Fall Visual Arts and Dance Opportunities for Children at Darien Arts Center

The Darien Arts Center, currently celebrating its 40th anniversary, is offering a multitude of classes in dance and visual arts for children from age 3 through high school this fall. A sample of available classes is below. To see a full list of offerings or to register, visit darienarts.org or call (203) 655-8683. The DAC is located at 2 Renshaw Road, behind the Town Hall.

Dance:

Dance Beginnings - ages 3 & 4, Sept. 8-Jan. 16, for preschoolers to learn about dance and the joy of movement through body awareness and creativity. $280, $25 registration fee.

Pre-Ballet - ages 4 & 5, Sept. 8-Jan. 16, a fun introduction to ballet using imaginative techniques to learn classical elements including floor and center work. $280, $25 registration fee.

Kinderballet – kindergarten, Sept. 8-Jan. 16, a continuation of the ballet curriculum from pre-ballet. $280, $25 registration fee.

Kinder-Jazz/Hip Hop - kindergarten, Sept. 8-Jan. 16, build dance skills in this introduction to hip hop techniques using lively pop music. $280, $25 registration fee.

Visual Arts:

Mini Masters - ages 3 to 5, Fri., Oct. 2-Dec. 18, 1:00-1:45pm, develop fine motor skills and use imagination to create drawings, paintings, collages and prints. $220, $25 registration fee.

Cartooning – ages 7 to 12, Mon., Sept. 28-Jan. 11, 3:40-4:40pm, design characters while studying facial expressions and body language in cartoons and comic strips. $280, $25 registration fee.

Intro to Animation – ages 7 to 12, Mon., Sept. 28-Jan. 11, 5:00-6:00pm, design characters for traditional 2D animation using key frames and key poses. $280, $25 registration fee.

Elementary Art Studio - ages 7-12, Wed., 3:40-4:40pm, Oct. 7-Jan. 27, experiment with line, color, texture, form and a variety of media: pastels, watercolors, acrylics and ink. $280, $25 registration fee.

Drawing: Looking Closer – ages 10 to 15, Wed., Oct. 7-Dec. 16, develop technical skills while drawing figures, landscapes, portraits, still life and images from imagination. $300, $25 registration fee.

Acrylic Painting - ages 10-15, Wed., 6:30-8pm, Oct. 7-Dec. 16, for those who wish to expand their art experience to learn about paint application, composition, design, perspective and symbolism. Work from imagination and observation. $330, $25 Registration fee.

Click! Digital Photography - ages 9-12, Fri., 4:40-5:40pm, Oct. 2-Jan. 22, use a digital camera, iPhone or iPod to take photos using basics like the rule of thirds, filling the frame, and negative space. Color, texture and scales will also be discussed. $280, $25 registration fee.

Founded in 1975, the Darien Arts Center (DAC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing visual and performing arts programs and events for the community. The DAC offers educational programs in Dance, Visual Arts, Music & Theatre as well as special events and community theatre produced by DAC Stage. Private donations, grants, tuition fees & ticket sales fund the DAC, which is located at 2 Renshaw Road, behind the Town Hall. For further information, call (203) 655-8683 or visit darienarts.org.