The Evening Arts Program serves to extend the artistic and creative possibilities offered to students during the academic day, by providing a wide range of arts based classes. It is an opportunity for students to try something entirely new, or to delve more deeply into an art form for which they have already developed a passion. In the evening, many wonderful local artists and crafts people join the art department to share their gifts.
This program provides a chance to explore diverse performing, visual and literary arts and crafts that include and are not limited to: animation, blacksmithing, ceramics, fiber arts, figure drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, jewelry, stained glass, photography, creative writing, literary magazine, yearbook, culinary arts, African drumming, songwriting, audio engineering, Afro-modern, Latin and hip hop dance. Several of Putney's performing ensembles are offered through the Evening Arts Program: Jazz Combo, Jazz Ensemble, Madrigals, Chorus, Orchestra and Dance Ensemble. Additionally, the theater program's fall plays and spring musical are sponsored by the evening program.
The evening classes meet for 1 1/2 hours once or twice a week and students are required to complete 2 evening credits during the Fall and Winter/Spring terms.
Evening Arts Courses
Dance, Music, Theater and Meditative Arts:
Afro-Modern
This class provides a broad overview of various ethnic dance forms with an emphasis on blending West African dance with modern day Jazz and Hip Hop.
Ballroom Dancing
This class will focus on the smooth dances: Foxtrot, Waltz, East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing, and Tango. We will dance a social partnered style of ballroom to learn how to lead and follow, as well as step patterns, and rhythms. Making it fun will be a central theme while learning how to use our body and communicate with a partner. Leaders and followers need not be gender specific. In fact it is great to learn both parts.
Chorus
Putney has been known as a singing school since its inception. Chorus is the laboratory in which students learn the basics of music reading, good vocal production, diction and ensemble, leading to the highly polished performance of choral works from a broad spectrum of styles and periods. The Chorus is crucial to the perpetuation of sophisticated part singing at all-school Sing. The group also performs with the school orchestra once per year. Chorus meets as an Evening Arts double one evening and one late afternoon per week.
Dance Ensemble
Wednesday 3:00-4:30 The Putney School Dance Ensemble offers experienced dancers the exciting opportunity to be part of a community of dedicated dancers. We will be making new dances and adding to our company repertoire for performances in the Winter and Spring Dance Concerts, as well as “on tour” at various local venues. Please note: though offered as an evening activity, rehearsals are after dance class Wednesday and Thursday afternoon. The Thursday rehearsal is with Patricia Wilson, making dances that draw from Modern Dance and the Dunham-based jazz style of her afternoon classes. The Wednesday rehearsal is with Kalya Yannatos, making dances that draw from both modern and ballet. We encourage you to sign up for both (2 credits), but you may sign up for just one (1) credit; please do specify clearly on your sign up form. Please note that we will also work for two blocks during the December Project Week. Dancers should be in Level 3 dance classes or receive permission from Patricia or Kalya. Full year commitment required.
Encountering Music
The opposite of “elevator music”, active listening is the term used to describe the intentional placing of music in the foreground where it receives one’s full intellectual, emotional and physical attention. In this activity, students will survey important works of music in various styles and genres and from different cultures. Participants will be introduced to music from the last eight centuries, ranging from chant to orchestral music, chamber music to musical theater, opera to jazz, choral music, folk/world music and American and Euro pop/rock. Through active listening, students will not only become familiar with previously unfamiliar music, but will learn to discern the various elements of music that may be present in these different styles and genres. Meets one night per week, with two field trips to live concerts each semester.
Hip Hop
“Hip: to educate/ Hop: to elevate.” This class will build your hip hop skills and challenge you to grow as a dancer. Taught this fall by Anthony Manuel, an avid instructor of many dance forms, his own performing career spanned performing on the streets of London to becoming the Hit- Man for Uncle Jams Army, a crew of 15 of the zaniest breakdancers and DJs on the west coast in its time. In addition to street time Anthony was a huge part in a newly developing entertainment industry arm from choreography to production coordination, storyboard and set design for Universal Concerts working with many artists including Michael Jackson, Lionel Ritchie and Tina Turner to name a few. Spending roughly 36 weeks out of the year on world tours, Manuel studied many different dance forms from all corners of the earth and returned with the same theme that no matter where we are from, we move as one people.
Jazz Combo
The Jazz Combo provides experienced jazz musicians with an opportunity to perform jazz repertoire in a wide range of traditions and styles at an advanced level. Participants will develop their improvisation skills and have the chance to develop into strong and confident soloists by playing in this group. This ensemble performs at events throughout the school year. Prerequisite: Jazz Basics course and Jazz Ensemble (or equivalent). Jazz Combo meets one evening and one late afternoon as an Evening Arts double both semesters. Full year.
Latin Dance
Salsa, Marengue, Cumbia and more! No experience necessary, just a willingness to try and a desire to have fun, fun, fun!
Madrigals
Madrigals is an auditioned small vocal ensemble that derives its name from the English secular songs that originally comprised its repertoire. The current repertoire includes not only madrigals, but music from many genres, including motets, folk-songs, and modern a cappella arrangements. The group meets for one hour on Thursday night, and each section meets for a 30-minute session once per week. Experience is preferred, but all students are encouraged to audition. Audition dates/times will be posted by the instructor. No preparation is required, but you may bring a prepared song to sing if you like. The group performs frequently both on and off campus. A full year commitment is desired.
Multi-Ethnic Belly Dance
This dance class draws inspiration from the nomadic and Romani groups of northern India, North Africa, the Middle East, and Spain. Music ranging from traditional Middle Eastern to Arab-American-Balkan Electronica drives each class. The movement is funky and strong utilizing torso isolations and a literal interpretation of rhythm and melody. All are welcome.
Putney Community Orchestra
Open to all players of orchestral instruments from the advanced beginner level and up, this ensemble is dedicated to music for string, chamber, and full orchestra (including works with chorus) from many different genres and historic time periods. This group has recently performed works for strings such as J.S. Bach's Harpsichord Concerto in D Minor, Mozart's Mass in C Major (K. 259) and Holst's “St. Paul's Suite”. Students are often featured as soloists. Prerequisite: basic ability on a string, wind, brass, or percussion instrument; the desire to share and experience music making. Full year commitment desired.
Theater
All students, faculty and staff are invited to audition for the fall and/or the spring production. Students are expected to devote some time to memorization and review throughout the week. Most cast members should expect to meet on Sunday afternoons during most of the semester. Rehearsals will also run later than the regularly scheduled evening times. This activity will continue during Project Week as a double project.
Visual and Literary Arts and Crafts
Animation
If you love Wallace and Gromit or have ever wanted to create your own short claymation, this workshop will give you the tools and experience you need. A willingness to let your creative mind run free is required along with a bit of patience. Participants will plan storylines, design characters, create storyboards, and use iStopMotion to animate and edit their own short claymation clips and films.
Blacksmithing
Students will learn basic blacksmithing techniques through the creation of functional objects. As confidence and skill increase, students will undertake more advanced projects under close guidance. There will be a lab fee, plus individual charges for special projects and materials.
Ceramics
In this activity, which is open to all levels, students are encouraged to explore a variety of methods that are possible for the means of expression with clay. Starting with basic hand-building and wheel-throwing techniques, students have the opportunity to move on to increasingly complex projects of their choosing. Along with the different construction methods, students are introduced to a range of surface decoration possibilities such as texturing, carving, painting with slips and stains and glaze application. Students work is high-fired in a gas kiln.
Creative Writing
Explore self-expression through an informal writers' workshop. We will dabble in a variety of genres, including fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Prompts and exercises will be offered as a way to get started, or you may work on your own project. Participants should be prepared to share their writing from time to time with the group.
Figure Drawing
Devoted exclusively to drawing the human form directly from observation. Students will observe and express the structure, gesture, anatomy and form of the live model in a variety of drawing and printmaking media. We will look at precedents in art history and add substantially to college and art school portfolios.
Jewelry • Jeanne Wulsin-Bennett • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday The emphasis in this activity is on making silver jewelry, but students may make other objects as well. We will also work with other metals such as brass, copper, and materials that can be combined with metal. Students will acquire skills in basic hammering, sawing, and forging as well as setting stones in bezels, and finishing techniques. There will be a small fee for materials.
Knitting
Students will increase their competency while they enjoy a congenial evening. All levels welcome, though an emphasis placed on beginner and intermediate levels.
Literary Magazine
Join a team of writers, artists, photographers, editors, etc. who will design our magazine and publish a variety of creative talents from our community.
Painting
The evening activity in painting is designed to introduce new students to painting techniques or afford more experienced students the opportunity for further practice, growth, and development. Subjects explored will include still life, interior, portraiture, studies from masters (old and contemporary), and a group mural project near the end of color mixing and color properties, and how these relate to painting from observation. Drawing is integral to the process of painting. In this sense, the activity involves both drawing and painting. However, this is a painting activity. Students who decide to take the activity will be expected to take on the challenge of working with brushes and paint.
Photography: B&W
This activity is open to anyone regardless of experience. The emphasis will be on making images with traditional black & white film, paper & 35mm cameras. For those with no experience, it will be an opportunity to learn the basics of how to shoot, process and print in the school's darkroom. For those with a background in traditional photography, this activity is an opportunity to explore the medium further. Having a 35mm camera is helpful, but we have a few cameras to loan as well. Materials: film and paper will need to be purchased by the student and is available in the school bookstore.
Photography: Digital
We will explore image making using digital techniques. This class will focus on individual ideas and how they relate to the world, using a camera and computers as creative tools. Emphasis will be placed on producing a cohesive and thematic body of work for final presentation. Presentations and discussion on contemporary and historic photographic work will be included. Skills learned will be how to effectively use printing, scanning and editing software for production of photographic art. Students should have access to use of a digital camera.
Printmaking
In this printmaking class students will work with a variety of etching techniques. They will explore hardground and softground etching, aquatint, spit bite, sugar lift, and white ground. Depending on experience, students will make many small plates, using a different technique on each plate, or make one image that incorporates all the techniques. Students will be encouraged to explore the various possibilities of printmaking and image making.
Sculpture: Metal
If you have the urge to express your creative self by cutting, bending, denting, grinding, welding and polishing metal, then you may have a future as a metal sculptor. Take this activity to confirm the suspicion and you won’t be disappointed.
Sculpture: the Ordinary to Extraordinary
In this class students will re-purpose everyday items into fantastic works of art. Using various construction techniques, including weaving and mosaic making we will create sculpture from found and discarded objects. In addition, each sculpture will address a specific theme.
Sculpture: Wood
Students will learn to use a variety of hand and power tools to create sculptures in wood. These sculptures can be made through additive and/or reductive processes but wood carving will be the emphasis of the activity. All levels of experience are welcome.
Sewing, Quilting and Fiber Arts
This activity will cover a variety of basic sewing skills. Students can choose to focus on quilting techniques or learn to sew clothing from commercial and original patterns. Instruction in embroidery, alterations and embellishments will also be offered. All levels of experience are welcome.
Spinning Workshop
Monday This activity will cover the basic principles of spinning wool on a wheel. Students will discuss characteristics of animal fibers—primarily wool, but also mohair and angora. They will learn about basic tools and equipment, about washing and carding or combing, yarn design, and, if there is time, about color and dyeing. Each class will include a lot of time spinning.
Weaving
Students will learn the fundamentals of weaving by designing and making individual projects, which may include scarves, clothing, blankets, rugs or tapestries. Other fiber-related techniques can also be explored. Beginners are welcome—patience, not experience, is the necessary ingredient. Costs will vary.
Woodworking
Instruction and suggestions are offered on design, construction techniques, and the uses of both hands and power tools. Everyone must complete at least one project by the end of the semester. Beginning and experienced woodworkers are welcome.
Yearbook
This is a year-long project with real deadlines and real disappointments at the end, if it isn't done—or isn't done right. Would you like a real job with real responsibilities? You'll work with a team of dedicated student journalists who will document the school year in photos and words, then put on your designer hat to make it all fit within the confines of the budgeted pages using the latest in computer layout and digital photo software. You'll also wear the ad sales hat in soliciting income from parents and businesses to offset the cost of the publication to your peers, and the production manager hat as we negotiate the printing process. At weekly editorial meetings you'll update your colleagues on your progress and brainstorm with them to overcome the pitfalls, missteps, and Mr. Murphy moments big jobs such as this one present. You will emerge with a fine yearbook and a pile of real job skills you can add to your resume, should you ever want a job in the publishing industry. Whiners, slackers, and dilettantes need not apply. We need multi-taskers.
