Jason Lee Middle School - Tacoma
  Resident Artist Dan Senn

  February-March 2000



Residency Objectives

A cross-disciplinary program aimed at: 1) integrating existing art programs; 
2) developing an awareness of the interdisciplinary nature of all art; 3) pushing 
the envelope of educational and aesthetic techniques; and, 4) suggesting methods 
of integration for the future.


Class-by-class Implementation


Theatre (Peter Simon, teacher): Students developed monographs from life experiences and 
performed these on videotape.  Tablature notation which was developed in Music Composition was
integrated with monographs to produce a 10 minute video which acted as a score in the final performance.

Dance (Sherry Gillard, teacher): Students developed small movements taken from everyday life (ex. hair 
brushing, getting on the bus) which were recorded on videotape and then digitally manipulated to emphasize 
the pedestrian motion.  These gestures, a subset of  the original movements, were further developed to 
produce a group choreography under the direction of Ms Gillard and Dan Senn.  The final dance was
accompanied by the Steel Drum band under the direction of Mr Shelhamer and the artist.

Art (Thomas Johnson, teacher):  Students created notations first developed in music classes which 
functioned not only as musical scores, but as stand alone works of art.  These were digitally recorded and 
manipulated to produce a video of elaborate notations accompanied by the sound of Too Lips  which were 
performed by the class during the final performance.

Orchestra (Stan Martin, Teacher): Anton Vivaldi's Four Season's was developed as a piece of 
contemporary music and presented as such during the final performance.

Music Composition (David Cripe, teacher): Using special instruments of the artists, students developed 
performance and notational techniques presented in the final performance.  Various improvisational 
strategies were developed in the class and used to spontaneously accompany the Dance video in the 
final performance.

Steel Drums (Dan Shelhamer, teacher):  Various Improvisational strategies were developed for use on 
instruments made by the artist, and then transferred to the steel drums. These, along with a set of eight 
Popcorn Shakers, were used to accompany the dancers in the final performance.  

Final Performance: A one hour program was presented before an assembly of the entire school.  
The school's gymnasium was set up for multi-screen video projection and amplified sound with the floor
chairs arranged in a "v" shape to accomodate dance and live performance. Students performed 
instruments and sculptures made by the artist; dances were presented and accompanied by these
instruments; the orchestra and steel drum band played under the direction of the artist; and, the videos 
were presented ,one of which acted as a score for a set of bells (lyds) made by the artist.

Video Productions: Ms Gillard's Dance Class; Mr Simon's Theatre Class: Three Girls; 
and, Mr Johnson's Art Class: Sight + Sound

Resident artist program was coordinated by Sylvia Wood.
This program was funded by the Washington State Arts Commission.


Dan Senn's work