This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
08/05/2015 09:00 AMThis summer, in addition to being a fun summer venue for students between 5th and 12th grades, the Madison Arts Barn is engaging in a new form of creative expression: the flash mob.
The idea for flash mob program, which gathers large groups in public spots for spontaneous dance performances, arose from a conversation about raising awareness for the Shoreline Arts Alliance (SAA) efforts to purchase the Academy Street School and turn it into a cultural arts center.
“We were talking to [SAA Director] Eric Dillner,” said Robyn Klaskin, co-director of the Friends of Madison Youth, which oversees Arts Barn programming. “[The center] is obviously something Friends of Madison [Youth] would use and people at the barn are excited about because we love arts.”
Klaskin and Dillner, along with their teams, brainstormed a way to raise awareness and enthusiasm about the creation of the cultural arts center. Flash mob was their conclusion.
“I haven’t seen flash [mob] dancing anywhere in Connecticut yet and I think it is a really great idea, especially the community aspect of it,” said Ricky Klaskin, 15, who is coordinating the flash mob as an intern with the Shoreline Arts Alliance.
The organization of the flash mobs began just a couple weeks ago and the first performance was set for Aug. 5 (after press time) on the Guilford Green.
“We will perform at things like Beachcombers’ Night and perform at the Madison Surf Club and also dance on the Green throughout the summer,” Robyn Klaskin said.
The structure of a flash mob, in which participants can practice their role independent of the other performers, lends itself well to the Arts Barn’s summer schedule. The youth performing in the flash mob with the Madison Arts Barn and Friends of Madison Youth can attend meetings to learn the dances or have the option to learn online through a YouTube instruction video.
“It’s one of those things that in the summertime it’s hard [to gather the whole group] with people going off to camp and vacation,” said Klaskin, noting that of almost 50 kids interested in participating, on a given day, only about 10 to 20 are available to practice.
Klaskin said many of the participants have resorted to using the YouTube video to learn the routine. She said she expects that between 15 and 25 participants show up to the scheduled public performances.
However, the staging of the flash mobs will involve more than just those participants that have practiced a certain routine.
“At one point in the flash dance, [students] have to try to grab people and pull them in,” said Klaskin. “The song that we are doing [Andy Grammer’s ‘Honey I’m Good’] really kind of makes that easy.”
Danyell Aspinall, an instructor from Westbrook Dance Academy, has donated her time to the project.
“She choreographed it for free and comes every week and works for us,” said Klaskin. “People from the Friends of Madison Youth are donating their time, it doesn’t cost the kids anything, there are no fees involved.”
Klaskin said that she’s unsure if the program will just be a summer project. So far, it has been a way to keep youth involved in a community project throughout the summer—and that engagement is always a goal of the Arts Barn.
“Any of the programs we do at the barn for teenagers are just a way for positive interaction, promoting the arts kind of goes along with our mission. It’s a safe place for kids to explore their interests,” said Klaskin.
For more information on the flash mob training and public performances, visit madisonartsbarn.org.