NEW LONDON — The Center for the Arts in New London has announced upcoming fall art classes and a variety of free events for 2018.
Beginning Sept. 28, the center will offer Monthly Dance Parties for preschoolers (ages 2-5) and their caregivers with Jill Thompson, held on the last Friday of each month from 10 to 10:45 a.m. at Whipple Hall, 429 Main St., New London. Cost is $10 per class for one child and their caregiver. While children sing, listen to music, play, and move to music, they will learn basic music concepts and develop essential music skills such as beat competency, singing on pitch and understanding rhythm. These skills will become the foundation of future music study and a life-long enjoyment of music. This class will include music-based stories, playing rhythm instruments, exploring the sounds our voices make, singing, dancing, and creative movement activities.
In Painting Nature with Watercolor for Kids, join artist Debbie Campbell to explore the shapes and colors found in the natural world. Have fun learning about the ways of the Impressionists painters as we experiment with different techniques for creating with watercolor paint. This class is for grades 2-5 and meets once a week for four weeks, 3-4 p.m., from Oct. 2 to Oct. 23 at Whipple Hall. Cost is $40.
A free youth arts event, “A Treasure Trove of Tales,” told by Simon Brooks, will take place 3-4 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 10 at Trace Library, 304 Main St., New London.
Brooks, an award-winning British storyteller and author, will enliven ears and imagination with traditional tales of treasure. A man steals treasure found in a cave, guarded by King Arthur; a young woman battles a dragon and gets riches and her own castle; a peddler travels to London looking for treasure he had dreamed of; and a girl collects pine cones only to find treasure. These European stories will be brought before you by the masterful storyteller Simon Brooks with his voice tricks, animated characters and his bodhrán drum.
Instrument Petting Zoo with Joan Ebbeson will be another free youth arts event, scheduled for 3-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18 at Whipple Hall. This offers young children an opportunity to see, touch, hear, and play the instruments. This program provides a unique, free opportunity for children to deepen their understanding of music, and encourages future enjoyment and participation in instrumental music. Free.
For more information on any of these programs, visit www.CenterForTheArtsNH.org.
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