Hi Friends,
February Break – this mid winter gem where teachers get to let their hair down and forget about work for a week. What ever do teachers do during this beautiful break? I couldn’t tell you, because while I teach, I’m not a teacher, I’m a teaching artist, and yes there is a big difference.
Teaching Artists are usually not employed by schools or the DOE, but Community Based Organizations (aka CBO’s) as either free-lance employees or part-time workers. To earn livable wages as a Teaching Artist, most people in this line of work are employed by more than one CBO. That said, we are not on salary but get paid per diem, which means if you don’t work, you don’t get paid, making the February break bitter-sweet. But alas, this is the life we chose and we knew this going into it, so while a week with no pay stings, we just chalk it up to the artists’ life, hold our heads up high, say our thanks for a week without multi borough schlepping, and go into artist mode.
Having a week off from teaching for teaching artists is a boat-load of extra time to put our artistry first. This is a great time for us, because unlike the holiday break, everyone else is working, so we can audition, market ourselves, take classes, and dive into our artist lives.
Here is a nice neat compiled list (because who doesn’t like lists) of what us teaching artists do during this bitter-sweet midwinter break:
• Drama Books Drama Books Drama Books!
o Yes… one of my favorite spots in NYC, Drama Books. Every time I go there it takes me back to when I was first introduced to it – the magic and possibilities lining those shelves, where if I select the right play, or monologue, or career book it can just catapult me into the success I dream of. Okay, okay, okay back to reality; I’m perusing these shelves for the latest copy of call sheets (formerly known as Ross Reports) Henderson’s Agent/Manager booklet, a new play to work on some audition material, or the latest book on how to turn my scattered artist brain into a well oiled business minded machine, (I have my eye set on ‘Left Brain Turn Right’ by Anthony Miendl.)
• Seeing all the Oscar Nominated Movies
o What kind of aspiring actress would I be if I wasn’t brushing up on my Academy Awards literacy? And maybe even preparing an acceptance speech or two of my own in the bathroom mirror to myself post movie…
• Writing. WRITING!
o If you build it they will come? As actors or any artist in NYC it is a pretty well-known fact that creating your own work is just as important as auditioning. In the world of Vimeo and YouTube, you never know who is watching….errr I meant that in a non-creepy way. But I think we all have that glimmer of hope that we can be the next Matt Damon/Ben Affleck combo and come out with a crazy good script like Good Will Hunting or be the next Zach Braff with our own Garden State or the future Mindy Kahling, YES all of us actors who also write have our own zero to hero fantasy of coming out of the wood works and kicking butt with an amazing script that we also get to play the lead role in. I’ve been dragging my heels on my own script, and have vowed to use this time to work on my writing.
• Working Out
o This being the mid-winter break is a nice reminder that winter is halfway gone. With the amount of snow days (or as I lovingly call them, wine days), its nice to get that booty moving and grooving after having planted it on the couch for the last six weeks. I’m just saying…
• Cooking, Crafting, Organizing
o Finally, some time to attack the Pinterest page!! Any bakers, home chefs, or DIY addicts are in heaven with this time. Also, organizing is a huge priority for teaching artists. The books, papers, supplies pile up and this is a great time of year to take a day, yes it takes a day, and sort it all out. Word to the wise… IT IS OKAY TO THROW THINGS OUT! I can’t tell you how many things I’ve saved thinking I would use it again, but forgot I saved it and ended up buying new ones anyway. If you can’t remember you have it, toss it.
• Netflix
o The new season of House of Cards is up on Netflix! This spare time is great for filling with documentaries and foreign films that I usually don’t have the patience for but truly do love.
• Lunch Dates
o “I don’t care where we go as long as it’s someplace cheap” is a catch phrase for us teaching artists during our week off. The world of a teaching artist can feel a little isolated, we are often going from school to school, then rehearsals or auditions and packing a lot into our schedules. This is a great time to catch up with a fellow teaching artist friend and talk about all the things that come up on the job, maybe even exchange some ideas for collaborating on a project, or have some guilt free day drinking without dealing with brunch crowds and just let loose!
• Naps?
o ….I’d like to add naps to this list, but for me, a week off work with no pay is indulgent enough as it is, a nap would just put it right over the top, but I’m not completely ruling it out either….
New York City, the most magical place on the planet, and it is our playground for a whole week! It also happens to be the most expensive city, but leave it to teaching artists and creative types to figure out how to make the best out of it in any circumstances.
Live, Love, Learn,