A Few Good Stories: Jaime Guerrero
SPARK drops in on Jaime Guerrero at the Bay Area Glass Institute as he creates an elaborate snake sculpture and introduces his "Homies" series. This Educator Guide is about glass blowing, the dynamic work of Jaime Guerrero, Mayan and Aztec iconography, and the history of glass work in art and architecture.
American Music: David Grisman
Musician David Grisman combines bluegrass with elements of swing, jazz and gypsy music as he prepares for a performance at Berkeley's Freight and Salvage. This Educator Guide is about the history of bluegrass music.
Artist as Inventor: Paul Dresher
SPARK explores the electro-acoustic world of Paul Dresher - musician, composer and inventor - as he prepares for a performance of a new work at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. This Educator Guide traces the legacy of new instrument development and experimentation and its impact on music.
Experimenting: Kunst-Stoff
Kunst-Stoff is an experimental dance company based in San Francisco that explores the intersection of dance with other art forms, such as visual arts and film. This Educator Guide introduces students to experimental dance, and provides strategies to explore movement.
Forbidden Territory: Traveling Jewish Theatre
SPARK visits the ensemble of the Traveling Jewish Theatre in a bold and moving play about the Middle East conflict called Blood Relative. This Educator Guide addresses collaborative theatre, political theatre, and the history of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
History Retold: Berkeley Repertory Theatre's "The People's Temple"
SPARK follows the creation of the documentary theatre project The People's Temple Project from its original conception by David Dower to opening night of play written and directed by Leigh Fondakowski at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre. This Educator Guide addresses the history of the Peoples Temple.
Home, Sweet Home: headRush
SPARK explores the work of theatrical performance group headRush. This Educator Guide is about the exploration and history of experimental, political theater and performance art.
Home, Sweet Home: Lorraine Hansberry Theatre
SPARK follows Jared "Choclatt" Crawford as he prepares for his foot-tapping new musical theater production "Hit It!" at the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. This Educator Guide is about the history of drumming, street performers, and African American musical theater.
In Respect of Nature: Roman Loranc
Spark visits photographer Roman Loranc as he captures arresting images of the Central Valley landscape. This Educator Guide is about photography, landscape photography and Romanticism as a creative approach in art making.
Kids on Stage: Marsh Youth Theater
SPARK goes backstage as 40 5th-9th grade students in the Marsh Youth Theatre (MYT) Mainstage Performance Ensemble prepare for the premiere of Jip, His Story. This Educator Guide is about the history of children's theatre in the US.
Looking East: Thai Bui
Vietnamese born sculptor Thai Bui's extraordinary objects simultaneously communicate a witty humor and penetrating sense loss. This Educator Guide explores the history and traditions of Bay Area Funk, Conceptual art and Minimalism.
Looking East: Theatre of Yugen
SPARK goes backstage with the Theatre of Yugen for their adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and The Sea. This Educator Guide addresses fusion in theatrical productions, the traditions of Japanese Noh, and the unique techniques employed by Theatre of Yugen to achieve their signature style.
Masterworks: Terry Riley
SPARK follows pioneering composer Terry Riley as he works with David Harrington and the Kronos Quartet on "The Cusp of Magic". This Educator Guide traces the history of minimalism and serialism in music, highlighting key contributions by noted composers such as Riley and Kronos Quartet.
Musical Instruments: Wil Blades
Spark visits organ player Wil Blades as he jams with Dr. Lonnie Smith at San Francisco's Boom Boom Room. This Educator Guide is about jazz, the history of the Hammond B3 organ, and the science of electronic instruments.
New American Landscape: Trevor Paglen
Trevor Paglen creatively explores the intersection of Conceptual art, geography, and activism, including his "limit photography" documenting restricted military bases and testing facilities. This Educator Guide is addresses activist art through Paglens work.
New Beginnings: The ASCEND School Offers Integrated Arts Learning
ASCEND School is a unique, arts-integrated, Expeditionary Learning K-8 school located in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland in Alameda County. This Educator Guide reviews the strategic planning process in Alameda County and offers ways for stakeholders to become involved.
Not in Our Town Northern California: Welcome Signs - Anderson, CA
"Not In Our Town Northern California: When Hate Happens Here" looks at five communities that are dealing with hate violence. This Educator Guide addresses an event that took place in Anderson, CA. In January 2004, an eight-foot-high cross was erected and burned on the lawn of an African American family's home, inspiring a community-organized march in support of the family. This guide includes discussion ideas and activities related to hate crimes and racism.
Out and About: Todd Hido
Internationally acclaimed photographer Todd Hido has made a name for himself capturing unsettling images of the suburban landscape, looking for the anonymous, even mysterious aspects of American life. This Educator Guide introduces students to Hido's art and provides an historical and critical context for the artists' evocative images of Bay Area homes and posed female models.
Percussion: San Francisco Taiko Dojo
SPARK follows Sensei Seiichi Tanaka and Taiko Dojo as they prepare for the 36th annual International Taiko Festival at Berkeley's Zellerbach Hall. This Educator Guide is about the history and traditions of the ancient art of Taiko drumming in Japan and the contemporary innovations of a global music culture.
Performance Ideas: Matt Davignon
SPARK explores experimental music with Matt Davignon as he curates "Live Play" at Artist's Television Access, the first event in San Francisco's Soundwave Series. This Educator Guide is about the history of experimental music and sound art.
