More than 50 students from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (Booker T.) in Dallas, will be creating a signature work for Aurora – Powered by Reliant. The students worked with faculty, staff and Aurora artists to create their piece “Metamorphosis: Bending Time” which will feature components throughout the exterior of the campus, located between Routh Street and Jack Evans Street. Beginning at 8 p.m. and continuing at the start of every hour after, visitors can watch students dance and perform live.
This is the third year that student artists from Booker T. have contributed to Aurora, an immersive light, performance and sound experience covering 68 acres of the Dallas Arts District on October 16th from 7 p.m. – 2 p.m. They join prominent guest curators Carson Chan, Tim Goossens, Julia Kaganskiy and Aja Martin and are supported by the founders of Aurora and the nonprofit AT&T Performing Arts Center.
The Booker T. advisers overseeing the project include dance teacher Linda James and Math Chair Niloo Jalilvand, who describes the piece as “A multimedia celebration of video, dance and song.” Jalilvand emphasizes the students’ involvement in the creation of the piece. “The ideas originated with the students. They have fresh and new perspectives that aren’t the same as many other artists.”
Booker T. alumni include luminaries like Norah Jones, Erykah Badu and jazz trumpeter Roy Hargrove. Since its inception the school has garnered 18 presidential scholars and 194 DeeBee awards sponsored by Downbeat Magazine – a total unmatched by any institution, college or university in the country.
The talented students bring an interesting dynamic to Aurora as digital natives who have been using technology to create art for most of their lives. “We teach students that they need to be a multi-faceted renaissance people.” The artists from Booker T. will be on-hand the evening of Aurora to field questions from visitors.
Multiple education opportunities have been integrated into the Aurora experience, including an installation and workshop from 8th grade students from the Good Shephard Episcopal School’s SPARQ science and engineering classes, and Winston School’s 3D art program. For students and families who would like to learn more about the artworks of Aurora, a special curriculum has been created and will be available at the event that provides fun topics for discussion, project insights and other information that parents and teachers can utilize.
