Students then broke into groups to develop their own mini routine.  The afternoon brought students the opportunity to develop their own lip sync routines that incorporate American Tribal Dancing and Hip Hop elements.

Arts Track students have shown incredible willingness to try new things the past two weeks, and that openness will continue as we start theater arts next week.

Zoe and Lily learn to keep it low.

Nona and Hannah add flavor to their routines as Lynsie helps.

Niko, Evan, and Brian try out their hip-hop moves

Hannah, Nona, Lily, and Cierra demonstrate their routine

Eliska, Catherine, and Reba take a much-needed break

Arts Track learns a routine

Jerrica mugs for the camera as Mrs. L. busts a move.

A New Semester Brings New Opportunities

Students had their first taste of a new series of arts opportunities today.  Spring semester of the Arts Track will focus on the performing arts in the morning (Ms. Palmer), with visual arts in the afternoon (Mrs. Lutzwolf).

It started with a lot of energy as our two guest teachers, Dr. Maras and Mrs. Gaddie, taught the basics of American Tribal Dance (ATD), a style of belly dancing. Students received Bindi (a decorative sticker to wear on their foreheads) to get in the spirit.  Kids were hesitant at first, but quickly embraced the Arts Track motto of trying new things.  They learned how to pivot, lead, follow, and the importance of dance to one's health.  Did you know that dance can stave off dementia and physical ailments later in life?  It is an art form that engages not only the body, but the mind, and ATD in particular gives a good overall workout.  Dancers have to be ever vigilant of the leader's subtle moves as the dance style is choreographed sets of moves in an improvised presentation.  A dancer may be a leader in one moment and a chorus member the next.

It was exciting to see students embrace new ideas and try something out of their comfort zones.

In the afternoon session, students started collage art using maps focused on the theme of "What does your future look like?"  By using old maps as a base and adding imagery and color on top of it, students expressed ideas about their futures visually.

Mrs. Gaddie, a CFHS alumna, and Dr. Maras, a former CFHS staff member, demonstrate an ATD duet.

Students learn to pivot and use their arms in this beautiful dance style.

Emily and Zoe show off their Bindi decoration.

Students learn some basic moves in ATD.