WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS

 to encourage creative engagement, critical thinking, and play amongst all age groups.

Developed and taught by Lia Woertendyke. 

Please contact Lia at liarosalind@gmail.com or 917-541-5031 for more information. 

Workshops can be customized for any age group or environment.

Custom Workshops also available. 

WORKSHOPS AND COURSES

**Workshops and classes are designed for a specific environment or age group.  However, any workshop can be customized to fit the needs of any group.**

Award Yourself – elementary and middle school

In this 5-10 week workshop, students will build confidence by exploring, identifying, and celebrating their best qualities.  We will look at the aesthetics and format of award ceremonies and televised award shows within our culture. We will recreate these events and symbols of success within our classroom and for our communities.  In this workshop, students will create trophies to award themselves using sculptural techniques; they will prepare and orate award speeches, and organize an award ceremony for family and friends in which they will be the event planners, givers of, and recipients of the awards.

Activist Art – elementary, middle, and high school

Students in this workshop will be introduced to the medium of politically motivated and activist art.  We will identify the purpose of activist art and the elements that define an artwork to be a form of activism.  Through observation, media analysis, and the sharing of personal experience, students will identify social issues within their school, local, national, or global communities.  Using a range of art making techniques, determined by students’ interest and age, students will create works of art in response to these points of concern.  Their final pieces will be displayed in a public space; relevant to the social issues they choose to tackle.

TV Star – elementary, middle, and high school

In this 5-10 week workshop, participants will practice self-analysis and self-celebration through the process of conducting video interviews in the style of televised celebrity interviews. Through writing, collage making, and improvisation, participants will explore their own fantasies of fame and recognition.  They will ultimately conduct interviews of themselves, acting as both interviewer and interviewee.  The participants will learn scriptwriting, filming, video editing, and acting skills and techniques in order to record and edit these interviews in the style of television talk shows.  The recorded and edited videos will be screened for families and friends.

Performing Culture – elementary, middle, and high school

In this three-five session workshop, participants will discuss the various elements of culture, from familial to nationalistic and subcultures. We will explore the influential factors that define the culture or many cultures one identifies with.  Students will be introduced to varying types of performance poetry as a communication method. Through group discussion and writing exercises, students will write a spoken word poem exploring their cultural identity.  These poems will be audio recorded and students will collaboratively devise simple performances to illustrate these poems. These devised pieces and audio soundtracks will be performed for families and friends.

Sell Out – middle and high school

In this semester long workshop, participants will develop sculptural replicas of mass produced merchandise they wish to consume.  We will explore concepts of fine art vs. industry and design, appropriation within art-making, and visual satire.  Students will learn multiple sculptural techniques as well as have the opportunity to display and sell their products.

Social Media Analysis and Performance – high school

Through group conversation and text analysis, participants will look at multiple forms of social media through a critical lens.  As a group, the class will draw comparisons and connections between social media and cultural phenomena; including television, news media, familial relationships, romance, and more.  Using techniques of performance art, devised theater, and guerilla art, students will develop performances to communicate their theses surrounding social media.

Cookbook – elementary, middle, and high school; seniors; corporate

Through storytelling, participants will describe their signature dishes and the memories associated with this recipe.  These narratives will be transcribed and compiled into a book, including both personal stories and step-by step directions on how to create these dishes.  If space and time permits, we will cook the dishes as a final celebration.  All participants will receive a copy of their cookbook.

Retroactive Scrapbooking – seniors

Using storytelling, participants will share memories of trips and important memories in their life.  Using traditional scrapbooking techniques and tools, participants will create retroactive scrapbooks of memories that were not originally documented.

TV Talk show – elementary, middle, and high school; seniors; corporate

Using basic video production, costuming, and performance techniques, participants in this workshop will produce a talk show, focusing on the relevant aspects of their environments.

Slam Poetry for Seniors - seniors

By watching and learning about performance poetry, the participants in this workshop will write and perform their own spoken word poems.  Through writing and improvisation exercises, participants will choose personally relevant topics to be the theme of their composition.

Skill Share – all ages and environment

As a group, participants will share their expertise on different subjects.  Together we will develop a series of lectures and workshops for each participant to lead within a partnering organization, school, or group.   This workshop can be designed to be cross-generational or cross-cultural.  This workshop can also be customized for a company or organization to improve confidence in public speaking.

Creative Communication - corporate

This one-time workshop is an exploration in multi-disciplinary communication, interpretation, and play.  Using a method similar to the childhood game “Telephone”, participants will translate visual, audio, and textual mediums into one another.  This workshop is designed specifically for organizations and companies that require communication to and from a creative team. 

Play Time – corporate, senior

Inspired by the “school play” model, participants in this 6-12 week program will rehearse and perform a classic or contemporary play, cast with employees within a company or organization.  This multiple week workshop is designed to strengthen team cohesion and improve confidence in public speaking.

All the Time Camp – corporate

Inspired by summer camp, this series of short workshops will focus on playful and inventive crafts.  Some activities may include pretzel making, play dough making, beading, weaving, and dream catcher design.

Exhibitionism - corporate

Participants in this workshop will curate an exhibition within a company or organization.  Working together, we will use objects, artifacts, and artworks already found within the office environment to put on display.  This multi-day workshop will conclude with an art opening.

Monologue Study – corporate

This multi-day workshop will focus on acting techniques and confidence building.  Participants will learn, rehearse, and perform monologues chosen specifically for each participant.

Dance Revolution – corporate

Part dance party, part dance class, and part team building, participants in this workshop will teach each other dance moves.  As an ensemble, we will choreograph a playful dance to be a YouTube Sensation!

Bake and Tell – corporate

Participants will learn techniques on how to make a perfect pie, from dough to filling!  An optional additional component of this workshop will be to produce a cooking show, intended to improve confidence and articulation in public speaking.

Ice Cream Social - corporate

In this two-day workshop, we will make multiple ice cream flavors from scratch and eat them!

PARTIES AND EVENTS

Craft Table

Craft activities, customized to fit the theme of any party.  All materials are carefully selected and prepared by hand. Guests are invited to create a personalized design with the assistance of expert crafters on a table designed to attract and maximize participation.  

Words + Music

6 musicians + 6 Writers + 2 Giant Dice.  Roll the dice, see what happens!