By Michael Coughlin Jr.
Throughout the neighborhood, several organizations currently have programming or programming that will be coming soon, which provides some fun and enriches the kids who participate. Tony Williams Dance Center (TWDC) started up in September but still has ongoing enrollment for some of the classes offered. “If someone wanted to come in and they have a child who is anywhere from three to 17 and they haven’t danced before, we have classes that they could try,” said Tony Williams, TWDC’s Founder and Artistic Director. Some examples of the classes offered by TWDC include a creative dance class for kids ages 3-4, combo classes in which kids do a half hour of different dance styles, beginner hip-hop, Irish step, and more. “It’s a real diversity of classes,” said Williams.
Additionally, TWDC has a work-study program for individuals who may need help paying the class fee. “If it’s a teenager, they could come in and they can help out with the dance classes as a TA (teacher assistant). A parent can help out; we have a work-study where they could come in and do certain tasks,” said Williams. “They can work off some of what it costs for tuition by helping with sewing costumes, helping if we’re doing a field trip, that type of thing.” For more information on the available classes, visit http://tonywilliamsdancecenter.com/ or call 617-524-4381. In addition to the information mentioned above, Williams told the Jamaica Plain Gazette about many fun events he is affiliated with that are coming up. Performances will be held at TWDC on October 26th and 27th as part of Dancing:
Up Close & Personal. The event is pay-what-you-can-afford. It supports the dance community and the scholarship program for Boston City Youth Ballet, another program for kids who really enjoy dance, which Williams equates to a travel soccer team. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/photo/?. Additionally, Williams indicated that they will be performing with the Urban Nutcracker at the Loring Greenough House Christmas Tree lighting, either the first weekend after Thanksgiving or the first weekend in December. Recently, auditions were held for the Urban Nutcracker, which, according to its website, “puts a modern spin on the 19th-century fairy tale and transports the audience to an enchanted world not unlike their own.”
There will be 10 shows at the Shubert Theatre from December 14th through December 22nd. Visit https://www.bochcenter.org/events/detail/urbannutcracker?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source for more information and to buy tickets.
The Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts offers extensive programming, and registration for some of it will be open soon. One activity the school is well known for is its woodworking classes, which are offered to many age groups. “Starting as early as six years old, youth can come in and take classes in woodworking,” said Scott Evans, the Eliot School’s Executive Director. Evans says children ages six through 12 learn the fundamentals of woodworking and use non-machine-based tools like chisels. At age 16, they can use machine equipment. While the Eliot School currently offers woodworking classes, Evans says most are full or closed. However, he indicated that on October 15th, the winter catalog will go online, and woodworking classes will be available.
“The one thing I would suggest to readers is if they want to take a woodworking class that they get on right on October 15th, and they register immediately cause those go fast,” said Evans. In addition to woodworking, the Eliot School offers other classes that focus on subjects like cartooning, fabrics (sewing, crocheting), and much more. “It’s quite a selection of classes. So whether they’re into visual art as far as drawing and painting, we have classes. If they’re into more of the fiber arts, we’ve got crochet, we’ve got knitting, if they’re into woodworking, we’ve got woodworking classes, so there’s really something for everyone,” said Evans, who emphasized these classes are offered at all kinds of different skill levels. Additionally, the Eliot School has new classes with some availability — its intergenerational classes.
These classes provide an opportunity for entire families to come to a class and do activities together. Evans gave examples of a spoon carving class and even chopstick making. Financial assistance is also provided through scholarships for those who want to take a class but need help; details, class registration, and more are on the Eliot School’s website at https://eliotschool.org/. Also, keep an eye on the link to the Eliot School’s website. Details will soon be available for the newly announced April Spring Break programming for youth. JP KidsArts offers after-school programming to youth in the neighborhood. According to Ray-Ray Farrales, JP KidsArts’ Executive Director, as part of the after-school programming, four arts workshops are offered that kids can participate in for nine weeks. For example, one current workshop is Bubble Mania, where kids learn about the art of making bubbles.
They recently made volcanoes out of clay, which exploded with bubbles. Other offerings include experimental sound design, where older kids can create sound effects for their own films, a newspaper club, and much more. “Every day, there’s four different options that the kids dive into,” said Farrales. In addition to these workshops, the kids in the after-school program have play time, time for a snack, get help with homework, and more. “It’s not like other programs that might have an offering that people sign up for and pay for individually; we have basically after-school care, and then within that care time, we are offering these art workshops,” said Farrales. While there is a waitlist for this after-school care, which lasts the entire school year, Farrales emphasized that openings sometimes become available. “It always makes sense for people to join the waitlist if they’re interested.
We would love to connect with them, and sometimes there are immediate openings that we can fill,” they said. In addition to the after-school programming, JP KidsArts offers vacation programming. Registration for February and April vacations will open on the organization’s website in December. JP KidsArts also offers financial assistance for those interested in programming. It uses a sliding-scale approach, so people who register can pay within their means. “It’s really a priority for us for this to be accessible,” said Farrales. “We’re lucky enough to have families who can pay full price and cover other families who may need that assistance, so we always put that on the website too, but people should just reach out, and we can get them either assistance in the amount or also payment plans that cater to their family’s needs.”
The organization also accepts childcare choices of Boston vouchers. For more information on programming and to register, visit https://www.jpkidsarts.org/. Also, on Halloween, JP KidsArts will have a haunted house from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Tickets will cost $10, but Farrales noted that nobody would be turned away because of a lack of funds. Although Kids Together In The Arts only offers a summer program, residents should know that registration typically opens around March.
Specifically, the program is for kids ages six to 13, where kids get to participate in different art disciplines like music, theater, dance, and the visual arts. Moreover, each week in the program is themed, and at the end of the week, there is a showcase for the parents. This 23-year-old program has been a hit with kids, so much so that Mary Ellen Ehrenreich, Kids Together in the Arts’ Art Director, says that the kids who participate in the program often come back as counselors and teachers at the camp when they are older. “We go to the park at lunchtime, and we play games; they go in the sprinkler, we usually have a water balloon toss… it’s kind of the whole package, but they also have to like doing art because it’s definitely not a sports camp,” said Ehrenreich.
For more information about Kids Together In The Arts and to register when the time comes, visit https://www.marksnet.net/kids-together. It should also be noted Ehrenreich says she offers financial assistance and to reach out directly for information. JP Children’s Soccer offers a program for children ages 3.5 to 6.5. The children are divided into three levels and participate in a one-hour soccer practice each week for either eight or nine weeks. “While we’re called JP Children’s Soccer, and our program is built around a soccer ball and a goal, the objective is just to get young kids out and being active in a fun way,” said the program’s President, Phil Hall. “Anyone can join the league no matter where you’re coming from.” The organization is close to 45 years old and volunteer-driven.
The program days are Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. While the program is currently amid its fall season, registration is open for its upcoming spring season. To register for next spring’s season and learn more, visit https://teamsideline.com/sites/jpcsregister/home. While there is a registration fee, free registration is offered to those who need it. Also, if a parent volunteers to coach, the fee is waived. Be sure to check out these organizations’ websites to learn more about the programming for kids in Jamaica Plain.