The Carver Youth Matinee Series is dedicated to bringing exciting and stimulating performing arts into the lives of young people in our community. All matinees are free and while geared towards school aged children, are open to the public and enjoyable for all ages.

Ile Bahia Capoeira
October 14, 2011

Capoeira, brought to Brazil by African slaves, is a unique art from that combines elements of martial arts, dance and acrobatics performed to the background of Brazilian instruments and music. Students will not only be thrilled by the agility, precision and power of the dancers and the movements, but will also explore the rich historical significance of the 500 year old art form.

Cowboys and Indians
November 4, 2011

Unlike the children’s game, these cowboys and Indians are allies, not enemies, and the Indians come from India, not the Wild West. This unique combination of eastern & western music and lore is a cultural sharing experience: guitars and sitars, incense and cactus, boots & bare feet, Mahatma Gandhi & Sitting Bull meet Buddy Holly & Ravi Shankar!

Michael Cooper: Masked Marvels and Wondertales
December 16, 2011

Michael Cooper is a talented visual artist and virtuoso mime whose exquisite performances dazzle audiences in Masked Marvels & Wondertales. His one-man extravaganza creates "moving sculpture" as it combines his beautifully handcrafted masks, original stories of courage and wonder, outlandish stilt dancing and a physical repertoire that ranges from the madcap to the sublime.

Spirit of Uganda
January 13, 2012

Spirit of Uganda presents riveting programs of music and dance for audiences of all ages. To the melodic tones of standing drums, with dramatic choreography, bright, layered rhythms, and gorgeous call-and-response vocals, a vibrant cast of performers, aged 8-18, bring to life the sounds and movements of East Africa. Spirit of Uganda celebrates the cultural roots and newer offshoots of this lush and diverse nation.

Mighty Times - The Legacy of Rosa Parks
February 10, 2012

“The Legacy of Rosa Parks” tells the story of the legendary civil rights activist who sparked a revolution when she refused to yield her seat in a simple act of defiance against segregation in Montgomery, Alabama. This innovative and authoritative history of Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott includes first person accounts, stirring dramatizations and narration by young people.

Charlotte Blake Alston – Let My Stories Tell You Who I Am
February 17, 2012

Charlotte 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 for an unforgettable experience.

Luna Negra Dance Theatre
March 9, 2012

Luna Negra Dance Theater celebrates the richness and diversity of the Latino culture, giving expression to the stories and creativity of their contemporary choreographers. The richly textured, highly original works reveal a distinctive style that blends the discipline of ballet with the fiery energy of Latin and Afro-Caribbean forms and rhythms.

Black Violin
March 30, 2012

Kev Marcus and WilB are the classically trained, three-time Apollo-winning duo Black Violin who have created the ultimate synergy between classical and hip-hop music. With influences ranging from Shostakovich and Bach to Nas and Jay-Z, Black Violin breaks all the rules, blending the classical with the modern to create a one-of-a kind concert experience. Both college graduates thanks to full music scholarships, Black Violin wants to make sure that North America's young people get the same exposure to the arts that they did and teach children that classical music is cool!

Mystical Arts of Tibet
April 13, 2012

The famed singers from Tibet’s Drepung Loseling Monastery will perform traditional temple music and mystical masked dances. This extraordinary performance, featuring elaborate costumes, traditional instruments and the monks’ unique multi-phonic singing, is endorsed as means of promoting world peace.

Dallas Black Dance
Theatre May 4, 2012

Dedicated to creating and producing works of the highest artistic excellence, Dallas Black Dance Theatre brings joy and excitement to students of all ages with its superb performance of dramatic dance works by nationally and internationally known choreographers.

Magik Children’s Theatre - If You Take a Mouse to School
June 15, 2012

Your favorite rambunctious mouse is back and this time he is headed to school for a classroom adventure like no other! If you take a mouse to school, he'll ask you for your lunch box…then he will want to get his paws into everthing! Based on the best-selling book by Laura Numeroff, this hilarious story of chaos, mishaps and friendship will delight audiences of all ages.