Classes & Programs

MCA Online Camp, Class, & Event Overview- August 2020

Dance Division

Aug 10-13: Tap Camp- hybrid camp with daily self-paced videos released daily at 10am, daily Zoom meetings and bonus outside in-person class on the final on Friday, Aug. 14, 9-10am. Tap II: Zoom calls 6-6:30pm, Tap III-V: Zoom calls 5-5:45pm 

Theatre Division

August 3-29: Super Happy Awesome News (Virtual Musical)- Full online musical production. Rehearsals Aug. 3, 10, 17, 6:30-7:30pm, one 15-30 minute private coaching TBD, Live Stream Performance, Aug. 29. Ages: 7-16

Visual Art Division

Creating Winona with Oil Pastels- create mini-pictures of your favorite spots. Zoom Classes on Thursdays, Aug. 6-27, 1-2pm, Ages: 55+

MCA Mystery Art Kit- create in place with inspiring challenges and new materials. Self-paced, no tech unique kits created for ages 5- 105 (or younger children with parent supervision), kits available Aug. 1-31.

Music Division

Private Music Lessons- Music Instruction in Piano, voice, string instruments, brass instruments and more provided virtually. Lessons days/times based on students and instructor schedules. All Ages

Events

Fall Open House Week- Aug. 17-22- each day we will have a fun way to explore the arts through virtual classes, activity downloads, performances and more. More details coming soon!!!

Super Happy Awesome News (Virtual Musical) Premiere- Aug. 29, 6pm

Register Now:

TAP CAMP (Virtual with Bonus outside in-person gathering)

Join us for an exciting week of rhythm! Each day campers will receive a pre-recorded tap lesson including a warm-up, technique lesson, & combinations. Students will then have the opportunity to meet up virtually over Zoom with instructors/classmates each evening to clarify material, learn a bit of history, or concepts to round out their tap education. TAP CAMP will hold new challenges for intermediate and advanced tappers. A free bonus in-person gathering for campers will take place on Friday, Aug. 14, 9:00-10:00 am outside of MCA’s Valencia Arts Center. This gathering will be weather permitting and will follow strict guidelines such as limited numbers of students (no parents allowed), social distancing, and masks worn by all to protect both faculty and students. Parents are welcome to park on Vila St or the Cotter Rec Center parking lot to watch from a car. Students will need to bring along a water bottle labeled with their name & a tap board, or arrange to utilize one of limited tap boards from MCA. Tappers will dance the combinations & choreography they learned throughout the week & of course…. Shim Sham together!!! 

Dates: Monday-Thursday, Aug. 10-13, Bonus event on Friday, Aug. 14 

Time and ages/levels:Tap II:  45 min.- One hour of pre-recorded content daily by 10am and Zoom meetings Monday- Thursday 6-6:30pm, and optional bonus in-person class Friday, Aug. 14, 9-10am (intermediate tap dancers, ages 10 & up and a minimum of  2+ years of experience, younger students by invitation only) 

Tap III-V:  1.75-2 hours of pre-recorded content daily and Zoom meetings Monday- Thursday 5-5:45pm, and optional bonus in-person class Friday, Aug. 14, 9-10am (intermediate and advanced tap dancers ages 12 and up and 4+  years tap experience, younger students by invitation only)

Cost: 

Tap II: $49 (early bird special), $59 (after Aug. 1)

Tap III-V: $99 (early bird special), $109 (after Aug. 1). 

Instructors:  Carter Full, Nathan Graff, and Christine Martin

*Need-based scholarships available, click here for more info. Please contact mca@smumn.edu if you are in need of borrowing tap shoes or have questions about placement.  If you need an affordable locally made tap board for $54 they can be ordered today through our registration system and you will be notified when it is ready for pick-up. These easy to transport boards will be 2x4 ft. Oak finished wood with foam pads to give the board a sprung feel with a clear resonant sound, resembling the photos below. Additionally, a 4 x 4 ft. option is available for $89.

Our virtual theatre classes and performances have been keeping kids active, connected and creative during these challenging times. These classes provide a positive way to help young people learn to express themselves and explore the world around them while also building important life skills such as public speaking. Check out our exciting virtual theatre opportunities during August

Super Happy Awesome News- Virtual Musical

Calling actors ages 7-16 years old… You are invited to combine their acting, singing, and dancing skills as you perform in a completely virtual musical, Super Happy Awesome New! Super Happy Awesome News is written to be rehearsed remotely, performed virtually, and shared with audiences online. The storyline is linear, made up of monologues and songs intended to be performed as solos. When these scenes are video recorded and played in sequence, it presents a complete musical theater experience available to any audience with an internet connection.

In Super Happy Awesome News two siblings launch rival good news networks and find themselves competing for the title of happiest news show. Soon, their correspondents are in a whirlwind of ecstatic musical reporting – from joyful weather forecasts, to cheerful cooking segments and blissful political updates! But, when vulnerability starts peeking through the euphoric facade, they’re left wondering: is there room for raw honesty on a super happy broadcast? This new virtual musical (designed specifically to be rehearsed and performed remotely), incorporates real stories from kids and offers a positive outlet for them to express their emotions.

To participate, no experience is necessary, but space is limited to 20 actors/actresses. Students will just need a device enabled with Wi-Fi, recording device (phone, camera, tablet, etc.) and a device to play music. Class sessions and the private lessons will be taught over Zoom.

Online rehearsals are August 3, 10, and 17 (+ one 15-30 min. private coaching arranged by instructor and parent). Live stream performance: Saturday, August 29. Participation is only $39 per student.

Learn More

We are excited to announce that we have shifted to offering private music lessons online and we are now accepting online registration for new students for most instruments. Now is the time to finally spend a little time with that piano that's been sadly sitting quietly in the corner or guitar that has been collecting dust in your basement! 

As with in-person lessons you may purchase lessons in a 4, 8, or 12 lesson package (ranging from $17-$19 per 30 minute lesson). We will be happy to shift lessons to in-person lessons once we can safely do so. No fees are paid until we connect you with an instructor. Learn more about MCA private lessons and instructors.

What you need need at your house to have a successful online lesson:

• your instrument
• a device with a camera and microphone (internal microphone should be fine unless you need to be far away from your device to be at your instrument.
• optional: headphones or external speaker  
• a wired connection (most reliable) or a strong wireless signal (around 1.5 Mbps for upload speed).  A 4G connection traditionally works as well.

Register Now!  

MCA is so excited to be partnering with the Winona Friendship Center and continuing to offer unique programs geared towards adults ages 55+. Each participant will get a package of supplies to create with over the 4-week period. Registrations can expect to learn new artistic techniques, be encouraged to set aside time to be creative, and feel more connected to others during this challenging time. Classes will be delivered via Zoom. Please see the description below for class details.

Creating Winona with Oil Pastels

We know you love Winona, so now is your chance to create mini-pictures of your favorite spots such as Sugar Loaf and the Winona Bridge. You will learn how to play with color, blending, and design during this one-of-a-kind virtual class.

Day/Dates: Thursdays, Aug. 6-27, 1-2pm

Ages: 55+

Cost: $24 non-members, $22 for Winona Friendship Center Members, (includes all art supplies including a set of oil pastels, art paper, drawing pencil, paint pen, and more, & Winona Delivery or pick-up, Kits can be mailed in the US for an additional $10)*

Instructor: L. Douglas

Location: Online presented in real-time via Zoom (participants just need an internet connection and a device with the free version of Zoom downloaded)

 

*This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from MSAB thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts & cultural heritage fund. Need based scholarships are available. 

MCA Mystery Art Kit

Sick of hearing “I’m Bored”?  We have just the cure… our MCA Mystery Art Kits will inspire and provide hours of unplugged entertainment. No two kits are the same and they are designed with the student’s age  in mind. Each unique kit will contain:

•  One set of coloring supplies such as oil pastels, colored pencils, paint, watercolor pencils, crayons or markers
• One binding material such as elmer’s glue, mod podge, glue stick, or masking tape
• A variety of surfaces to create on such as a postcard, book mark, artist paper, exclusive coloring pages created by MCA staff,  and or construction paper.
• A Challenge guide created by MCA art faculty to help spark the artist within
• Other surprise items such as model magic, stickers, DIY masks, or props
• Links to previously recorded MCA visual art classes  (if you have purchased a kit, here is the link to the password protected special access site.)
• Invitation to share photos of your creations to be featured on MCA's social media

Dates: Self-paced, Aug. 1- 31 for no contact delivery or pick-up in Winona or shipped anywhere in the US for extra $12 per kit.

Cost: $24 per kit, available

The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts invites community members to join in a unique community building initiative. Each week we will share  information about an important artist of color and or of an indigenous background and their approach to art. Participants will then use rocks as their canvas to create art inspired by that artist. To take the experience a little further, after each artist bio, MCA will offer a series of questions about identity and art that can be discussed within families and or on a Facebook Page created just for this project to help promote unity and understanding. To cap each week of learning, creating, and discussion off the communit

y is asked to place the rock they created out into the community for a lucky passerby to find. Two optional Zoom sessions will be held for participants to learn about the project, different art techniques and have meaningful community conversations. This program is offered free of charge, but registration is required to receive weekly updates via email and Zoom session links.

Our world and community is in crisis between the continued fight for justice for George Floyd and equality for all and due to the Coronavirus pandemic. We know from both scientific research and experience that art binds. Art brings people together physically—at galleries, classes, museums, performance spaces—and culturally, through its capacity to tell a community’s shared story, to inspire reflection, and form connections that transcend differences. Though we may be unable to gather together physically at this time we hope that this project will help facilitate important conversations within families and our community while also encouraging families and community members to explore art, artists, and the area around us as they create and then disperse rocks for others to stumble upon and through a Community Rocks Facebook group page.

Participants will receive tips and ideas on where to find rocks and what materials to use, but in case you want a little help we have created awesome “Just Add Rocks Kits” that include supplies that can be used by the whole family. Each kit contains acrylic paints, paint brushes, sharpies, Q-tips, mod podge, instruction packet

, and more. Kits are $25 and include free delivery or pick-up in Winona.

Class Details:

Dates: Self-paced program, July 9-Aug. 29, Optional Zoom Meetings, July 16 at 6pm and one TBD in August, optional participation on program Facebook Group.

Ages: All ages are invited to participate, when registering families only need to register one family member.

Materials & technology needed: Rocks & decorating materials. To participate in optional live Zoom session internet and a wi-fi enabled device required. Weekly lesson plans will be shared through email. If this is a barrier please contact MCA and we will provide a hard copy of the plans.

Fee: Free, but registration required, Optional “Just add Rocks Kit” multi-person kits can be purchased for $25 (after registration an email with kit purchase info will be sent out)

Don’t live in Winona?

No problem, we would love for families or other communities to join us. Participants outside of Winona will still be invited to share on our Facebook Group and or Zoom calls, the weekly content, art instruction, and conversation prompts are not specific to Winona. However, some of the conversation and rock hiding location discussions are intended to be. Want to bring this to your group or community? We would be happy to design a program for you. For more information please contact Jamie Schwaba at jschwaba@smumn.edu.

Virtual Arts for All Houston County Residents 

Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts is excited to announce a second session of virtual programming for both youth and adults in collaboration with Caledonia Public Library and Mainspring. These programs will run through out July and August. Due to COVID-19, this collaborative group had to cancel in-person creative classes previously scheduled for spring and summer 2020. However, thanks to the dedication of funders and partners, we are excited to bring virtual creative and cultural classes to you at home! All of these events are FREE to Houston County residents, but registration is required.

Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts is thrilled to be partnering with Elder Network to offer an art workshop suitable for all family members, care givers, and care receivers to spend an hour together in their home creatively. This Intentional Doodling class will be interactive and run live through ZOOM. During this session students will explore using shapes, lines, and patterns to create artwork and even relax the mind.

When: Aug. 11, 2020

Time: 1:30-2:30pm

Where: Online via ZOOM.

Instructor: Lisa Douglas

Fee: Free

To Register: Please RSVP to Barb at Elder Network, 507-452-0580 or barbp@elder-network.org, Open to all Winona County Residents.

About Elder Network: 

Elder Network was founded in 1988 in Rochester Minnesota. Their mission is “Individuals impacted by the limiting effects of aging have an optimal quality of life.” As a are a local 501c3 nonprofit, they serve primarily three counties in Southeast Minnesota; Olmsted, Wabasha and Winona. However, their educational offerings and support groups are open to anyone that would like to attend. Elder Network has developed seven non-medical programs that support seniors and their caregivers. We are a well-respected organization providing non-medical elder care which isn’t provided by other organizations doing similar services. They are proud that to network with other organizations so that we are able to support seniors and their caregivers through service or referral. Elder Network's outreach extends to all regardless of elder traditions, cultures or religions. These programs include Senior Advocacy, Education & Support, Companion Services, Respite Care In-Home, Peer Support, Friendly Visitors, and Transportation.

Don't miss viewing these special premiere's in real time on both our MCA  Facebook Page or You Tube Channel.

August 29th, 6pm: Super Happy Awesome News- Virtual Musical featuring MCA students ages 7-16

We have created two playlist to help you and your family get through COVID-19 and even come out stronger and smarter.

MCA Moments- are music, theatre, dance, and visual arts activities that will fill your creative tool box full of arts tips, tricks, and boredom busters.

Dancers Stay Strong- Since you can't get to the studio, we are bringing dance to you... here we are sharing dance combinations, movement games and conditioning exercises to help you burn off energy stay strong and learn.

This group is for current (within 1 year) MCA students and their families. During the COVID-19 outbreak we plan to use this group to help us share and create together and inspire each other on a daily basis. 

Request to Join