visiting artists
For nearly 50 years, The Yard has brought performing artists to Martha’s Vineyard to create, perform, and teach.
Through assembly-style performances, workshops, choreographic projects and more, our artists in residence enrich students’ learning experience. If you’re an educator or administrator interested in bringing a visiting artist into your school, please get in touch!
Scroll down to learn about past programs with visiting artists.
A Sample Of Our
Past Visiting Artist Programs
Malpaso Dance Company
March 2020
Samba Class and Dance Presentation
Island favorite Malpaso Dance Company taught an Afro-Brazilian Samba class to three Spanish classes at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. The company also presented a version of their piece, Elemental, designed specifically for in-school audiences to Tisbury School’s grades K - 6.
Video by Dancing Camera
rubberbandance
January 2020
Lecture Demonstration
RUBBERBANDance gave a lecture demonstration of their performance, Vic’s Mix, to students at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School.
Video by Joshua Bristow
HUMA
November 2019
Dance Workshop
Chlesea Ainsworth and Doron Perk of the contemporary dance company HUMA lead students from Edgartown, Tisbury, and West Tisbury Schools in dance classes that worked on partnering and improvisation skills.
Video by Claire Page
Godfrey Muwulya
October 2019, October 2018, February 2015
Dance Workshop and Performance
Ugandan musician and dancer Godfrey Muwulya taught music and dance from different regions of Uganda to the fourth grade classes at the Oak Bluffs, Tisbury, and West Tisbury schools. Then, 120 students shared their dances in an all school performance and friendly competition. Muwulya's Ugandan-American dance students from Boston also performed for the students, teachers, and parents.
Learn More!
Let’s Dance! Island students face off in an East African dance battle MV Times (2019)
Sounds of Uganda and Rwanda transport Charter School students MV Times (2015)
Charter Students Learn Dance as a Unifying Language Vineyard Gazette (2015)
Video by Claire Page
Bridgman|Packer Dance
March 2019
New Media Dance Workshop
In this interactive video workshop at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School led by Guggenheim Fellows Art Bridgman and Myrna Packer, students explored how movement and live, processed video could combine to make new meaning.
Video by Claire Page
Amirah Sackett
March 2019
Artist Talk and Hip Hop Dance Workshop
Renowned Muslim BGirl Amirah Sackett gave students an insight into her artwork as well the basics of hip hop dance.
Video by Jesse Keller Jason
Flor de Toloache
April 2018
Performance Lecture
Latin Grammy winners Flor de Toloache gave an engaging performance lecture to Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School Spanish class students.
Video by Julie Rooney
The Wondertwins
March 2018
Lecture Demonstration
Bboys The Wondertwins presented a lecture demonstration at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, providing students to connect with the dancers and learn more about street style dance in an relaxed setting.
Photo by Sophie Browne
Video by Jesse Keller Jason
Juan “Coel” Rodriguez and Anthony James Kelly aka “AKELLZ”
February 2018
Breakdancing Workshop
Bboys Coel and AKELLZ taught fun, inclusive breakdancing classes at the Chilmark, West Tisbury, Tisbury Schools as well as the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School.
Video by Jesse Keller Jason
Photo by Jesse Keller Jason
Herve Koubi
January 2018
Lecture Demonstration and Masterclasses
The all male French contemporary dance group Cie Herve Koubi presented a lecture demonstration version of their piece What the Day Owes the Night designed specifically for in-school audiences at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. The company also presented two dance workshops for 7th and 8th grade students at the West Tisbury School.
Photo by Jesse Keller Jason
Video by Jesse Keller Jason
Sandglass Theater
January 2018
Puppet Workshops
Sandglass Theater, an award winning puppetry ensemble, worked for a week with students from the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School to create and develop narrative stories through puppets that students built themselves.
Video by Jesse Keller Jason
Will Brown and Brandon Ilaw
December 2017
Capoeira Masterclasses
Will Brown and Brandon Ilaw taught masterclasses in Capoeira, an African-Brazillian martial arts and dance form, at the Martha’s Vineyard Charter School, Chilmark School, Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, West Tisbury Library, and the West Tisbury School.
Photo by Will Brown
HT Chen & Dancers
Spring 2017
Dance Workshop and Performance
Chen Dance Center, a modern dance company with uniquely Asian-American expression, worked with the Chilmark School students to create a movement piece inspired and influenced by their course material surrounding early Chinese Settlers in America.
The residency culminated in a formal evening performance at The Yard where students performed alongside professional company members in an evening of work that kicked-off The Yard's summer season.
Video courtesy of The Yard
Stefanie Batten Bland
Fall 2016
Dance Workshop
The contemporary dancers Stefanie Batten Bland and Company worked with island schools in classroom settings to create, explore movement patterns, and learn about environmental responsibility through dance.
Company SBB also spent time with island community members exploring and researching the African American Heritage Trail, and working with the intergenerational improvisational dance group What's Written Within.
Photo by Stacey Ruppolo