Street Wise with BCAE

Local Street Artists Team Up with the Boston Center for Adult Education for Weekend Workshop in Street Culture

WHAT:            Get “Street Wise” at the Boston Center for Adult Education (BCAE)! On November 12th, 2011 the BCAE and Dig Boston team up to host a day-long workshop dedicated to street culture. Students will get schooled in everything from street art, to b-boying and parkour, all taught by some of the most reputable street artists in the Hub. These one-of-a-kind workshops can be taken as an entire series, or each class can be taken individually.  

The day will kick off with a lesson in street art and the art of graffiti. While the term still denotes an illegal form of artistic vandalism, “street art” has actually become a legitimate and powerful form of artistic expression. With major museum exhibitions, Oscar™ nominated documentaries, and a healthy place in the auction circuit, graffiti and street art have grown beyond their traditional street domain and have invaded popular culture at the deepest level. In “Street Art,” taught by instructor Rob Larsen, students will examine the history and development of the movement and will then have the opportunity to step into the studio to experiment with some of the techniques and visual grammar using a variety of media. Larsen has been involved in graffiti and street art for nearly 30 years. His collections across the country appear in group and gallery shows alongside some of the greatest names in graffiti and street art.

After a sold out class last summer, New England Parkour will once again return to the BCAE for “Parkour 101,” an introductory class in the art of urban traversing.  Originating in France, parkour is the art of traversing landscapes and navigating obstacles in the most efficient way possible, using only ones body and the surrounding environment, through a series of running, jumping, climbing, scaling, vaulting and rolling techniques. While parkour can be practiced anywhere, Boston’s urban landscape is a perfect setting for this introductory class. Experts from New England Parkour, the area’s premier parkour organization, will give students a crash course in parkour, including the fundamentals of the sport as well as tips on how to develop ones spatial awareness for safe and effective training.

The day will conclude with “Boston Beats: The Art of Breakdancing,” where students will learn the art of b-boying, the popular style of street dance that many have come to know as “breakdancing.” Taught by Lino Delegado, the head choreographer of Boston-based urban theater group, the Floorlords, students will learn the primary elements of b-boying (and b-girling!) including toprock, footwork and freezes. For nearly two decades the Floorlords have played a significant role in the culture of “hip hop;” helping define, contribute and expand upon the” art of breakdancing” in Boston and beyond.

WHERE:           Boston Center for Adult Education, 122 Arlington Street, Boston, MA, 02116

WHEN:            Saturday, November 12^th, 2011

                        11:00AM to 1:00PM: Street Art with Rob Larsen

                        1:15PM to 3:15PM: Parkour 101: New England Parkour

                        3:30PM to 5:30PM: Boston Beats: The Art of Breakdancing with the Floorlords

COST:             Street Art: $20/ $15 members/ $15 Materials

                        Boston Beats: The Art of Breakdancing: $20/ $15 members

                        Parkour 101: $20/ $15 members

                        Purchase the entire Street Wise series for $50/$45 Members, $15 materials

 RSVP:             To register please visit www.bcae.org or call the Boston Center for Adult Education at 617-267-4430

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About the BCAE:

Founded in 1933, the Boston Center for Adult Education is the oldest, nonprofit adult education center in New England. The Boston Center for Adult Education seeks to provide educational opportunities for adults that foster personal and professional development, enhance a sense of community, and encourage social responsibility. In pursuit of these goals, the BCAE enlists the support of well-qualified leaders, staff, and volunteers who share their mission.  The BCAE offers attractive, accessible facilities, appropriate for learning and sharing ideas as a low-cost alternative to other educational programs so as to merit the continuing respect, cooperation, and support of Boston's educational, philanthropic, corporate, and neighborhood communities. The BCAE is located at 122 Arlington Street, Boston MA 02116. The BCAE administrative offices are open Monday- Friday 9:00 AM-5:00 PM. The Student Services office is open Monday-Thursday, 9:00 AM-7:00 PM and Friday 9:00 AM-5:00 PM. The BCAE is open on weekends during class times only.