Inspiring a curious and imaginative community where the experience of the performing arts is a vital part of everyday life.
Portland Ovations is back in the streets! See violinist and composer Daniel Bernard Roumain live on Sunday, October 11 for a series of pop-up performances around Portland. These innovative, safely-distanced outdoor experiences will also feature local Maine artists. Did you love our En Masse in 2018? Did you miss it?! Either way, you won't want to [...]
Dear Friends, Portland Ovations started the Seeking Resonance series in 2016 as an exploration and celebration of performance inspired by religious and spiritual life. Over time, the series evolved to embrace a larger desire to find and make meaningful connections. To resonate. Today, Seeking Resonance is about our deep need to find “home”: a space [...]
Portland Ovations stands in solidarity with Black and brown artists, colleagues, and citizens in our communities and around the world. We join those who express outrage and grief for the killing of George Floyd, the too many who came before him and the centuries of injustice perpetrated upon people of color. As an organization that [...]
Posted Wednesday, June 3, 2020 Our last activity is a way to celebrate the school year that is wrapping up. While it might not feel like a celebratory time, dancing is important for a few reasons. As an art form, it has been a form of resistance for many oppressed cultures. Dance also asks us [...]
Posted Monday, June 1, 2020 The end of the school year is a time for reflecting. Today’s activity, Alphabet Relay, is an energetic way for kids to reflect on this unique school year - from what was challenging to how much they’ve learned and discovered. DOWNLOAD THIS ACTIVITY AS A PRINTABLE .PDF EXAMPLES [...]
Experience International Contemporary Ensemble, live streamed in your home! Thursday, May 28, 7PM on Youtube FREE REGISTRATION Dear Friends, When we embarked on our work with International Contemporary Ensemble (I.C.E.) we knew it would be wholly unique and unforgettable for Ovations audiences. At that time we imagined a modified version of their [...]
Posted Wednesday, May 27, 2020 As the school year winds down, we’ve got a few more activities to bring some joy and movement to your distance learning. Two by Three by Bradford allows students to practice focus, listening, and awareness starting with the simple act of counting to three. This activity comes from theatre practitioner [...]
Posted Wednesday, May 20, 2020 Today’s activity, Cross the Room If... is a tried and true warm-up game typically used as a way to get to know new people. But for classroom and distance learning, it is a great way to share opinions and thoughts and spark deeper discussion. Depending on how you choose to [...]
Posted Monday, May 18, 2020 Today’s arts integration activity, This Setting Needs..., combines imagination, observation, and detail-oriented thinking to challenge kids to create a 3-D, one-of-a-kind environment. This activity is a great way for students to show their knowledge of a book, an environment or a moment in time. It can also be a fun [...]
Posted Wednesday, May 13, 2020 Today’s activity, Object Metaphor, invites students to make comparisons between a random object and another topic. How are you like a potato masher? Whether silly or serious, students will practice flexible and metaphorical thinking while making comparisons. Flexible thinking – being open-minded and adaptive to different ways of learning - is [...]