Who We Are

Janie Tursini, Fairfax County Arts for the Aging Director & CEO | Sarah House, Fairfax County Arts for the Aging Program Director | Gwendolyn Jones, Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services – Virtual Center for Active Adults | Kristin Roman, Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services, Director of Senior Services, ServiceSource
Arts for the Aging Janine Tursini and Sarah House explored how they adapted residencies virtually in senior centers for their teaching artists. This included an interactive performance from teaching artists Peter Burroughs and Carlos César Rodríguez and guidelines and topics from their workshop. Gwendolyn Jones and Kristin Roman provided insights on how the Virtual Center for Active Adults works through Neighborhood and Community Services. View the entire session to learn more.

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Kara Drinkwater, Fairfax County Educational Specialist Fine Arts Office | Shannon Campbell, After-School Specialist & Building Coordinator, Rocky Run Middle School
Kara Drinkwater and Shannon Campbell from Fairfax County Public Schools discussed best practices and how FCPS has adapted to online learning in middle schools and the after-school program. Review the presentation or watch online.

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Caroline Weinroth, musician, writer, and artist in the Washington, DC area
Caroline Weinroth detailed how to monetize and market your virtual content. You can read or view her presentation from the workshop.

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Indi McCasey, Creative Education Consultant and Executive Director of the Arts Education Alliance of the Bay Area
Indi McCasey, explored how to adapt your residency virtually with challenges and success stories from teaching artists, Janet Stormes and Brad Alan Waller. Explore creativity with distance learning scrolling through the presentation or watch a video.

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Victoria is the winner of the ArtsFairfax $200 award and her piece will be displayed in Congressman Connolly’s Fairfax Office. Victoria’s medium for this piece is acrylic on canvas.

Heaven is the winner of the ArtsFairfax $300 award and her piece will be displayed in the Workhouse Arts Center. Heaven’s medium for this piece is acrylic and oil on canvas.

Lena is the winner of the ArtsFairfax $500 award and her work will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for the next year. Lena’s medium for this piece is colored pencil.

The residency provides students the opportunity to recount a specific narrative from a historical time period of their choosing through Hip-Hop dance choreography. During the residency students first learn about the history of Hip-Hop culture. They investigate the social and economic circumstances that inspired it and how underprivileged youth in the Bronx, New York, NY in the late 1970’s created safe spaces for positive expression to cope with feeling oppressed and ignored. Students discover through observation and discussion that ultimately this small movement became a global phenomenon. Hip-Hop culture has four original avenues of artistic expression: DJ, Emcee, Graffiti and Breaking. They explore Hip-Hop through interactive storytelling, observing dance performance videos and practicing movement basics. Students collaborate with the artist to select a theme and the music for a Hip-Hop performance. They are introduced to Hip-Hop movement techniques within their historical context, and they apply the techniques as choreographed by the artist. Students contribute to the creative process by developing some choreography to be performed in a collective work. Students realize through collaboration Hip-Hop can be used as a form of artistic expression to communicate a message, release an emotion or entertain. This program empowers and validates the students’ points of view and enables them to communicate through dance.

The residency teaches middle school students about the expression of ideas through the artistic vehicle of mosaics. In Stage 1, students discuss environmental issues regarding ocean pollution and conduct research on a select creature to determine its form and function. They then draw the creature and then work with paper clay to form it into a small sculpture. The completed sculptures are painted and reserved for the final mosaic. In Stage 2, students review environmental issues regarding ocean pollution and translate ideas of what they believe to be a healthy ocean in small drawings. They include the previously selected sea creatures in their drawing. Students work independently to create their mosaic on their given substrate, based on their drawing. The sea creature is placed at the center of the substrate. Students then use a mixture of ceramic, glass tiles and natural elements. Materials, provided by the artist include substrates, various ceramic and/or glass tiles and premixed thinset. In Stage 3, students reflect on their learning by completing a feedback form that describes their thoughts on environmental impact, artistic process and their accomplishments.

Washington, D.C., has given much to the musical world beyond its best-known exports; Duke Ellington, and the punk, and go-go scenes. Musician, broadcaster, and historian Ken Avis explores the area’s lesser-known, remarkable, and fascinating musical avenues and why they could only have happened here in the DMV area. Film and recordings bring legendary musicians to life as Avis examines how social change, technological development, and business innovation shaped the sounds that emerged from D.C.—a political town with a serious music habit. Discover music, stories and facts…and a lot of surprises as you hear the stories of Music City DC!

Award winning percussionist, composer and educator, Tom Teasley, delivers his unique world of rhythm and sound. Tom has traveled the world as a cultural envoy for the U.S. Department of State and shares musical examples of his travels as well as stories of the cultures from which this music emanates. He is currently working virtually with the US Embassy in Port au Prince, Haiti on a series of percussion workshops in addition to music business presentations. Other travels have taken him to China, Iraq, Korea, Oman, Jerusalem, Bahrain and others. Tom will also share his work on creating music for theatre which has earned him seven Helen Hayes Nominations and three awards. The residency consists of many musical and instrument demonstrations and performances and encourages participation.

Pictures and Poetry is a fun, interactive, low stress communal gathering where the participants will view and write poetically about visually pleasing images that evoke an array of emotions and responses. Tammarrah uses images as a catalyst for conversation, healing, laughter and insight. Participants get a chance to bring their own images to assist in cultivating creativity for the community of learners.

Tap into your own creativity, clarity, and happiness. Moving Dialogues is a powerful way to come together, experience each other’s perspective, and create deeper meaning. Zero dance experience is expected—Moving Dialogues is for everyone and every body. Be prepared to: write, move your body, think, and play. Moving Dialogues workshops started at American University’s Emerging Arts Leaders Symposium in 2015. Founder Kelly King led a group of participating arts leaders to answer the question: “What makes me happy?”
Since then, Kelly has led Moving Dialogues workshops for businesses and community groups, including: Visit Baltimore, The Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, Goddard College, Washington Performing Arts, ReCreative Spaces, The Girl Scouts of America’s Keys to Success Conference, Round House Theatre, Anacostia Arts Center, YMCA leadership, Office Accomplice, and more.