KENNESAW, Ga. | May 19, 2020

Virtual lectures in dance, music, theatre, and visual arts replace 2020 Summer Arts Intensives

Kennesaw State University’s Summer Arts Intensives are week-long creative workshops designed to provide high school students with an unparalleled arts experience. Students spend the week at the College of the Arts while studying with the nationally recognized faculty, making new friends, and sampling college life. This year, because of COVID-19, the 2020 Summer Arts Intensives were cancelled, but faculty were still committed to giving students an experience of what it might be like to be an arts student at KSU. 

During the week of June 1-5, the College of the Arts will present free virtual workshops at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in each discipline: art and design, dance, music, and theatre. The workshops are designed for high school students but may be enjoyed by everyone. 

For example, the School of Art and Design, scheduled to open new facilities in the fall of 2020, will feature Emmy Award-winning cartoonist Chris Malone. Prof. Malone has worked on numerous shows such as Archer, Adam Ruins Everything, Cyanide and Happiness, Explosion Jones, WWE Storytime, and many more, and he will offer virtual instruction on animation, comics, and sequential art.

Dancers will want to tune in for the Department of Dance’s virtual workshops, including Ballet Barre, Contemporary Technique and Yoga for Dancers. All of the tutorials are designed for small spaces, too, and kitchen counters are recommended as a good substitute for a barre.  

Students missing Broadway will want to catch Prof. Timothy Ellis’ virtual lecture on how to learn an entire musical theatre performance song from “A Chorus Line,” along with a fun dance break. Musical theatre enthusiasts should check out the “Panel on College Musical Theatre Programs” as hosts Amanda Wanda Morgan and Timothy Ellis interview some of the best U.S. musical theatre educators on facts, audition tips, and thoughts on how students may choose a theatre program that fits their needs. 

Classical music students will enjoy internationally acclaimed violinist and professor Helen Kim’s video on violin basics; she will also treat the audience to brief musical performances as well. Professor John Lawless will take students around the world through a “crazy tour” of his collection of percussion instruments from around the world. And pianist and accompanist Judy Cole will share tips on practical piano skills, including aspects of accompanying, reading chord charts, sight reading and efficient practicing.

All of the virtual workshops are free and, while designed for high school students, the presentations may be enjoyed by arts lovers in the community and around the world.  The videos will be published daily at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. online at ArtsKSU.com.

--Kathie Beckett

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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers more than 150 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its approximately 38,000 students. With 13 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the third-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 92 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status, and one of the 50 largest public institutions in the country. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu. For more information on the College of the Arts, visit arts.kennesaw.edu.