The Z’s Creative Classroom offers performing arts classes to learners of all ages and abilities in a variety of mediums. It’s a safe and inviting space for all to explore their curiosity and interest in the performing arts. This year The Z’s Creative Classroom will be on the move, offering classes in locations throughout the city as the theatre undergoes renovations. To lead these classes, we’ve selected the top teachers, performers, and artists in the Southcoast.
Want to surprise people the next time you go dancing? In this class, you’ll learn the fundamentals of Cuban motion, basic steps, and figures. No prior dance experience or partner required.
When: Mondays, 3-4PM, on October 2, 16, 23, 30, November 6, 13 (no class on October 9, Indigenous People's Day)
Where: Boys & Girls Club of Greater New Bedford
Ages: 7+
Cost: $30 course ($5/class)
In addition to registering for this class, you must be a member of the Boys & Girls Club to participate. Before the start of class, click here to purchase a membership, which is active until the end of 2023.
Ever wonder what would happen if you said yes to your wildest dreams? This course is a basic introduction to the art of improvisation. In this class you’ll play games and do exercises that explore awareness, relaxation, observation, the senses, voice, and physicality. Dress comfortably and be prepared to move at every class because anything can happen in improv!
When: Tuesdays, 3-4PM, on October 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, November 7, 14
Where: Boys & Girls Club of Greater New Bedford
Ages: 7+
Cost: $70 course ($10/class)
In addition to registering for this class, you must be a member of the Boys & Girls Club to participate. Before the start of class, click here to purchase a membership, which is active until the end of 2023.
Are you interested in learning to play an instrument, but nervous it might be too hard or too late? In this class, kids can learn the fundamentals of playing the ukulele, one of the easiest stringed instruments to pick up. No prior musical experience is necessary. Ukuleles will be provided, but you’re welcome to bring your own.
When: Wednesdays, 3-4PM, on October 4, 11, 18, 25 and November 1, 8, 15
Where: Boys & Girls Club of Greater New Bedford
Ages: 7+
Cost: $35 course ($5/class)
In addition to registering for this class, you must be a member of the Boys & Girls Club to participate. Before the start of class, click here to purchase a membership, which is active until the end of 2023.
Ever curious how the actors in your favorite TV shows, movies, and plays make their fight scenes look so real? In this class you’ll learn basic sword fighting technique in a safe supportive environment.
When: Tuesdays, 5 - 6:30PM, on October 10, 17, November 7, 14 (no class on October 24 and October 31)
Where: Andrea McCoy Recreation Center
Ages: 8 - 18
Cost: $40 course ($10/class)
In addition to registering for this class, you must be a member at Andrea McCoy Rec Center to participate. Before the start of class, click here to register, which is free for New Bedford residents, $15 for non-New Bedford residents and is active for 5 years.
Curious how the music you listen to today came to be? Learn about the history of jazz music as well as the ways local artists have kept the legacy of jazz alive on the Southcoast. Meet, listen to, and jam out with local jazz artists. No prior musical experience necessary, but if you have an instrument you'd like to bring, we encourage it!
When: Tuesdays, 7-8PM, on October 10, 17, 24, November 7, 14 (no class on Halloween)
Where: Andrea McCoy Recreation Center
Ages: All ages
Cost: $25 course ($5/class)
In addition to registering for this class, you must be a member at Andrea McCoy Rec Center to participate. Before the start of class, click here to register, which is free for New Bedford residents, $15 for non-New Bedford residents and is active for 5 years.
Ever wanted to learn to play an instrument, but nervous it might be too hard? In this class, you’ll learn the fundamentals of playing the ukulele, one of the easiest stringed instruments to pick up. No prior musical experience is necessary.
When: Wednesdays, 5-6PM, on October 11, 18, 25, November 1, 8, 15
Where: Andrea McCoy Recreation Center
Ages: 18+
Cost: $30 course ($5/class)
Need a ukulele? Call the New Bedford Public Library to rent a uke for free from their Funbrary using your library card or call The Symphony Music Shop to purchase one. Please click here to tune your ukulele before class. Please note: 10 ukuleles will be available for use during class on a first come, first serve basis.
In addition to registering for this class, you must be a member at Andrea McCoy Rec Center to participate. Before the start of class, click here to register, which is free for New Bedford residents, $15 for non-New Bedford residents and is active for 5 years.
Ever wanted to write your own song? In this class, you’ll listen to music with a positive message and work together to create songs to tell your own story with singer/songwriter Candida Rose.
When: Thursdays, 6-7PM, October 12, 26, November 2, 16 (No class on October 19 and November 9)
Where: Andrea McCoy Recreation Center
Ages: All ages
Cost: $20 course ($5/class)
In addition to registering for this class, you must be a member at Andrea McCoy Rec Center to participate. Before the start of class, click here to register, which is free for New Bedford residents, $15 for non-New Bedford residents and is active for 5 years.
Want to travel to Cape Verde? Immerse yourself in the vibrant rhythms and movements of Cape Verdean dance culture! In this class, you'll discover the rich heritage of Cape Verde through its unique dance styles, characterized by infectious beats and expressive footwork. We will explore dances like the Funaná, Coladeira, and Batuku, teaching you the steps and body movements of each dance. This class is open to all skill levels and will be a fun and educational experience for all.
When: Fridays, 6-7PM, on October 13, 20, 27, November 3, 17 (no class on November 10, Veteran's Day)
Where: Andrea McCoy Recreation Center
Ages: All ages
Cost: $25 ($5/class)
In addition to registering for this class, you must be a member at Andrea McCoy Rec Center to participate. Before the start of class, click here to register, which is free for New Bedford residents, $15 for non-New Bedford residents and is active for 5 years.
Want to surprise people the next time you go dancing? In this class, you’ll learn the fundamentals of Cuban motion, basic steps, and figures. No prior dance experience or partner required.
When: Mondays, 5-6PM, on October 16, 23, 30, November 6, 13, 20
Where: Andrea McCoy Recreation Center
Ages: 18+
Cost: $30 course ($5/class)
In addition to registering for this class, you must be a member at Andrea McCoy Rec Center to participate. Before the start of class, click here to register, which is free for New Bedford residents, $15 for non-New Bedford residents and is active for 5 years.
The arts are a powerful tool that deepen our connection to the world and can reveal new ways to see it, that's why we aim to make Creative Classroom as accessible as possible. We are also committed to paying our teaching artists a living wage. You will find this commitment reflected in the cost of each class.
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Emmanuel “Manny” Escobar is a dynamic musician and educator, with roots firmly planted in Jazz, R&B and Afro-Latin creative traditions. He is a graduate of the Alice S. Pfaelzer Conservatory at Merit School of Music and Berklee College of Music and studied under Jan Berry Baker at the Chicago College of Performing Arts. Emmanuel has performed and recorded with; Esperanza Spaulding, Reggie Workman, Loren Allred, Mayra Andrade, Pentatonix, Thaddeus Hogarth, Louis Cato, Roberta Miranda, Jermaine Paul, Cesaria Evora Orchestra, Grace Evora, Mika Mendes, Boy Ge Mendes, Tito Paris, former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter. Emmanuel is an endorsing educator for Cannonball Musical Instruments, Rigotti Reeds and Syos Mouthpieces, a signed performing artist with Nightshift Entertainment - New England, adjunct faculty at Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts, and Music Director at Providence Country Day School.
Improv Instructor
Garrett Olson is a professional working actor, director, screenwriter, film maker, and seasoned fight director/stunt coordinator for stage and screen. He is currently the Technical Director and Associate Artistic Director for the WatermelonAlligator Theatre Company, co-founder and one of the managing/creative producers for Danu Pictures, and is the former Technical Director/acting coach for the Boston Zombie Apocalypse. An accomplished teaching artist and combatant instructor, Garrett’s classes in public speaking, acting, staged violence, and improv are crafted for students of all levels and abilities. Classes include adaptive programs to accommodate all abilities creating a truly immersive and inclusive opportunity for learning and growth.
Born and raised in New Bedford, Massachusetts, “Candida Rose” Baptista is a 2nd generation American-born Cape Verdean. She is a vocalist, songwriter, entertainer, music and cultural educator, as well as a mother and grandmother. Her 10-song debut CD entitled “KabuMerikana: The Sum of Me”, combines her Cape Verdean musical roots with her American (primarily jazz) influences, a mixture she calls “KabuJazz”. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Music, specializing in African-American/World music performance and African-American Studies. She earned her Masters of Science from UMASS Boston in Transnational, Cultural, and Community Studies (now known as Critical Ethnic and Community Studies). Through her company Golden Rose Music, Candida spends her days traveling throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island as a Life Enrichment Entertainer singing for Nursing Homes, Assisted Living and Adult Day Care facilities, as well as for various senior groups and associations.
Geovanny is the Community Relations Specialist for the City of New Bedford, serves on the Board of Directors for the Cape Verdean Association in New Bedford, and was Chair of the 2023 MLK Day Planning Committee. He has taught Cape Verdean dance styles at Our Lady of Assumption Church and The Zeiterion’s Decades Dance Party.
Ukulele Instructor
Deb picked up her first ukulele and instantly fell in love with this small but mighty instrument. Her passion for the ukulele led her to become one of the few New England teachers certified by the prestigious James Hill Ukulele Instructor Institute. A lifelong music lover, she also directs a ukulele band and has studied with musicians both local and international.
Mekbul Jemal Tahir is an international choreographer, dancer, and teacher. He is one of the founding members of Adugna Community Dance Theatre Company, which is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Since completing a five-year training program accredited by Middlesex University (UK) in 2001, he has been performing and teaching African contemporary dance, contact improvisation, and community dance and theatre in Ethiopia and abroad. Among others, his projects have included the 2005 Kin-Addis Project in the DRC, Ethiopia, and France, and the 2006 Can Do Can Dance Project in Hamburg, Germany. In 2007, he performed a lead role in As the Mother of a Brown Boy, which opened at Chickenshed Theatre Company in London and later traveled to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where it was nominated for two awards. Most recently, he was an invited participant in two international dance workshops at L’Ecole des Sables, Toubab Dialew, Senegal, under the direction of Germaine Acogny. He is also one of the the dancers who was selected to study Germaine Acogny’s dance and certified to teach her technique. Now a resident of Massachusetts, he divides his time between work with Adugna in Ethiopia and projects in Africa, Europe, and the United States.
Improv Instructor
Jess Wilson is a former C-level executive leader with extensive experience as an actor, tech, designer, producer, playwright, and director, and is the Artistic and Managing Director of the WatermelonAlligator Theatre Company. An experienced actor-combatant, she also works as an Intimacy Director, Fight Captain, and Safety Coordinator for stage and film. Jess is an accomplished author, consultant, executive coach, teaching artist, and speaker who conducts classes and workshops on writing, public speaking, leadership skills, and a wide range of theatre disciplines, and frequently speaks across the country on a variety of healthcare, leadership, and humanitarian topics.
Dance Instructor
Sue Young’s passion for dance started at just 6 years old when her mom signed her up for dance classes, laying the groundwork for a lifelong love of dance. She has studied under a diversified group of instructors and is experienced in ballet, jazz, tap, Irish Step, Latin, swing and ballroom. After recuperating from open heart surgery in 2012, she returned to teaching and became The Z’s Salsa instructor in 2016. But Sue doesn’t just stay in the classroom, she’s also a Zeiterion Volunteer Usher!
If you have any questions regarding any of our classes please contact our
Director of Education and Community
,
Blair
Taylor
.
We want to hear it! We welcome suggestions for classes or workshops from teaching artists and instructors.
You will be emailed the link to participate as soon as you enroll. To ensure you receive this link, we suggest enrolling in one class at a time. Please use an active email address and be sure to check spam folders.
The virtual classroom will open 30 minutes before the start of class using Zoom. You do not need a Zoom account, but you will need to download the free app prior to the start of class. You can find it in the app store or visit zoom.us to download.
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