As we shelter at home for the foreseeable future, we are focused on creating opportunities for our students and their families to continue to use their bodies, voices and imaginations to connect more deeply with themselves and each other; and find comfort in knowing that while we can’t be physically together, we are also not alone.
We are moving slowly into online classes, using Zoom, so that students can interact with their teaching artists and friends. Enrolled students will receive emails with links and passwords to “join” classes and ensembles. These classes are not open to the public so that they can be safe spaces, built on relationships that have been developed over the past year together. New classes will be added as we work through schedules and develop content. Your feedback about what is working (or not) and any suggestions or recommendations would be helpful. Just fill out a Hope Academy @ Home Survey form,
We are asking our families, partners and friends to tell us what they want and need – and let us know how they are doing – by completing this short Hope Academy @ Home Survey form. If there is something you can donate (a used, but in good condition laptop or tablet); or something you can do (get groceries for a family who shouldn’t be in grocery stores or who doesn’t have a car) let us know and we will try to match needs with haves. East Liberty Development, Inc (ELDI) has compiled a helpful Community Resource Guide that you could also refer to.
There are many other online classes, performances and livestreams being offered that are free and open to the public. Rather than overwhelm you all with an exhaustive list, we’ve decided to curate a list based on recommendations from our teaching artists, partners and friends. One-time events will be featured on our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter pages.
This responsive list will be updated as we learn more about what our students want and need during these uncertain times. Please check back for updates. This page was last updated on April 24, 2020.
Weekly emails are being sent out to enrolled families with updates and links to zoom classes
DANCE
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre @ Hope Academy Classes on Zoom – enrolled students only
Links will be emailed to families through JackRabbit, our online registration platform
Saturdays starting April 4, 2020
10:00-10:30am Creative Movement
10:45-11:30am Pre-Ballet A & B
11:45-12:45pm Ballet 1 & 2 + HA! Dance Company
12:45- 1:30pm Choreography – Ballet 2 and HA! Dance Company
1:30-2:00pm Pre-Pointe/Pointe
- Coloring pages for Creative Movement and Pre-Ballet students can be downloaded here
- Choreography practice videos are on Vimeo
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) – free and open to the public
“Dance the Story” for young children and their families
Tuesday and Thursday at 10 am
Livestream on PBT’s facebook page
Recordings of sessions to watch at any time on PBT’s facebook and website
Supplementary materials, like coloring pages and puppets for each story, are also on the PBT website
Instagram Live Dance Classes
These classes pop up (so they are not regularly scheduled) but they are a great opportunity to take a class with nationally-known dancers and choreographers. Follow them on instagram and watch for their live stories.
Debbie Allen – Emmy, Tony and Golden Globe award winning actress, dancer, choreographer, singer-songwriter, director and producer who also founded the Debbie Allen Dance Academy @therealdebbieallen
Syncopated Ladies – A female tap dance band from Los Angeles, CA created by Emmy Award nominated tap dancer and choreographer, Chloe Arnold, protege of Debbie Allen. Recommended by HA student, Chloe Baker and enjoyed by all of our tap students. – @syncladies
Ryan Heffington – Choreographer for The OA (those five movements!) and Sia. Read about his daily classes/dance parties here – @ryan.heffington
THEATER
Hope Academy @ Home Acting Classes on Zoom (new as of Tuesday, April 21).
Acting 3 with Charlie Mengine – 3:30 to 4:30 pm
Acting 2 with Lindsay Zappala – 5:00 to 6:00 pm
Acting 4 with Meredith Hoppe – 6:00 to 7:00 pm
National Theater at Home – free and open to the public
Full-length plays streamed on YouTube every week on Thursday (for 7 days)
- April 24-30 – Twelfth Night
- April 30- May 8 – Frankenstein (with Benedict Cumberbatch)
- May 8 – 14 – Antony and Cleopatra (with Ralph Fiennes)
Recommended by Linda Addlespurger – “These world-class theatrical productions were filmed to be shown in movie theaters around the world. I’ve seen as many as possible and have never been disappointed. Their gender-bending version of Twelfth Night, featuring Tamsin Greig as Malvolia, is smart, funny and moving. Our Shakespeare students should definitely watch this one. There isn’t a rating but I would say PG-13.”
Pittsburgh Public Theater – free and open to the public
PlayTime is a new online reading series, hosted live by Artistic Director Marya Sea Kaminski, that will bring great classic plays and the work of extraordinary Pittsburgh writers right to your living room, computer, or device. The link to join the readings is on PPT’s PlayTime page.
Thursday and Friday at 7 pm (readings are done over two evenings)
Age appropriateness depends on the play
Daily 8 Count – free but donations accepted and appreciated
Each Monday, daily8count will be releasing an original short musical theater dance combination perfect for all skill levels…broken down over 5 brief videos for you to stream at your own pace. Also included each week are signs that correspond with the dance steps and the accompanying song track. Just enter your email address into the box at the top of the page and you will be emailed a password to unlock the weekly combinations
Recommended by Meredith Hoppe: “My good friend and fellow theater artist, Brian Curl, is the creator of this online platform. He teaches dance for musical theater and choreographs high school musicals across the country – to thousands of young people each year.. He sits on the board of the Educational Theater Association and has been a working actor in New York for 10 years.”
MUSIC
Hope Academy Private Instrument and Voice Lessons – enrolled students only, as scheduled with teaching artists
Hope Academy Flute Choir with Brittany Trotter – enrolled students only
Hope Academy Singer-Songwriter Ensemble with Emma Cox and Ryan McMasters – enrolled students only
Thursday 5:30 to 6:30
Hope Academy Suzuki Cello Book 2/3 Group with Beth Goldtein-McKee – enrolled students only new as of SAT April 11
BLACK VIOLIN Masterclasses
A free 6 week, 12 class series on YouTube for beginners or anyone who wants to brush up on their skills. Students only need to know one octave concert G major and/or G Minor scale to participate. The intro session will livestream on Black Violin’s YouTube – April 3rd @ 2 pm.
During every class there will be an opportunity to text Kev Marcus and Wil B who will answer questions live.
Black Violin is an American hip hop duo from Florida comprised of two classically trained string instrumentalists, Kevin Sylvester and Wilner Baptiste, who go by the stage names Kev Marcus and Wil B. Kev Marcus plays the violin, and Wil B. plays the viola. Hope Academy string students have be honored to perform with them when they were on tour in Pittsburgh.
LITERARY ARTS
Poetry Foundation
Daily writing prompts for the youngest of poetry writers up to those well-versed. During National Poetry Month and beyond, The Poetry Foundation Library will feature an activity each weekday for those who want to discover new poets and poems, connect with others through poetry, and compose original poems. Prompts specifically for youth and teens will be offered each week.
LeVar Burton Reads – twitter livestream
” I’ve dedicated my life to the power of storytelling. Whether I’m acting, directing, writing or podcasting, I believe sharing stories is what I was born to do because storytelling is what brings us all together.” – LeVar Burton
Monday mornings at 9:00 am – Children’s Stories
Wednesday afternoons at 12:00 pm – Young Adult Stories
Friday evenings @ 9:00 pm – Grown Up Stories
VISUAL ARTS AND CRAFTS
Bluprint
FREE Creativity Care Package (3/26-4/9/20). Watch over 1,300 creative education classes ranging from sewing, knitting, cooking, baking, family crafts, and more. For all ages and ability levels.
Virtual Assemble
Our friends at Assemble on Penn Avenue are offering their after school DIY programming online.