Looking Back: 10 Years, 10 Memories
August 12, 2011 | Filed Under Hip-Hop | Leave a Comment
PAA’s Founder and Executive Director Reminisces
Memory 4: The Professional
Above: PAA Executive Director Santina Protopapa (left) with Stephen Phillips as he accepts his Outstanding Camper of the Year award at Hip-Hop Camp 2008.
By Santina Protopapa
I like to take the stance in regards to my students that my mom takes to her children, “I don’t pick favorites. I love them all equally.” With that in mind as I reflect on the past 10 years of hip-hop camp, I can’t help but think about a few students that I might love a little more “equally.” I’m going to take the next few blog entries to share stories about our camp’s counselors, also members of the PAA All-Stars, who are former hip-hop campers and might be a little more “equal” in my eyes.
We first met Stephen Phillips while he was a student at our intergenerational summer camp at Judson. During lunch one day at Judson, Stephen and a couple of other students were break dancing and doing “the worm.” After seeing Stephen dance, I said, “Maybe you should come to our other camp too.”
Stephen has been dancing and a whole lot more with PAA since 2005. His work ethic and enthusiasm each year at Hip-Hop Camp catapulted him to becoming one of the members of our premier group of student performers, the PAA All-Stars. In 2007, when the camp instructors and I were discussing who should be awarded Outstanding Camper of the Year, Stephen and his colleague Connor Musarra came up in discussion. Our guest artist Popmaster Fabel immediately said, “Those guys are professional.” Later at the final performance, my mom got a chance to check out the students’ show and during the show she leaned over to me while Stephen was singing and MCing and said, “Wow, he sounds like a professional.” The following year, it was easy to award Stephen the Outstanding Camper of the Year award — his enthusiasm for being professional was (and continues to be) easy to recognize.
It was no coincidence this year at camp while we were discussing with the students what they needed to look like during the rehearsal and the show, and the students couldn’t guess what word I was looking for, Stephen turned around and said without thinking, “Professional.”
We’ve had the pleasure of working with Stephen all summer this year as one of our interns. His calm, professional demeanor helped keep our programs running smoothly with our hectic programming schedule this summer.We’re looking forward to seeing all of his other professional endeavors in the future. Be sure to check out Stephen’s new recordings as Kennedy Blaq.
Looking Back: 10 Years, 10 Memories
August 11, 2011 | Filed Under 10 Years, 10 Ways to Support, Hip-Hop | Leave a Comment
PAA’s Founder and Executive Director Reminisces
Memory 3: Our ‘MacGyver’
Above: DeeJay Doc (right) watches student Aaron perform at Hip-Hop Camp 2004.
By Santina Protopapa
In 2004, we were in need of a new DJ instructor for camp. Some dancers I had worked with in the past recommended that I contact Doc Harrill, aka DeeJay Doc. Doc immediately brought a different perspective to teaching turntablism and DJing to camp. His first order of business: make sure students know how to properly handle the gear at all times or what he calls “DJ etiquette.” During the first student performance under Doc’s guidance, PAA artist-educator Dave McCullough looked at me and said, “Wow. There’s such a difference when you watch students Doc has worked with on the turntables. The way they pick up the needle. They way they approach the turntables.”
Since joining the PAA team in 2004, Doc has continually brought new ideas and approaches to everything he does for our organization. He’s also quite inventive and innovative in helping us solve problems with our gear and other hurdles we face. His innovation has led me to call him the “MacGyver” of PAA. From helping us better store and transport laptops to finding the best ways for us to “rig” our sound, I’m always amazed (and quite grateful) for everything Doc brings to our programs and especially to our students. His strategies to help make things run more smoothly have always helped improve the quality of our programs.
Speaking of innovation, it’s been such a pleasure working with Doc over the years and watching him grow as a teaching artist. His thirst for knowledge and his enthusiasm for curriculum design has deepened the level of engagement our students have been able to experience. I’m looking forward to seeing what Doc will bring to the camp as our students’ “scratch buddy” in the future.
Thanks Doc for all you do!
Summertime at PAA!
August 10, 2011 | Filed Under 10 Years, 10 Ways to Support, Hip-Hop | Leave a Comment
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We’re pleased to be presenting the 10th Annual RHAPSODY Hip-Hop Summer Arts Camp this year at the Idea Center at PlayhouseSquare. 
Looking Back: 10 Years, 10 Memories
August 5, 2011 | Filed Under 10 Years, 10 Ways to Support, Hip-Hop | Leave a Comment
PAA’s Founder and Executive Director Reminisces
Memory 2: Magic Happens in the Jams
Above: PAA Artist-Educator Rep Life (Daniel Gray-Kontar) doing a chair freeze at this year’s Hip-Hop Camp jam.
By Santina Protopapa
It’s the end of the first week of our 10th annual camp and we just ended the last day’s activities the way we have been ending the first week of camp since 2004’s camp: with an open jam. We decided to have a jam at 2004’s camp to give students the experience of how hip-hop emerged as well the environment that encapsulates the essence of hip-hop culture.
In a hip-hop jam, the DJ sets the tone for the party and artists from all of the other elements are punctuating and enhancing that energy with their dynamic contributions. In our jams at hip-hop camp, we make sure to give students open time and freedom to express themselves and showcase their creativity and imagination.
There are so many exciting memories to share from our jams over the years. There have been moments at each jam that allowed a student to shine who completely surprised me, our instructors, and other students. I can’t help but think of Robert’s head slide while dancing and battling at our first jam. Or the infamous MC battle that pushed everyone so hard that one young student ripped his shirt out of frustration to find his next rhyme! That MC battle sticks out in my mind because it also revealed one of our best freestylers: William. I’ll also never forget Rolanda seamlessly looping records at one jam – representing the original skills of DJs who started hip-hop culture. And I also can’t forget Anthony rhyming at our jam last year and telling everyone he’s “signing this beat like an autograph.” Today’s jam also had some magical moments just like every year. We saw Emanuwel dance with energy and intent in a way we never have seen before. We also enjoyed sharing our students’ art work with projections of live creations. And perhaps one of my favorite moments from today’s jam: seeing our instructors joining our students in being creative. The ultimate surprise for me in today’s jam was seeing our MC instructor Rep Life jump out on the dance floor and really break and finish it off with a chair freeze. I’ve known him for nearly 12 years and I had no idea he could hang with the b-boys. It was a magical moment. Especially after a few minutes before hand, he was so moved by the energy of our students that he whispered to me, “Watching these students is making me have a moment.” Thanks Rep for reminding me what hip-hop is all about!
Looking Back: 10 Years, 10 Memories
August 1, 2011 | Filed Under 10 Years, 10 Ways to Support, Hip-Hop | Leave a Comment
PAA’s Founder and Executive Director Reminisces
Memory 1: The Power of Partnerships
Above: Executive Director Santina Protopapa at Hip-Hop Camp, 2010 (Photo by Chris Ramsay)
By Santina Protopapa
It’s Monday, August 1 and the first day of the 10th Annual RHAPSODY Hip-Hop Summer Arts Camp just ended and I can’t help but be nostalgic and look back at how the camp has grown since we launched the program in 2002.
One of the most successful aspects of the RHAPSODY Hip-Hop Summer Arts Camp over the years has been the power of the collaborative partnerships we have enjoyed to present the program. The camp launched thanks to a partnership we created with Janus Small, then director of the Center for Arts and Culture at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C). Janus was excited to understand how hip-hop could be used in arts education and in theater settings. I was thrilled when I casually mentioned to her that our new organization, Progressive Arts Alliance, was interested in presenting a summer camp for students that would enable them to learn more about the history and artistic expressions of hip-hop culture and she said “Absolutely. Let’s do it here at Tri-C. And by the way, I’m sending my son to camp too.” Janus’ support allowed us to form the core curriculum that we have been honing over the years. I’m so grateful for Janus’ vision to support an upstart organization and offer so much guidance in helping us to launch the camp. After the camp’s first two years at Tri-C, Janus left the college to launch her own company and since Tri-C would no longer be able to host the camp without Janus at the helm, she referred us to Hathaway Brown School as a potential host. While I was nervous about approaching an exclusive private school about hosting our young camp, I was extremely excited by the enthusiasm for hip-hop expressed by Hathaway Brown’s Marlene Leber, chair of the dance department. Marlene helped PAA make a home for the camp at Hathaway Brown for three years. Our partnership with Hathaway Brown enabled us to reach more students by providing better access to the camp for students who lived in the immediate neighborhoods and cities near the school. This partnership helped professionalize our operations and also led us to meet students who would eventually become the PAA All-Stars (more on this in a later entry). While at Hathaway Brown, we formed a partnership that has become the most enduring alliance in which our organization has engaged. Colleen Porter, Director of Playhouse Square’s Community Engagement and Education Department, generously offered the then newly opened Arts Education Spaces at the Idea Center at Playhouse Square for our camp’s culminating performance. The opportunity to perform in the professional facilities at the Idea Center was exciting for our students. Following the camp, when we were looking for a new venue for the program, Colleen suggested that we partner with Playhouse Square to continue to offer the camp at the Idea Center. The camp has had its home at the Idea Center since 2007 and our partnership with Playhouse Square has given the camp additional infrastructure and has enabled our staff to present our best work in the best facilities possible. We are so grateful for Playhouse Square’s commitment to supporting the local arts community and we are especially grateful for Colleen’s vision and commitment to “bring in as many students as possible to take advantage of the space we can offer.” As we are launching our 10th Anniversary Celebration Year of Progressive Arts Alliance with this year’s camp, I am also grateful for our new funding partners who have signed on to support our RHAPSODY Hip-Hop Summer Arts Camp and the other outreach programs we provide throughout the school year. These new national supporters include The Hot Topic Foundation and The National Endowment for the Arts. I hope you will join us as we begin our celebration of 10 years of engaging students in the special process of learning in and through the arts!
It’s not too late to make a year-end gift to support dynamic arts education!
December 22, 2010 | Filed Under Donate | Leave a Comment
Dear Friend of PAA,By contributing to Progressive Arts Alliance, you ensure the continued success of Progressive Arts Alliance’s arts education work throughout our community. PAA prepares students to be leaders in the 21st century by offering experiences that stimulate critical thinking and develop creative problem-solving skills. Programming PAA provides invigorates learning by uniting art, contemporary culture and technology in schools and community spaces throughout Northeast Ohio. Your support helps PAA provide high quality arts education programs to thousands of students of all ages and financial circumstances each year. In 2010, Progressive Arts Alliance:
Grant support and program registration fees cover about 80% of our annual expenses. In order to continue to provide access to learning in and through the arts for all students, we must raise the rest of the necessary funds from generous donors in our community. That’s why I’m hoping you’ll make a tax-deductible gift to Progressive Arts Alliance today and help us reach our goal of raising $10,000. In doing so, you’ll be supporting students throughout our region who will develop their self-esteem, communication, and leadership skills as a result of engaging in arts learning activities. Click here to donate now. Thanks for your support and best wishes for the holiday season!
Most Sincerely, Santina Protopapa Founder and Executive Director |
PAA Artists Complete 1st Annual Training Program
October 15, 2010 | Filed Under PAA News | Leave a Comment
By DiAndrea Hayes
PAA’s teaching artists became students for a week in September at the First Annual Artist-Educator Training Program at Progressive Arts Alliance. Arnold Aprill, who is the founder and creative director of the Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education, or CAPE, facilitated the week-long training along with Ashley Winston, who is a teaching artist with CAPE.
CAPE, which was founded in 1992, is an organization that focuses on improving schools by infusing the arts into the curriculum. CAPE has worked on improving classrooms locally and internationally to places as far away as Sao Paulo, Brazil and Melbourne, Australia.
At Left: Arnold Aprill describes possible documentation techniques.
The room was filled with a diverse group of artists that reflected PAA’s commitment to a wide variety of art forms and media. Artists in the group ranged from a turntablist to web designers and a print maker. Despite their diverse backgrounds, the goal for every artist was the same: to learn new and effective ways to improve their teaching and the learning process for their students through understanding the principles of effective arts integration practices. Read more
Summer 2010 in Review: 9th Annual RHAPSODY Hip-Hop Summer Arts Camp
September 9, 2010 | Filed Under Summer Camps, Hip-Hop | Leave a Comment
Summer Camp Like No Other
Above: Hip-Hop Camp Final Performance. Photo by Chris Ramsay.
By Laura Einsel
“Who are we? Who are we? Hip-Hop!” sang students at the final performance of Progressive Arts Alliance’s (PAA) 9th Annual RHAPSODY Hip-Hop Summer Arts Camp. In this two-week camp, a diverse group of 40 students from throughout the greater Cleveland area came together at PlayhouseSquare’s Idea Center to learn the four founding elements of hip-hop: MCing, DJing, breaking, and graffiti art.Students were lead by a talented team of top hip-hop artists and educators, to master their skills in all four art forms. Campers also received mentoring from the camp’s counselors, high school and college students who had attended the camp in previous years.
Connor Musarra, who has been attending camp since the age of 12, said he chose to become a counselor because, “I wanted the chance to change these kids’ lives just like it [Hip-Hop Camp] did for me.” In addition to learning new skills, students also learned the history of hip-hop and how it has grown into a global cultural expression. Hip-hop was started by a relatively small group of youth in the South Bronx in the 1970s “as a means to give them a creative voice and uplift them out of a disadvantaged environment,” explains Executive Director and founder of PAA, Santina Protopapa, who taught hip-hop history lessons at camp.
Santina hopes students at the camp come away with an understanding that “hip-hop can be a positive form of creative self-expression” and that “there is another side to the sometimes negative world of rap music they are often exposed to.”
Summer 2010 in Review: Hip-Hop Camp
September 9, 2010 | Filed Under Summer Camps, Hip-Hop | Leave a Comment
Open Doors Students Gain Confidence Through Hip-Hop Camp
Above: DeeJay Doc guides students in the turntable lab at Harkness Chapel.
By Laura Einsel
“Be peaceful,” “Stay in school,” and “You can change the world” were just a few of the lyrics written by Open Doors Academy students at PAA’s RHAPSODY Hip-Hop Summer Arts Camp held at Case Western Reserve University’s Harkness Chapel this August.PAA has worked with Open Doors over the past few years providing workshops during after-school programming. This year, Open Doors received a grant that expanded their program offerings through the summer. For the first time, PAA was able to offer its RHAPSODY Hip-Hop Summer Arts Camp to Open Doors students.
“Our students absolutely loved this camp! Every morning when I picked them up to take them to the camp they were overwhelmed with excitement and anticipation,” said Open Doors Counselor, Jeff Harrell. Students, in this two-week camp, learned all four elements of hip-hop, including breaking, MCing, DJing, and graffiti art. Hands-on workshop activities included writing rhymes, using the turntable as a musical instrument, practicing breaking moves, and creating graffiti hats and canvases. Read more
Summer 2010 in Review: The PAA All-Stars
September 9, 2010 | Filed Under Hip-Hop | Leave a Comment
Summer Tour Notes
Above: The view from the stage as the PAA All-Stars perform at the Cleveland Orchestra’s Star-Spangled Spectacular in Public Square.
By Laura Einsel
It’s a brand new day for the PAA All-Stars, a group of exceptional students/alumni from the RHAPSODY Hip-Hop Summer Arts Camp. The All-Stars spent this summer, their hottest season ever, performing at four festivals and five events throughout greater Cleveland.The group, which has been around since 2005, became known as the All-Stars in 2007 with their performance at the Ingenuity Festival, opening for Grandmaster Flash. The group’s members have changed over the years, with new members being nominated and elected by current members. The current group includes Tyler Drummer, Tristen Hall, Connor Musarra, Stephen Phillips, and Eric “Eazy” Solomon.
This summer the group performed a new set of songs written under the guidance of PAA Artist-Educator and MC Jahi, and a new turntable routine under the direction of PAA Artist-Educator DeeJay Doc. The set also includes a dance performance with choreography the group learned from Popmaster Fabel in 2007. The set enables each member of the group to demonstrate their skills in rhyming, DJing, and dance.
Musarra, also known as “Urbindex,” a senior at Hawken, explained, “The message of our music is essentially that we, as members of hip-hop culture, have a responsibility to keep the movement alive and well, while ensuring that it remains positive. We write songs that are intended to provoke thought.”
“Our songs are about what we go through as young adults in Cleveland,” said Eazy, a graduate of Bedford High now majoring in music education.The All-Stars started off their summer performing at Richmond Mall’s Non-Profit Community Fair on June 5th. This marked the triumphant return of Stephen (Steph Love) Phillips to the All Stars.Next they shared hip-hop with folks at the Gordon Square Arts District Festival on June 12, which according to Executive Director, Santina Protopapa, “allowed them to share their work to a whole new audience.” Read more
