A LOT, ACTUALLY. And not just because musicians, actors, and dancers are all prone to stage fright. While the final presentations of their work can differ widely, there is considerable overlap between these disciplines. For instance, mastery of artistic elements such as phrasing, rhythm, and dynamic contrast is necessary to each craft. Dancers are often praised for their musicality, actors may be praised for their “dancer’s grace,” but musicians are not usually praised for their elocution or physical coordination. We think it’s time to change that. 

A hybrid arts workshop can broaden any performer's scope on how they develop and present their material. From musicians to actors to dancers to visual artists, baroque to twenty-first century, applying a hybrid arts approach to any project can give it exciting energy and new direction. Specific foci in a workshop may include how to work successfully in a group, building stage presence, engaging with your audience, not getting lost behind a music stand, communication in an ensemble, and interpretation of new works. But these are just the basics. More ambitious groups may be interested in learning about how to combine multiple performing arts by adding dance to a piece of music, introducing dramatic relationships into a dance or how to use music to inspire and shape a theatrical scene. Below, is a list of workshops and demonstrations that The Fourth Wall offers to folks of all ages.

FOR GENERAL AUDIENCES

Creative Process Workshop

The Fourth Wall will bring participants into its creative process using elements taken from the worlds of music, acting, and dance. Musicians will broaden their perceptions of space, actors will develop new ways to work in an ensemble, dancers will find new sources of inspiration for movement, and those who don’t consider themselves performers will have a chance to unleash their creativity.

FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS

Introduction to the Hybrid Arts, Lecture/Demonstration

The Fourth Wall will demonstrate and discuss the core elements of Hybrid Arts performance. Students will get to know a new, innovative performance style and see the various stages of development and experimentation involved in creating a hybrid arts piece.

Introduction to the Hybrid Arts, Interactive Workshop

Students will explore new ways to approach performance by combining techniques used in dance, acting, and music under the guidance of The Fourth Wall. Using a mixture of demonstrations and activities, the members of The Fourth Wall will broaden musicians’ perceptions of space, movement, and stage presence; build ensemble skills in actors; and give dancers new sources of inspiration for movement.

Chamber Music through the Hybrid Arts

Students will participate in various activities inspired by combining acting and dance with music to improve chamber music skills. By exploring different ways to relate within a chamber music group, performers will develop greater communication skills, become more responsive to real-­time changes, and increase their overall feeling of ensemble.

FOR PRE-COLLEGE STUDENTS

Hybrid Arts Interactive Workshop

Students will explore new ways to approach performing by combining techniques used in dance, acting, and music under the guidance of The Fourth Wall. Using a combination of demonstrations and activities, the members of The Fourth Wall will develop basic stage presence and ensemble skills in musicians; build ensemble skills in actors; and help dancers feel the music in new ways.

MAKE YOUR OWN

Choose from the following options to create a workshop specifically tailored to you!

LEVEL  ::  Pre-College, Undergraduate, Graduate

TOPICS  ::  Stage Presence, Working As An Ensemble, Developing a Narrative, Moving While Playing, Working with Text, Interpreting New Works, Using Instruments as Props, + Interacting With Your Audience.

Any of our workshops/demonstrations can last from 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on your needs.

The Fourth Wall have shared their work with students of The Juilliard School, The Eastman School of Music, Rice University's Shepherd School of Music, the Manhattan School of Music, Oberlin Conservatory, University of Memphis, Texas State University – San Marcos, University of Houston, University of Alaska – Fairbanks, Indiana University, New York University, the Boston University Academy, Houston Youth Symphony, the Flute Society of Kentucky, and the New York and Indiana Percussive Arts Societies. The Fourth Wall are teaching artists for Indiana’s Arts for Learning program.