Teaching Artistry with Courtney J. Boddie

Race, racism, prejudice and privilege. These are all issues that, on a global scale, seem to be digging furiously upward through layers of historical ignorance and dissension, and into all aspects of our collective discourse. These are also all themes in our brand new two-part series, featuring dramaturg, writer, actor, director and teaching artist Ted Sod. In moments of darkness, of aloneness, of internal and external conflict, one thing matters most: access to the arts. But, how does a person find the arts or become an artist in the absence of culture? How can a gay man find purpose, love and light in a world that holds so much against him? How does an artist of Lebanese descent find his true artistic self in a country built upon a foundation of prejudice demanding he conform to societal norms in order to be successful? These questions, and oh so much more, drive the electric and witty conversation between Courtney and Ted Sod. Want to know how the conversation ends? Stay tuned for Act 2! You won't want to miss this episode!

What do "Orange Is the New Black," Depeche Mode, Buddha and dance have in common? Our newest guest, Lucy Wallace! This remarkable woman is the founder of Dance to be Free, an organization that aims to radically impact the lives of incarcerated women through the healing power of dance. In this fascinating discussion, Lucy talks to Courtney about her seemingly serendipitous journey from dancer, to dance teacher, to discovering unique ways of healing through dance. With a focus on working with incarcerated women, some committed to a lifetime of imprisonment, Wallace's organization takes the art form directly to prisons across the country and creates engaging experiences through a trauma-informed lens. It's through that framework, and taking inspiration from Tennessee-based clinician and researcher Dr. Bruce Perry's "six r's of healing trauma," that Dance to be Free leans into the therapeutic nature of rhythm. The goal, Wallace notes, is to create opportunities for program participants to process moments in their lives through creative writing, community discussion and dance, and develop a healing space through the arts. What is the process like? You'll have to listen to the episode to find out!

Where are you? How are you feeling? How are you reacting to this moment? These are the questions that launch this episode's dynamic discussion around systemic racism and anti-racist practices within the fields of arts and arts education. On Thursday, July 16, 2020, TYA/USA* hosted "Centering Black Leadership in TYA," a virtual town hall with Black artists, educators and leaders in Theater for Young Audiences (TYA). That town hall—led by TYA/USA Board Members Idris Goodwin and Dexter J. Singleton, in conversation with Michael J. Bobbitt, Courtney J. Boddie, Gloria Bond Clunie and Jacqueline Handy—held space for exploring the current moment(s) we're experiencing (the Covid-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement) and how different community organizations are, or are not, responding to this moment in time. The panel also discusses the importance of critical examination of systems of oppression within the TYA field and how to meet those systems with thoughtful, actionable responses by implementing anti-racist practices. How can we, as administrators and practitioners, help guide those at the top of predominantly white power structures in dismantling oppressive constructs? How can we identify, interrogate and radically shift oppressive practices and systems to impact needed change? What seeds can we plant with love to build hope and joy through the arts? You'll want to listen to this episode to hear some of the ideas this incredible group tosses around.

*Teaching Artistry with Courtney J. Boddie team is excited to announce its partnership with Theatre for Young Audiences/USA to present this important conversation.

Courtney sits down with Rachel Watts, an artist and arts educator committed to advocating for and creating equitable arts programming for young people. She is also the artistic mind behind the #ArtsAreEssential campaign. In their discussion, Rachel, born in Ghana and raised in Trinidad, talks about her experiences at Carnival—a cultural celebration that employs music, dance, procession and masquerade—and cultural celebrations that take place here in New York City. The staggering dichotomy between the two: the absence and existence, respectively, of physical and cultural barriers. Courtney and Rachel also discuss this essential question, attributed to Watts's friend and colleague Megan Bang:* "How can arts education move from an assimilative endeavor to one that contributes to thriving education systems?"

*Megan Bang, who is of Ojibwe and Italian descent, is a Professor of the Learning Sciences and Psychology at Northwestern University.

The world around us is in upheaval. It's changing rapidly. We are changing. Meteoric shifts are taking place. We are witnessing not a moment in time, but a movement. We believe this movement, this rebellion, is sure to change the course of humanity. We must lead with purpose, speak with intention and lift up our fellow human beings to their highest height so that their voices, so often silenced, are heard. Black Voices Matter. Black Stories Matter. Black Lives Matter. This episode is deeply personal and emotional. Using her proud, strong voice, Courtney examines her past and how her past experiences inform who she is today. She interrogates how her response to and actions within this movement will shape her future.

The second act of Courtney's conversation with Dale Davis begins with more dialogue between Courtney and a plethora of her friends and colleagues in the arts world to chat about what they've been up to since the COVID-19 pandemic began. She asks questions like: How do you identify as an artist? What kind of art are you making right now? What innovative shifts are you seeing in the arts world? Listen to hear, through multiple perspectives, just how this pandemic has inspired folks to #KeepMakingArt.*

Courtney then continues her charming chat with writer, educator, publisher, scholar, producer and dramaturg, Dale Davis. In this chat, one bold essential question is pervasive: What is the power of the arts, and what can it do for humanity? In this interview, Dale talks about her passion for literary work, how the arts have had the most impact on her, and how artists like Lorraine Hansberry, Kurt Cobain and Tupac Shakur have had a profound effect on her work and her understanding of youth culture. Pop those earbuds in and give this episode a listen!

*For full episodes of #KeepMakingArt watch and subscribe to the Teaching Artistry YouTube Channel

Episode 30, Act 1: Dale Davis “Artist. Educator. Champion.” begins with a chat between Courtney and a plethora of her friends and colleagues in the arts world to chat about what they've been up to since the COVID-19 pandemic began. She asks questions like: How do you identify as an artist? What kind of art are you making right now? What innovative shifts are you seeing in the arts world? Listen to hear, through multiple perspectives, just how this pandemic has inspired folks to #KeepMakingArt.*

Courtney then sits down for a charming chat with writer, educator, publisher, scholar, producer and dramaturg, Dale Davis. In this chat, one bold essential question is pervasive: What is the power of the arts, and what can it do for humanity? In this interview, Dale talks about her passion for literary work, how the arts have had the most impact on her, and how artists like Lorraine Hansberry, Kurt Cobain and Tupac Shakur have had a profound effect on her work and her understanding of youth culture. Pop those earbuds in and give this episode a listen!

*For full episodes of #KeepMakingArt watch and subscribe to the Teaching Artistry YouTube Channel

In the next act, Courtney continues her conversation with Daniel Levy, author of "A Teaching Artist's Companion: How to Define and Develop Your Practice," in which Daniel discusses the steps and missteps of creating a book meant to inspire Teaching Artists to aspire higher through their artistry and their approaches to arts education.

Courtney also continues her chat with multi-disciplinary artist, Ali Santana (2019 award for ‘Innovation in Teaching Artistry’ from the Association of Teaching Artists), currently a Teaching Artist at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). In this chat, Ali talks about his artistic passions, where his arts training led him, how the perils of cookie-cutter art-making changed his artistic trajectory landing him in the world of fine art and inspiring him to incorporate education into his teaching practice.

Our latest episode begins with a chat between Courtney and Daniel Levy, author of "A Teaching Artist's Companion: How to Define and Develop Your Practice," in which Daniel discusses the steps and missteps of creating a book meant to inspire Teaching Artists to aspire higher through their artistry and their approaches to arts education.

Courtney also sits down for a chat with multi-disciplinary artist, Ali Santana (2019 award for ‘Innovation in Teaching Artistry’ from the Association of Teaching Artists), currently a Teaching Artist at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). In this chat, Ali talks about his artistic passions, where his arts training led him, how the perils of cookie-cutter art-making changed his artistic trajectory landing him in the world of fine art and inspiring him to incorporate education into his teaching practice.

Because we're committed to #KeepMakingArt in isolating times like these, we're comin' at you again with a brand new episode! We know the power of engagement through the arts in times of uncertainty, and so we’re committed to publishing new episodes of this podcast and stick to our mission. Our newest episode, Episode 28, Act 2: “Art vs. Ageism: Rewiring Perceptions,” continues the discussion with Maura O'Malley and Ed Friedman of Lifetime Arts. In this conversation, Courtney and her guests discuss the mission of Lifetime Arts, a New Rochelle-based entity that aims to “connect the people, funding, ideas and strategies necessary to increase the number and quality of professional arts programs for older adults." The biggest challenge to the arts education field, we have learned, is the exclusion of the folks in our society who have the most life experience from which to draw and, through that experience, create art! In this enlightening conversation, Courtney, Maura and Ed discuss topics like: changing the narrative around aging from a negative to a positive, strategies to combat ageism and the idea of “creative aging.”