Exploring World Traditions!

This program was generously supported this year by donors, by The Byrne Foundation, and by a grant from the Vermont Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.   Please!  Let your local representatives know how much you value this funding for the ARTS!  The Arts Council needs your support.  We thank all of our supporters for enabling us to deliver this powerful experience to 93 children directly, and to the community through their sing alongs and final performance!!

Revels Kids:  African Traditions 2011

 

The Revels' Kids world traditions programs were created by Artistic Director Maureen Burford in 2008 to offer after school, in-depth programming in traditional arts.  This year, we focus on traditions of WEST AND SOUTH AFRICA!   Guest presenters include Storyteller Eshu Bumpus, Drummers John Hughes and Steve Ferraris, SingerPatty Cuyler of Village Harmony and Dancer James Marshall.

For our 2010 season the focus was Appalachia, including music, dance, story, crafts and narrative of the region.  Visiting artists included Pete and Karen Sutherland, and dancer Sharon Gouveia.   More than 60 children from Piermont/Bradford, Pomfret, Norwich and West Lebanon raised their voices in song, performed Jack Tales, clogged and shared their cranky theater production with an enthusiastic audience of friends and families.

2011 REVELS KIDS: African Traditions

We are so pleased with the success of our Revels Kids 2011 season where we dove into the rich cultural traditions of South and West Africa.   The children explored the spiritual nature of drumming; the powerful connectivity of Call & Response songs; the silly wisdom of the Trickster Folktale; the energy of African dance; and the wonder of layering all of these ideas together. 

Staff for this season included Rebecca Bailey & Julieann Barney in Wilder; Sharon Groblicki & Marcia Bender in Pomfret;  Kevin Quigley in Windsor; and  Melinda Ricker & Leslie Dustin in Fairlee. 

Director, Maureen Burford

Production Manager, Katie Kitchel. (Read more about our staff below.)

If you have any additional questions:
Contact Production Manager Katie Kitchel at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 

REVELS KIDS programs are thriving! 

              

 

2011 REVELS KIDS: African Traditions--Staff

Marcia Bender, Lead Teacher in Pomfret

Marcia grew up in Vermont and looked forward to attending Revels performances every winter when she was a child.  After studying music at Goshen College and Westminster Choir College, she returned to Vermont to live, raise her children, and teach music.  She reconnected with Revels again after she and her family attended the Appalachian show, and decided they wanted to join in.  Marcia and her daughter became involved in Revels Kids in 2008, and performed in the Winter Revels during the same year.  Marcia is looking forward to exploring African song and dance with Revels Kids this winter.

 

Sharon Groblicki, Lead Teacher in Pomfret

Sharon Groblicki is the Performing Arts teacher at the Barnard Academy where she has been teaching for seven years.  She also directs the Woodstock Elementary School's Spring Enrichment Program.  In past years, she has has taught music in Sharon and Tunbridge schools as well as at the Pomfret School, where she directed several musicals.  Sharon was the Children's Director of the Christmas Revels for several years and has also co-directed the children for the Revels Solstice Festival.  In addition, she directs the Red, White and Blue Review each year for the Pentangle Council on the Arts.  

 

Rebecca Bailey, Lead Teacher in Wilder

Rebecca has been Children’s Director for Revels North’s Christmas Revels and Solfest since 2006. She taught k-8 music and theater in public schools for eight years and has worked professionally as a singer, instrumentalist and actress. Her recent performances include solo vocal and dramatic work with Revels North, the Thetford Chamber Singers and The Parish Players. A long-time arts writer, she is the publicist for Hopkins Center and can be heard on the three-times-weekly “Happenings at the Hop” segment on WGXL-FM radio and over the Hop loudspeakers before Hop performances, telling you to turn off your cell phones.

 

Julieann Barney, Lead Teacher in Wilder

Julieann has over 18 years working with children in various professional capacities. She grew up performing vocally as well as on stage and her love of music and theater is infectious. She believes that the arts are integral to the education and development of the whole child and that music has the ability to heal what ails you. Julieann has just begun performing with Revels North this past year and she is looking forward to sharing her talents with your children in this her third Revels Kids season.

Melinda Ricker, Lead Teacher in Fairlee

Melinda Ricker has been enjoying intergenerational singing and dancing since she was one of the youngest generation.  Growing up with a musician parent in the house, plus weekly group singing in church, and then adding the jackpot of attending a multigenerational music and dance camp with her parents gave her a taste for daily music and joy which has never left her.  Melinda has been a part of RevelsKids! since its inception and it provides a gorgeous juice of music and energy to her busy home life every spring.  She loves singing, dancing, and acting with kids of all ages and treasures the time she is able to spend doing them.

 

Leslie Dustin, Lead Teacher in Fairlee

Leslie Dustin is delighted to explore a variety of African music this year with Revels Kids, having enjoyed co-leading musical adventures through Polynesia, Mexico and Appalachia with Revels Kids (formerly World of Song) over the past two years.  She has led musical experiences with children of many ages, both in her work as an elementary schoolteacher and also as a Music Together and Montessori school music teacher.  These endeavors, as well as the pleasure of singing with her own children, Rosey (8) and Gus (3) have inspired a joyful awe at the inherent musicality of children.  Leslie has sung and danced regularly with Enfield Shaker Singers since 1998. She has added her voice to the choruses of Winter and Summer Revels through several recent years, including this year’s French Canadian Christmas show.

 

Kevin Quigley, Lead Teacher in Windsor

Kevin Quiqley is an artist and musician currently working as a teacher in the Upper Valley area. He teaches computer-aided art and graphic design at the Center for Cartoon Studies and the Sharon Academy Middle School and has choruses at both Sharon and the Upper Valley Waldorf School. Prior to moving to Vermont in 2004, he spent ten years as a musician and experimental theater producer and performer in New York. Kevin is also a published Tarot writer, reader/counselor, and teacher. He is very excited to be joining the Revels Kids program this year.

 

Maureen Burford, Artistic Director Revels North

 

Katie Kitchel, Production Manager & Assistant Teacher Wilder Site

Katie Kitchel has been a certified Music Together teacher for the past 6 years, teaching both through the Upper Valley Presents program in Norwich, VT as well through the Purple Crayon in Woodstock, VT. She has been onstage in several Revels North Winter productions as well as performing with community theater groups across the Upper Valley--but spends most of her time "performing" at home with her three young boys. This is Katie’s 2^nd year with the Revels Kids program, and her first year as the Production Manager.