The Carver Youth Matinee Series is dedicated to bringing the excitement and stimulation of these free arts programs into the lives of young people in our community. All matinees are geared at school age children; however, they are open to the public and will be enjoyable for all ages.

All Matinees begin at 11 AM unless otherwise stated and last about an hour. Please call the Carver at 207-2719 to reserve your space for these exciting productions!

October 23, 2009 Ile Bahia Capoeira
Demonstration of acrobatic agility and strength, Capoeira was first brought to this hemisphere by slaves from Africa and accompanied by traditional Brazilian instruments.

November 13, 2009 Solaris presents Lakota Sioux Dance Theatre
Delve into the rich cultural tapestry of the Lakota Sioux with a presentation of traditional American-Indian dance and music by tribal members. Customs, dance styles and music will be narrated by Lance White Magpie, a descendant of Chief Crazy Horse, in this exciting educational experience.

December 11, 2009 TBD

January 15, 2010 Civil Rights Movie – The Children’s March
The Children's March tells the story of how the young people of Birmingham, Alabama, braved fire hoses and police dogs in 1963 and brought segregation to its knees. Appropriate for middle school and high school level students.

January 29, 2010 Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company presents Year of the Tiger
Choreographer Nai-Ni Chen and her dance company will take you on a journey through the Chinese cultural landscape in Year of the Tiger, a celebration of the Chinese New Year. The Company will perform some of the most treasured traditional dances performed during this festival, including the acrobatic, martial arts-infused Lion Dance.

February 19, 2010 JazzReach Big Drum/Small World (Grades K-4) (11 AM showing)
This immersive, globally-themed, multi-media program features performances of all new commissions by prominent, internationally-recognized jazz composers hailing from countries as diverse as West Africa, Israel, Cuba, Iraq, Puerto Rico, India, Spain, Brazil, China and the United States.

February 19, 2010 Stolen Moments: The First 100 Years of Jazz (Grades 6-12) (1 PM showing)
This thoroughly captivating and informative program introduces audiences to jazz music’s rich history and highlights the interplay between the jazz movement and the evolution of American culture throughout the 20th century, emphasizing the ways in which jazz has acted as a unifying force, bridging cultural, ethnic and economic differences.

March 12, 2010 Underground Railway Theater: Are You Ready, My Sister?
The story of Harriet Tubman, “great conductor” of the Underground Railroad, and the Quaker women who helped her bring 300 slaves to freedom is brought to life using live music based on the spirituals of the time, shadow puppets and painted backlit scenery.

April 9, 2010 Charlotte Blake Alston
Let My Stories Tell You Who I Am draws on a rich source of African and African-American stories, songs, games and rhythmic elements to promote an understanding of our common human experience by engaging the imagination, hopes, fears and funny bone of each individual. Using instrumentation, gestures, facial expression and audience participation, Charlotte casts a spell over her audiences in an unforgettable experience.

May 7, 2010 Dayton Contemporary Dance Company
Dance is a way of knowing and understanding ourselves and the world without the use of writing or speaking. The artists from DCDC weave stories using their bodies as language. This presentation includes several performance pieces from their current repertoire specifically designed for school audiences. A question and answer session will be held after the performance.

June 25, 2010 Magik Theatre presents If You Give a Moose a Muffin
The popular local children’s theater group presents, If You Give a Moose a Muffin, based on the popular children’s story by Laura Numeroff. They bring to life the funny and increasingly calamitous results of one little boy’s dealings with a very needy moose.