Walking down Main Street in Poughkeepsie you see a multitude of buildings, but one building, tore out of a beautiful 1868 theater, that stands out amongst the rest. Originally the Collingwood Opera House, the Bardavon has been home to a variety of events, and for the last 30 decades, they’ve been educating those that want to know more. The classic outdoor structure beautifully matches its interior, as though it was straight out of a movie.
In an interview with Adelina Borman, the Director of Education at the Bardavon, I was able to gain some insight into their education program. Off their website the Bardavon’s Education Performance Series stated,
“An important part of the Bardavon’s mission is to support teachers and students in learning through the Arts. We present international and national theater companies, whose thought-provoking productions entertain, enrich, teach and inspire. By bringing excellent educational programs to the Mid-Hudson Valley, the Bardavon hopes to help alter negative perceptions, instill strong values, and build students’ understanding of the world.”
Currently, Ms. Borman runs the program, “Kay Churchill who recently retired had been running the program for over 20 years.” The program itself has offered four subsidiaries, each with their own dedicated message. Arm of the Sea Theater, The Hudson Valley Philharmonic Young People’s Concert/Classroom to Concert (HVP YPC/CTC), Hip Hop Theater (HHT), and Circus. Each one of these programs supports the New York State Common Core Learning Standards for the Arts.
One of these programs, Arm of the Sea Theater is known for their work creating giant puppets to highlight environmental issues. Working with fifth graders, founder Patrick Wadden helps them to create the puppets for a special culmination performance during the Bardavon-created, Celebration of Lights Parade in Downtown Poughkeepsie.
With students ranging from elementary to high school Borman says that the program absolutely enriches the community, going on she said “An important part of the Bardavon’s mission is to support teachers and students in learning through the Arts. We present international and national theater companies, whose thought-provoking productions entertain, enrich, teach and inspire. By bringing excellent educational programs to the Mid-Hudson Valley, the Bardavon hopes to help alter negative perceptions, instill strong values, and build students’ understanding of the world. I recently started but I did see former students in the audience for some of the culminating events we hold at the theater.””
Each one of these incredible programs can be found on the Bardavon’s website, on their In-School Residencies tab. Educating young children about the power of the arts has always been an innovative way to teach young people about creative outlets. Continuing this program provides the best outcome for children that want to learn about the arts.
Ema Fernandez 