Atlanta INtown Newspaper – November Issue
Old and New: SCAD Completes Ivy Hall Restoration
The Savannah College of Art and Design-Atlanta (SCAD) officially celebrated the opening of its new cultural and writing center, Ivy Hall, in October. The newly restored 19th century mansion sits at the corner of Piedmont and Ponce de Leon avenues in Midtown, juxtaposed with the new condominiums (also called Ivy Hall) that surround it.
Built in 1886 for Edward Peters, one of Atlanta’s founders, Ivy Hall might be best known to many Atlantans as the now defunct Mansion Restaurant. Much of the first floor was destroyed by fire in 2000, which forced the restaurant to close. After it lay dormant for several years and was named one of Atlanta’s endangered buildings, the owners, William Swearingen of S.D.H. Investment Corporation, William Dunaway and Harry Hill, donated the house to SCAD in 2007.
Since then, led my SCAD’s historic preservation specialist, Bob Dickensheets, SCAD staff and students have preserved Ivy Hall’s historic architecture and updated the mansion’s more than 4,000 square feet.
“Imagine the ceilings falling in, the windows knocked out, a fire, the roof falling in, the hardware gone, the doors stolen. It was just a mess,” Dickensheets recalled. “We do what the college does best, preserve beautiful old buildings.”
Ivy Hall was hailed as one of the first examples of Queen Anne Victorian architecture in the city. Originally designed by architect Gottfrid L. Norman in 1883, the house still maintains some of Norman’s signature Japanese-inspired design: hand-carved wood panels, lincrusta fabric panels, a carved pulpit as the centerpiece of the front staircase, and ivy accents throughout the décor. Updates to the house include computer and data ports, an apartment to house artists-in-residence, and lecture and classroom space.
This winter SCAD will host open-to-the-public lectures and writers’ series as well as a holiday concert in Ivy Hall.
For more info, visit www.artofrestoration.org.
1.16.2009
Atlanta Intown Article: Good Moves
Atlanta INtown Newspaper - September Issue
Dance Company Keeps Atlanta Youth In Step
Some believe that the best way to live is to work yourself out of a job. Atlanta natives Annette Lewis and Carolyn McLaughlin, director and associate director, respectively, of the youth dance company Good Moves are following a similar notion: train their dancers to outgrow their instruction.
• Outreach: Includes dance performances, workshops and lectures for the community.
• Ed Source: Economical, high quality dance instruction for various levels of expertise.
• The Consort: A pre-professional performing ensemble.
• Moving On: A young professional performing ensemble designed to support and employ students in the off-season.
Good Moves also encourages dancers to participate in ongoing instruction within the organization, as well as to take classes with other local dance companies.
The company’s commitment to artistic excellence means plenty of hard work, but McLaughlin describes it as “joyful work” that challenges and excites its charges.
“Even our youngest students learn and work in the first class,” McLaughlin said, “Our job is to make it so they don’t need us anymore – to get them ready to away, not stay with us.”
Lewis, who has been involved with Good Moves since its inception, discovered a newfound passion for dancing at 25 years old, and studied dance with Alvin Ailey, Agnes DeMille, and Robert Joffrey, among others. Becoming a dancer, choreographer and teacher later in life, Lewis focused more in training and less on dancers who had a particular look.
“As an older dancer, the majority of the people in my classes didn’t have perfect bodies,” she said, “I wanted to work with kids like that, and make sure everybody had a chance to dance. I want to assure the modern dance world continues to improve. To me, it’s about staying connected to the past and building on the future.”
Good Moves will present two new works this season. Lewis will choreograph Buffett Buffet, a montage of Jimmy Buffett songs, all referencing food, and another work entitled The Prince and the Pauper to music by the English rock band Queen. McLaughlin will choreograph a work inspired by Sandra Boynton’s book/CD for children Rhinoceros Tap, incorporating movement and the spoken word.
Good Moves will also host the Inman Park Dance Festival in March 2009, which will feature The Consort and Moving On, along with dancers and choreographers from all over the nation.
For more: (404) 518-1646 or www.goodmoves.org
Dance Company Keeps Atlanta Youth In Step
Some believe that the best way to live is to work yourself out of a job. Atlanta natives Annette Lewis and Carolyn McLaughlin, director and associate director, respectively, of the youth dance company Good Moves are following a similar notion: train their dancers to outgrow their instruction.
• Outreach: Includes dance performances, workshops and lectures for the community.
• Ed Source: Economical, high quality dance instruction for various levels of expertise.
• The Consort: A pre-professional performing ensemble.
• Moving On: A young professional performing ensemble designed to support and employ students in the off-season.
Good Moves also encourages dancers to participate in ongoing instruction within the organization, as well as to take classes with other local dance companies.
The company’s commitment to artistic excellence means plenty of hard work, but McLaughlin describes it as “joyful work” that challenges and excites its charges.
“Even our youngest students learn and work in the first class,” McLaughlin said, “Our job is to make it so they don’t need us anymore – to get them ready to away, not stay with us.”
Lewis, who has been involved with Good Moves since its inception, discovered a newfound passion for dancing at 25 years old, and studied dance with Alvin Ailey, Agnes DeMille, and Robert Joffrey, among others. Becoming a dancer, choreographer and teacher later in life, Lewis focused more in training and less on dancers who had a particular look.
“As an older dancer, the majority of the people in my classes didn’t have perfect bodies,” she said, “I wanted to work with kids like that, and make sure everybody had a chance to dance. I want to assure the modern dance world continues to improve. To me, it’s about staying connected to the past and building on the future.”
Good Moves will present two new works this season. Lewis will choreograph Buffett Buffet, a montage of Jimmy Buffett songs, all referencing food, and another work entitled The Prince and the Pauper to music by the English rock band Queen. McLaughlin will choreograph a work inspired by Sandra Boynton’s book/CD for children Rhinoceros Tap, incorporating movement and the spoken word.
Good Moves will also host the Inman Park Dance Festival in March 2009, which will feature The Consort and Moving On, along with dancers and choreographers from all over the nation.
For more: (404) 518-1646 or www.goodmoves.org
1.14.2009
featured in november charisma mag
forgot to post this when it hit newsstands but here it is for your reading pleasure! :) i was included in a charisma mag article in november featuring young people doing their thing in all types of arenas (shout out to zach hunter who was also included), titled "voices of a new generation." there is also an excerpt of the interview on the charisma website.
Amena Brown knew from a young age that she was called to talk. What she didn’t know was that she would use spoken-word poetry to illuminate God’s glory and communicate biblical truth. Through her “performance poetry,” which she presents at Christian events such as the Passion and Fusion conferences for young adults, as well as at secular “poetry slam” competitions, Brown is helping the church reclaim the arts. “I think it’s cool to see how some of the constraints are coming off,” she says. “I’m looking forward to seeing what God s going to do with art in general in opening our eyes as believers to how big God is.”-written by Adrienne Gaines
Amena Brown knew from a young age that she was called to talk. What she didn’t know was that she would use spoken-word poetry to illuminate God’s glory and communicate biblical truth. Through her “performance poetry,” which she presents at Christian events such as the Passion and Fusion conferences for young adults, as well as at secular “poetry slam” competitions, Brown is helping the church reclaim the arts. “I think it’s cool to see how some of the constraints are coming off,” she says. “I’m looking forward to seeing what God s going to do with art in general in opening our eyes as believers to how big God is.”-written by Adrienne Gaines
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