​Grade six students had the privilege of working with Artist in Residence, Nicola Elson over a period of 3 weeks in December. Each grade six class worked toward representing one of the pillars of democracy (freedom, representation, equity and justice) through creative movement, dance and dramatic acting. The ideas were completely generated by the students themselves and the plays were written by Nikki. Performances took place under the spotlights in the gym in front of an audience of 400 guests.

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In February, our studio artist Mark Vazquez-Mackay worked once again with our grade eight students. This time Mark worked with them during their Math classes teaching them how to draw proportionately from a still life.  They are currently continuing to use the skills taught in their Math classrooms by applying their learning to proportional thinking. 

Click here to get Click here to see more information about our Studio Artist Mark Vasquez-Mackay.

​For the second year in a row students in grade 7, 8 and 9 had the opportunity to work with Green Fools’ artists Dean Barham and Jessica Barrera whom are both active members of the Green Fools and have performed as artists with companies like Cirque de Soleil.  Over four days the students were immersed in circus skills with activities like tight rope, stilt walking, juggling and poi sticks.  On the fifth several of the students performed the activities that involved both fine and gross motor skills for our school audience to enjoy.  

Here is a link to the Green Fools website.

​Joe Semenoff is a Calgary based actor who worked with the grade seven drama students in December.  The students worked on and pitched their ideas for a cross curricular show (Drama and Health) to Joe via a planned improvisation. Joe then took their ideas and created a script for the group to realize into a production.  The students had a real life exploration of what it is like to be involved in a theatrical production with experiences of casting, directing and other roles that are an integral part to any show like stage management, sound, designer etc.   

Grade 8 Science students are exploring the states of matter: how they move, interact and shift through dance theatre and movement vocabulary. Using this material the students create unique stories that reflect the movement of molecules and perform them through dance theatre. 

Click here to find out more about Mark Ikeda.

The grade 8 students are studying the Renaissance in Humanities and will be studying Light and Optics in Science in the new year .  Mark Vasquez-Mackay brought in a camera obscure and had the students work in pairs to create two minute portraits using the device that was most likely used by some Renaissance artist to create their masterpieces. 

Click here to see more information about our Studio Artist Mark Vasquez-Mackay.

Here is a link to Leah Donald's Art Felt Studio website.

Danielle Bartlette uses paint and mixed media to examine the complex relationships between place and memory. As she explores the cities she has travelled or lived—here Paris, Versailles, Bordeaux and other French locales—Bartlette plots her memories of a particular place, separating and recombining them into new formations. The materials she uses are chosen based on her sensory experiences with her environment, and the personal geographies that result explicate the selective role of the sensory environment in forming personal memory and subjective experience.
Danielle will be working with our grade eight students during their ACE periods on Fridays exploring mixed media techniques  specifically addressing ways to use gold leaf in their art pieces and ways to apply paint without using a paintbrush. 

Chantal is Cree/Métis from Muskeg Lake Cree Nation, currently living in Calgary. Chantal is a Singer, Drummer, Storyteller, Speaker, and Workshop Facilitator.Chantal has presented at Conferences, Conventions, Galas, Fundraisers, Community, Social Justice Events and in Classrooms from Preschool through University.
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Chantal is active within the Idle No More movement, Social Justice causes, Sisters in Spirit, Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women awareness campaigns, and is regularly organizing events, speaking, presenting, singing and drumming within the community, with a focus on building allies and alliances. Chantal Chagnon is passionate about building awareness and sharing understanding of aboriginal culture, spirituality, social justice and political issues. She creates opportunities for cooperation, education, and empowerment everywhere she can.