Performing Arts Workshops
Attend a Free Performing Arts Workshop!
Register early as all have limited space.
All workshops will take place at the Cherry Valley Old School, 2 Genesee Street, Cherry Valley, NY, outdoors or indoors, weather permitting.
Part of the Cherry Valley Water Project.
Sound-Making Workshop
Sunday July 9th, 12pm – 4pm
A creative exploration of creating sound by amplifying the sounds of nature and especially the water.
During this workshop, we will interpret and re-create the sound of nature as we deeply listen to the natural melody and rhythm of the environment at the Cherry Valley watershed. This workshop is for musicians and non-musicians alike as we we will use our bodies (voice, finger snaps) found items (sticks, leaves etc) small percussive instruments and acoustic instruments (bring your guitar, flutes or drums) to create a soundscape of the sounds we hear in nature from the wind, birds, our movement and most importantly the sound of the water.
Part one of the workshop will be to explore the concept of “soundscapes,” and better understanding the natural sounds that envelop us. Through a series of improvisational exercises we will explore how to re-create the sounds of what we hear and/or how the sounds around us make us feel.
Part two of the workshop will explore sound-making. Using a hydroponic microphone we will record the sound of water and other natural elements to immerse ourselves in the practice of deep listening and sound interpretation.
As we become more in tune with the natural environment we will create a recording of our own soundscape by translating the natural sounds into melody and rhythm.
If possible please bring a cellphone to use as a recording device to capture your movement and the sounds around you. Please be prepared to be outdoors, wear shoes that can get wet (by walking through the water). Bring sun protection and whatever you may use to protect yourself from insects and ticks.
Limit of 10 people. Ages 12+, younger may attend if accompanied by an adult.
Teacher: Nancy Tarr is the Senior Co-op Coordinator at Northeastern and the Executive Director of Well Dunn (a music industry nonprofit). She worked on over 50 films in the music department at Paramount Pictures and was the Music Coordinator on the movie 8 Mile. She worked at RCA and Artist Records before becoming the Manager of Artist Relations and Government Affairs with the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Nancy’s band, Dead Girls and Other Stories, was featured at both the Lilith Fair and the H.O.R.D.E. Festival. Nancy was a Lecturer at SUNY Oneonta, is recent graduate of the Cooperstown Graduate Program and holds a BA in Music from Hartwick College.
Creative Writing Workshop
Sunday July 23rd 2-4pm & Sunday August 5th 2-4pm
Join this 2-part writing workshop where you will be given a writing form and prompt to explore, inspired by the Cherry Valley watershed. During the first workshop, you will receive your prompt, writing instruction, and have the opportunity to write and receive feedback. Between, the workshops, you will complete a first draft of your piece and bring it to the 2nd workshop where you will receive feedback to inform your final draft for a fall performance. Limit of 10 people, ages 16+
No prior writing experience necessary.
Teacher: Leslie Berliant studied with poet and creator of Method Writing, Jack Grapes, screenwriter Karin Gutman, and authors Jackie Parker, Jim Krusoe and Kurt Vonnegut. Her work is included in anthologies Big City Mantra and Deliver Us, and she has shared her work at venues around New York and Los Angeles. Leslie is the story editor on multiple award-winning short films, and she is published online and in print. Leslie offers writing courses and retreats, and works with clients one-on-one as a ghost writer, consultant, editor, and writing coach. She is the host of Writrix Salons, monthly virtual readings of original written work. More at www.leslieberliant.com
Dance Workshop
Sunday August 6th, 10am – 2pm
We will begin alongside the creek with meditation and active listening. Then we will explore the movement and spirit of the water through Modern Dance ensemble improvisational games, Contact Improv dance and Authentic Movement. It will be a playful exploration as we dig in and fine tune our body’s ability to listen and express itself through movement. Expect the unexpected! No dance background required. Limit 10 people, ages 12+.
Teacher: Angelica Dzeli Palmer (she/it) is an Interdisciplinary Social Practice Artist and Ritualist that explores the connections within ourselves, with each other, and with nature. Through song, dance, and storytelling, she creates visceral and emotional work rooted in the earth. For decades Angelica has led rituals, taught classes and hosted events interweaving community, activism, and the arts throughout the United States and Canada.
She is the director of the Cherry Valley Water Project and founder of The Telegraph School, a home for the Healing & Performing Arts in Cherry Valley, NY and is the Board Treasurer for the Cherry Valley Community Facilities Corporation (“The Old School”). More at dzeli.com
Puppetry Workshop
Sunday August 27th, 11am – 3pm
The Puppet Workshop will include elements and inspirations from the whole course of the Telegraph’s programming over the summer. This includes music, dancing, and writing inspired by Cherry Valley’s beautiful waterways. This workshop will be a 4 hour puppet intensive resulting in puppets and stories to showcase at the end of summer festival. The class will review a super brief history of puppeteering, some favorite puppeteers and their techniques, and some demonstrations of common puppet techniques to arm you with inspiration and methods when creating your puppets. There will be many unique materials available but in the spirit of recycling, we ask that you bring any interesting objects or materials you’d like to turn into a puppet!
Teacher: Jade Weiss (they/he/she, all pronouns!) has been an eager, avid, resourceful puppet maker their entire life. While never hired professionally, she was taught by her father to craft the most whimsical, ridiculous puppet friends out of recycled materials throughout her childhood. A Jim Henson obsessor and fanboy, he’s seen almost everything in Henson’s entire catalogue and spends weekends researching lost puppet archives. Through a pure love for all things puppetry, Jade has honed in on the art of “puppets out of anything” and believes that great art comes from the most unexpected materials and spontaneous techniques.