RENAISSANCE CHARTER SCHOOL - CHILDREN OBSERVATION**

My observations with DreamYard, an arts organization that is a client at work, include the Bronx Arts Learning Community (BALC) Festivals. These are works that are exhibited by teaching artists, art teachers and their students. The art, whether it be visual arts, music, dance or theater, is at a level where you can notice the work behind the final product. There may be a choreographed African dance performance where a narrator explains the origins of the dance or maybe a chorus mimicking Broadway hits in a way that is very impressive.

Last year I also observed school-based arts programs throughout the city for the NYC DOE in an investigation to gain more clarity on their annual arts survey. There was one junior high school in particular that was just mind blowing. Their arts instruction enabled students to get an early preparation for a professional life in the arts if they choose. I remember sitting for a practice dance performance that felt professional. Many of the children were only getting instruction from school, but it felt like they were all dancing it since they were toddlers.

Last night I went to see The Renaissance Charter School's (TRCS)talent show. The Renaissance Charter school has a very good reputation, but not because of it's arts programming. I'm not sure about the music program, but the visual arts program consists of one art teacher for 12 grades. Although I remind myself that I went to see a talent show that was put on by the social worker in which the students created the show, it was interesting to see the difference between this show and the shows that I have seen as a result of arts education.

TRCS is located in Jackson Heights, Queens, and the student population reflects the diversity of the borough. There is a criticism of charter schools in which they say that public schools show a decrease in motivated students because charter schools attract the most motivated students. I think this must be true for TRCS. There was an aura of motivation the auditorium. There was a great turnout with support in the form of audience engagement, cameras and video cameras. Performers were confident and praised by adults when they got off the stage. All members of the audience showed respect and all students in the room seemed well taken care of.

The students the performed at TRCS really did exhibit great talent, however, the production was lacking. Except for the two dance performances, there was almost no attention to the visual aspect of the performances. Most children who performed sang, two played the piano, there were also two dance performances. There was no theater or visual arts work. The music was almost all pop music. One piano player played classical and one dance performance was to dancehall reggae, but the rest included pop music such as current top 40 hits, Michael Jackson's Billy Jean and Roberta Flack's Killing Me Softly. Overall, the talent show was a great success for those who put it together and the audience who went to see their loved ones perform.