(Download the Full Information Package in PDF format - 162K)

SUN.ERGOS, A COMPANY OF THEATRE AND DANCE, tailor-makes an in-school residency with your staff prior to coming to your school. We help you to establish goals for the residencies, and you get to chose the types of activities best suited to your students needs. You plan the schedule, the events and the applications with the artists before the residency takes place. You do not buy a set package.

Robert Greenwood [actor] and Mr. Dana Luebke [dancer], use their teaching, professional experience at all levels of training from ECS through University, to effectively implement your goals for the residency. They teach creative and live-skills while enriching and enhancing your Fine Arts programming.

This is established during a pre-residency meeting with the entire staff whenever possible. If such a meeting is not possible, due to distance or scheduling, the content of the residency and its goals can be developed through conference calls with the artists.

APPLICATIONS: In acting, speech/vocal skills, dance techniques, making dances and choreography, directing, design, mask and costume making, poetry with voice and movement, drawing, painting, sculpture, poetry-writing skills, Educational Kinesiology and Brain Gym, listening, reading and writing skills -- you choose

“'Stimulating, inspirational and engaging' is how we would describe our week long residency with Sun Ergos – A Company of Theatre and Dance. Through a perfect blend of demonstration, creative movement opportunities and dramatic experiences, students and staff became immersed in the performing arts. Sun Ergos was able to tailor-make the residency by drawing inspiration from our school-wide focus on the question “What does it mean to honour our world?” The depth of exploration and understanding our students and teachers were able to achieve through working with such experienced and passionate professional artists was truly outstanding.”
Karen Barry, Principal & Trevor Barkley, Vice-Principal,
WEST DALHOUSIE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, Calgary, Alberta

WHERE: Right in your own environments: class rooms, gymnasia, auditoria, work rooms, community halls, portables.

WHEN: Scheduling is mutually agreed upon between the artists and the school one school-year in advance, usually for a five-day period.

WHY: To stimulate interest, to excite imagination, to promote and develop personal growth, to raise awareness and the level of skills in the performing arts and relate them to real life, responsible social interaction, the development of co-operative abilities and talents and to other art forms.

HOW: In workshops, master classes and seminars; through actual exercises, practical session of on-hands experience, lectures, coaching sessions, lecture-demonstrations, shared sessions of “show-and-tell” for both students and teachers, together and/or separately

THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: In multiple, after-school workshops for staff and parents, we impart lasting skills in dance, theate, visual arts and Educational Kinesiologythat the teachers will be able to use in their classes on an ongoing basis, extending and supporting the week's learning experience.

THE SHARING (click here for photos) : A time and place where the students and teachers can show their work and their understanding of the work that has been achieved to each other and to their support groups, their families and friends. This could be in the form of displays, small scenes, short dances, exhibitions of design ideas, etc. We do not recommend a "production." View most recent sharing session

"Congratulations to all the classes who took part in last Friday's Celebration [with Bob and Dana].  The students did an awesome job and my class was fascinated with the variety of activities that were presented.  I think this was the best Artists in Residency 'performance' we've ever had!
Jennifer Helgren, Grade 1
ECOLE ROCKY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, Rocky Mountain House, Alberta

RATIONALE: One week is long enough for young people to become interested in the arts and to see that the arts are not frivolous, not a fringe on the society, but the heart of the society, that they require patience, long years of training and careful development of sensitivities and skills which last a life-time and that they are a joy, a celebration of all that is human.

It is our belief that one week is not long enough to create a production of sufficient quality to truly explore and witness the growth and understanding of young people.

We focus on teaching specific skills and ideas which students and staff can use to create for the rest of their lives.

THE PROCESS
THE FIRST STEP: A face-to-face meeting or conference call between the staff and the artists, a brain-storming session to shape the work-week.

SECOND STEP: A face-to-face meeting or conference call to finalize the content of the week, working out specifications with the staff and the artists.

THIRD STEP: Contractual agreements are submitted by the artists and their representatives. Funding is arranged by the school.

FOURTH STEP: THE RESIDENCY takes place at the designated time.

FIFTH STEP: A Sharing Session on the final day of the residency with students, staff and parents witnessing the skills learned during the residency.This may include an exhibition of visual and three dimensional arts, dance studies, acting skills demonstrations, movement and voice studies created to poetry, mask parades, etc.

SIXTH STEP: A face-to-face evaluation session among the artists and the staff.

"Norwood School was excited to have Mr. Bob Greenwood and Mr. Dana Luebke bring their company Sun.Ergos, A Company of Theatre and Dance, to our school January, 2005. The company members used their professional skills in dance, theatre, and visual arts to offer our students an opportunity to transform their skills in and attitudes to the arts through activities which centered on the theme of China. The innovative activities provided by this great dynamic team gave opportunities for students and staff to become more connected to the arts in relation to their literacy knowledge through topics such as dance, theatre performance, poetry and movement, mask-making, mime and Brain Gym©. The impact of these two artists has lived on at Norwood School from the daily physical activities to a yearly Dragon dance. Thank you, Bob and Dana!"
Heather Raymond, Principal, NORWOOD SCHOOL, Edmonton, Alberta

THE FINANCING
HOW MUCH?
5-10 day residencies $7,500 to $18,000
1-3 day residencies $1,500 - $2,500 per day
(in Canada please add GST)

FUND-RAISING: A possibility that should not be over-looked is the fact that the artists are willing to hold a performance evening, during which the artists would present one show from their repertoire which would be chosen as suitable to the needs of the school and which could be used as a fund-raiser for the work-week.

Such a performance would be given in the school during an appropriate evening when staff, students, parents and friends could come. The school would charge a ticket price and the artists would be guaranteed an additional fee of $750. [This is under half the price for a regular community presentation.] Anything over and above the artists’ fee would go directly to the school to help with the costs of the work-week.

Another possibility is to find corporate sponsors, small business in your area, private donors, people who have children in your school.

(Download the Full Information Package in PDF format - 162K)