October 11, 2012
The SuburbanOctober 5, 2012
By Mike Cohen
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Lee Haberkorn is one happy fellow these days. And why not? As the director of Academy and Educational Programming for the Snowdon-based Segal Centre Academy, performing arts courses and workshops for children, teenagers and young adults are a runaway success. This is particularly the case for Young Artists for Young Audiences, better known simply as YAYA.
Haberkorn is a strapping 27 year old Westmount resident who studied Acting at the New York Film Academy. He is currently at Concordia, enrolled in a Specializaion in Human Relations with plans to move on to Law School. He joined the Academy nearly three years ago and was promoted to his current post last January Baby YAYA, YAYA Kids, YAYA Teens as well as Broadway Stars and Wandering Stars each promotes heritage, history, leadership and intercultural understanding with programming now available in English, French and Yiddish. YAYA, notes Haberkorn, forms the cornerstone of youth arts education at the Segal Centre. BABY YAYA (Toddlers) is an intergenerational family program exploring Yiddish language and culture through song, music and movement. This one-hour program starting this fall is designed for moms and tots, dads and grandparents too. YAYA KIDS (aged eight to 12) starts on Monday, October 15 (5 pm to 7 pm) , providing theatre training in the form of drama exercises and vocal coaching through the perspective of Jewish heritage and Yiddish culture. At the end of the session, a musical play will be presented, showcasing the learning and talent of the students. YAYA TEENS (aged 13 to 17) starts on Tuesday, October 16 (5 pm to 7 pm). This is the training ground for the renowned Dora Wasserman Yiddish Theatre and an entrée into participation in its high level productions. There are classes in acting techniques, songs styles, theatre performance styles, diction, vocal projection and body movement. It all culminates in the presentation of a play with music in English and Yiddish and based on Jewish heritage and intercultural values. “I think that one of the aspects setting us apart from other performing arts schools are our production values,” Haberkorn suggests.
Y STARS (aged eight to 12) launches on Thursday, October 18 (5 pm to 7 pm). The year-long program offers training in classic and contemporary Broadway musical theatre, with a final showcase at the end of the program. WANDERING STARS (aged 16 to 22) is supported by community leaders Barbara and Don Seal. It’s a multicultural and multilingual touring troupe composed of young adults from varied backgrounds. The company’s vision is helping young emerging artists promote a message of cultural dialogue through the performing arts.
“My years of passion and training in the performing arts, coupled with my experience as an event planner, proved to be a perfect match to bring the Wandering Stars across Quebec and reach over 15,000 youth in just over two years,” Haberkorn says. “We are now gearing up for a tour in Israel in January. Also in the pipeline is a new musical show that will tour high schools across the province on anti-bullying.I know first hand how the performing arts can influence today’s youth, and I want that same opportunity to be given to as many kids as possible. The best gift is watching kids build self-esteem and self-confidence while discovering a passion for the arts.”
For its 2012-2013 season, the Academy will also launch the inaugural Segal Goes to School program, beginning with a pilot arts program in Bialik High School that incorporates music into the existing Jewish history curriculum. Following this inaugural pilot project, the Academy hopes to expand the program into schools across the city.
Info: leeh@segalcentre.org or at 514.739.2301 ext. 8331.
SCENE IT: The Segal Centre for Performing Arts, meanwhile, inaugurated its stellar 2012-2013 theatre season last Sunday with the Tony Award winning musical Guys and Dolls. It runs through October 28. Go to segalcentre.org for more details.