Welcome to Dana Pomfret's Teaching Page

Scroll down for: Artist Bio, Teaching Resume, Student Galleries, Student Music, Course Descriptions and information on The National Youth Collaborative (©Pomfret 2007)

Dana's mixed-media programs currently include instruction in songwriting, Garage Band recording technology, fine art, Adobe Photoshop, iMovie, digital photography and creative writing. Dana travels with her own laptops, headphones, digital and video cameras: setting up recording/design studios onsite.
A Core Teaching Artist for the CT Commission on Culture and Tourism, Dana's programs have been cited for excellence by the state of CT and The National Endowment for the Arts.

Artist Bio:
Dana Pomfret is a singer-songwriter and recording artist from NYC, now living in CT. She has recorded for Elektra, SBK and Warner Bros. Records, and has released four albums of original music: Talk, Soul Collage, realtime and Tracks. Soul Collage was released on Warner Bros, International in Europe, Japan and Australia.
Dana’s CDs feature performances by rock legends David Crosby and Graham Nash, jazz bass phenomenon François Moutin, guitar masters Jeff Pevar and Jim Chapdelaine (co-producer: realtime) and renowned singer/songwriter Martin Sexton.
Dana has performed her original music in the United States and Europe and is signed to a publishing deal with Jean Davoust/Paris. Her songs are used commercially and in film production throughout Europe.
Dana is currently in the studio recording CD#5: release date, Spring, 2008.

About Fast-track Media:
Fast-track Media combines: songwriting and recording (using Garage Band software), iMovie, digital photography, fine art, Adobe Photoshop and creative writing.
Students create, produce and take home their own CDs and DVDs. Movies and slideshows incorporate original soundtracks, scripts, choreography, poetry, art/digital photography (Adobe Photoshop).
All components of Fast-track Media can be offered separately, or in varying combinations, according to student/residency needs and requirements.

Teaching Resume: 2007-2008:
Dana is a Michael Jordan Grant recipient, in conjuction with Lewis Fox Middle School. As artist-in-residence for Lewis Fox Middle School, she coordinated a unified arts project based on the book 'We Beat the Street.'
Students learned Garage Band/iMovie technology, introductory Adobe Photoshop/digital photography. They created soundtracks, songs, poetry, prose, film, photos and art based on the book, producing a CD, a DVD and multi-media installation at Lewis Fox in May, 2008.

Hartford Stage: 'Words Alive in the Middle!'
Multi-media arts residency based on 'The Diary of Anne Frank.'
This interdistrict grant joins Lewis Fox, Derby and Smith Middle Schools: Students create CDs/DVDs.

Lincoln Middle School: Meriden, CT: Curriculum-based, multi-media arts residency: Students create CDs/DVDs.

Pomfret Community School (Pomfret, CT): Curriculum-based, multi-media arts residency: Students create CDs/DVDs.

Classical Magnet School (Hartford, CT): Fast-Track Media (see above description): Ongoing residency: Songwriting, recording, iMovie, digital photography, Adobe Photoshop, creative writing.

Ongoing professional development for Hartford Stage, Lewis Fox, Smith and Derby (Garage Band, iMovie etc).

2004-2008: Greater Hartford Classical Magnet School, Hartford, CT: Specialized Instructor: 'Explorer' and 'Fast-Track Media':
Multi-media courses which integrate music (songwriting and Garage Band recording technology), visual art (including digital photography, Adobe Photoshop, iMovie) and creative writing. (Please scroll below 'Student Galleries' for in-depth course descriptions). Students take home CDs, high-quality photo-collage prints and DVDs.

Greater Hartford Classical Magnet: Specialized Instructor: Recording:
Recording students create original songs and soundtracks for their own CDs, using Garage Band software. Scroll down to hear their original MP3s under 'Student Galleries and Music.'

11/2006-4/2007: Hartford Stage: Multi-media Teaching Artist (recording, songwriting, visual art, digital photography, Adobe Photoshop, creative writing) for Interdistrict Grant partnering Lewis Fox and Derby Middle Schools: Theme: 'The Evolution of the Word.'
Culminating performance: 4/30/07 at Hartford Stage.

2006-2007: Hartford Stage, Lewis Fox Middle School: Professional Development for Teachers and Teaching Artists: Instruction in Garage Band, iMovie HD, iPhoto, iChat, iSight, OS X.

Spring, 2007: Pomfret Community School:
Multi-media residency: Garage Band, Digital Photography, Photoshop
Professional Development for Teachers: Garage Band, iMovie

Summer, 2007: Farmington Valley Arts Center Summer Program:
Garage Band, iMovie, Songwriting

Spring/Summer 2006:
Greater Hartford Classical Magnet: Talent Show Coordinator:
The 2006 Classical Magnet Talent Show, at Classical Magnet's Black Box Theatre, featured original student music, rap, dance/choreography, poetry and large scale photo collage prints.

Pomfret Community School, Pomfret CT:
Recording and songwriting residency: May-June, 2006: Instruction in songwriting, Garage Band software: student-produced CDs.
Pomfret Community School: Professional Development: Garage Band Instruction.

Farmington Valley Arts Center Summer Program:
July 14, July 28, August 11: Three recording classes: Instruction in Garage Band software/Songwriting: student-produced CDs.

2004-2006:
Greater Hartford Classical Magnet School, Hartford, CT: Specialized Instructor: 'Explorer' and 'Fast-Track Media'

2001-2003:
Connecticut Commission on the Arts: Teaching Artist and Interdistrict Grant Coordinator;
10/2001-5/2002:
Teaching Artist: Songwriting and Creative Writing Residency for the CT Commission on the Arts' 'HOT Schools' program: Hartford Public and Rockville High Schools:
‘HOT (Higher Order Thinking) Schools' is a comprehensive educational philosophy/program (learn more at www.cultureandtourism.org).The HOT Schools Interdistrict Grant brings students from urban and rural (or suburban) schools together through music, writing, art, theater, dance.
The cultural starting point for the 2001-2002 program was the Harlem Renaissance. Students from the two high schools studied the rich literary, musical and artistic output of that period, then created original work based on themes of personal journey and rebirth.
Dana's Hartford Public and Rockville high school classes co-wrote and recorded 2 songs, made a CD and created a book of poetry. All were cited for excellence by the state of CT and currently rest at The National Endowment for the Arts.
Students performed their songs and poetry, complete with original choreography, at a powerful culmination ceremony at Charter Oak Cultural Center in Hartford, CT.

Interdistrict Grant Coordinator for the HOT Schools Program:
Grant Coordinator responsibilities included: finding and securing performance and rehearsal space: coordinating all class schedules between Hartford and Rockville High students, teachers and artists: bringing in guest artists to augment the program: arranging for live recording within the high schools: coordinating rehearsal and performance schedules: managing payment for all artists/teachers.

2003: Farmington Valley Arts Center: Summer Arts Program:
1.Songwriting/performance workshops
2.Acappella Chorus (original student songs created and arranged for acapella performance).
3.Poetry
Songwriting/acappella/writing students co-wrote and performed original music and poetry. All were encouraged to share works-in-progress and their personal creative process with an audience on a daily basis, culminating with a final performance at the end of each 2 week session.

Private writing students:
2001-2002:
Creative writing students participated in:
Breadloaf Young Writers' Conference, Middlebury, VT:
Connecticut State Writing Finals.

2002-2003:
Private writing students participated in: Independent, creative writing studies with Dana, receiving full course credit from local high school: won IMPAC, CT, State University Award for Young Writers: Hartford County.

Other
Adjunct Faculty:
New Centre For The Arts: Brookfield, CT

Circle of Artists: Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Schools: Hadley, MA


STUDENT GALLERIES AND MUSIC

STUDENT MUSIC
Original songs, vocals, engineering & production by: Tichina Marshall and DaJavon Davis.
© 2006.
Used by permission: Greater Hartford Classical Magnet School.
Click on song titles to play:
What Do You Do
Truth
Sad Days
Can't Sleep at Night

STUDENT GALLERIES
'Explorer' & 'Fast-Track Media' student art, photography, poetry, Adobe Photoshop collage: Shirley Jenkins, Andrei Duffus, DaJavon Davis, Clarisa Gadson, Tichina Marshall, Brittany Shumpert, Louis Brown, Daria Langs.
Click on thumbnails below to view full piece.
Used by permission: Greater Hartford Classical Magnet School.

2005 - 2006

2004 - 2005

Course Descriptions:

New in 2006-2007: Fast-track Media:
Fast-track Media combines: songwriting and recording (using Garage Band software), iMovie, digital photography, fine art, Adobe Photoshop and creative writing. Students create, produce and take home their own CDs and DVDs. Movies and slideshows incorporate original soundtracks, scripts, choreography, poetry, art/digital photography (Adobe Photoshop).
All components of Fast-track Media can be offered separately, or in varying combinations (eg: digital photography/Adobe Photoshop with creative writing, etc.) according to student/residency needs and requirements.

Music: Songwriting and Recording:
Instructor provides in-class use of Apple laptops and ‘Garage Band’ recording program:
Students create melodies, lyrics, beats - moving on to produce complete songs using cutting edge computer technology. Apple's Garage Band provides them with access to thousands of instrument samples and loops - as well as the ability to create analog (sung or played) sounds of their own. We work on the basics: structure, melody, rhythm, chords, counterpoint and lyrics, while learning to stay open to the happy accident! When songs are sketched out, we move to Garage Band, and record their original music for CD production. In group classes, co-writing is encouraged, but the solo artist will find a home here, too.

This program can be especially exciting for the student who does not have easy access to instruments or computers, because it puts the sonic palette squarely under their fingertips. They can access a wonderfully varied orchestra (drum grooves, bass, piano, clavinet, violin, oud, djembe, guitar, etc.) with the flexibility to accompany any kind of music they can imagine: hip-hop to salsa, rap to rock and roll. The class gains experience and confidence using a high-tech medium which is surprisingly user-friendly, while it supports and promotes authentic discovery, creativity and collaboration.

Art: Supplies: wood, oil pastels, magazines, paper, found objects.
Instructor supplies in-class use of digital and video cameras.
Students use wood, paper, pastel (and any special objects they choose) to create dimensional, sculptural art. They learn collage and pastel ‘scratch’ techniques, and are encouraged to include their writing (lyrics, poetry, prose) in their art. All students have the opportunity to work with the digital camera.
After working with fundamental materials, students receive instruction in the use of Adobe Photoshop technology: editing and manipulating original photographed images and art: designing and creating layouts for their books and for display.

Creative Writing: Lyrics, poetry, prose, stream-of-conscious writing: exploration of rhythm, rhyme, simile, metaphor, etc.
I encourage exploration of a wide variety of writing styles and subjects. We focus on finding each student's unique, 'true,' voice. W.H. Auden said it's important to 'strive for authenticity,' as opposed to 'originality.' Students read from e.e.cummings, Maya Angelou, Hunter S. Thompson, G. Garcia Marquez, Edwige Danticat, Adrienne Rich, Langston Hughes, Rilke and more - then tell their own stories in poetry/prose formats. Whether based on personal experience or rooted in fantasy, I encourage creativity and freedom of expression in a safe, mutually respectful environment. Student writing is included in books, which also feature their art and photography. Books and art pieces are taken home by all students at session’s end.

Outcomes:
Students leave these multi-media classes with self-produced CDs, DVDs and books in hand, and with markedly increased self-esteem. In addition, verbal, written, collaborative, social, mathematical and critical skills are strengthened.
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About The National Youth Collaborative:
The National Youth Collaborative will connect youth in urban and rural school districts throughout the United States via mixed-media arts projects, combining fundamental art forms with technology: songwriting/creative writing, recording (using Garage Band software), fine art, digital photography, Adobe Photoshop, iMovie, dance.
Students will collaborate and co-create by sharing and affecting files on a commonly held website: www.nationalyouthcollaborative.com.
At year’s end, instructors and students from each participating district will travel with a multi-media performance piece that will include: digitally produced art/photography, video, original music and dance.

We live in a time when our children, often, have little regular contact with the necessary wonders of ‘the arts.’ Though countless studies have proven that students involved in arts programs strengthen academic, social and testing skills: government-funded arts programs have nonetheless been cut, while schools struggle to meet the requirements of the most basic academic curriculums.
Empowerment has been defined as ‘a multi-dimensional social process that helps people gain control over their own lives.’ Empowerment is one of the first tools of positive change. Art remains one of the most important avenues through which students can discover and nurture an empowered sense of self.

Ultimately, the goal of The National Youth Collaborative is global: connecting middle and high school students worldwide by using the web as a powerful tool for positive change. Tom Friedman, NY Times columnist and author of ‘The World is Flat,’ says: ‘We have created a global, web-enabled platform for multiple forms of sharing knowledge and work: irrespective of time, distance, geography or even, increasingly, language.’ Imagine putting this platform to work to connect youth all over the world through the potent combination of fundamental art forms and technology: raising standards of excellence by strengthening verbal, written, mathematical, collaborative, social and critical skills while nurturing creativity, imagination, tolerance and respect for diversity.
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Dana is also an artist, specializing in collage and mixed-media pieces. She sells her pieces privately. Exhibitions include:
2002: The Axe Factory, Collinsville, CT. Group show
2003: 'It's Alive!' Gallery on the Green, Canton, CT

Portfolio and references available on request.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
e-mail: dana@danapomfret.com
website: http://www.danapomfret.com * CDs, MP3s, reviews, art gallery, schedule