Préville Productions
In-School Workshops and showss
Enriched artistic and cultural learning though ready-made or custom workshops and recurring classes! Benefit from the expertise of Préville’s instructors with experiences designed to enhance your classroom curriculum.
Pricing starts from $375 per 50-minute workshop. Some experiences require art supplies or other materials that are included in our workshop package. Contact us for more information about pricing or content, or to book an experience in your school or classroom!
Our workshops are eligible for the ELAN Artists Inspire Grants. Contact us to learn more. 
2022-2023 PROGRAMMING: IN SCHOOL WORKSHOPS AND SHOWS
Please note: we are currently building a new website for our Préville In Schools program. The new site will launch later this summer. In the meantime, please consult our 2022-2023 programming document (PDF) for the list of workshops and performances we will be offering. Pre-booking with begin in mid-august.
2021-2022 roster
Arts & Cultures: in-school Workshops
Instructors: Craig Commanda, Nicole MacKay
Students will learn essential beading techniques to make flat even count peyote, and flat peyote triangles and warped squares, using Hama beads. They will also learn how to attach pieces together to create cool, 3D geometric shapes.
Instructor: Marie-Celine Einish
Marie-Celine Einish will present an interactive hoop dance workshop where she will perform, and then teach students how to execute basic steps, while also sharing about the regalia, history and ceremony behind this traditional storytelling art form.
Instructor: Maggie Downer
Students and staff will learn about one of history’s oldest known toys: the corn husk doll.
Students will discuss the importance of community through these dolls, then they’ll make their own to keep!
Instructor: Maggie Downer
This workshop uses a word like “power” or “resilience” as its starting point. Then, through interactive discussion, students will create their own definitions of these words using an indigenous/holistic lens. Clay and simple tools are used to model a person or creature they believe represents what “power” or “reliance” looks like. Creative and thought provoking.
Instructor: Marie-Celine Einish
It is believed that a dreamcatcher changes a person’s dreams. It’s recommended to hang the dream catcher above someone sleeping to guard against bad dreams. Good dreams pass through and slide down the feathers to the sleeper. The bad dreams are trapped in the web, where they perish in the light of dawn.
Students will build their own dreamcatchers using materials supplied. This is a beautiful workshop where participants can channel their unique creative energy.
Instructors: Paulina Posadas and Adam Asselin-Rioux
Join six-time World Champion Salsa Dancer, Paulina Posadas and her partner, ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ contestant, Adam Asselin-Rioux as they introduce your students to the world of latin dancing!
This non-contact dance class will take the students through the basics of latin dancing and be sure to have them moving in no time while also educating them on latin culture.
Instructor: Adam Asselin-Rioux
‘So You Think You Can Dance’ contestant, and multi-style instructor, Adam Asselin-Rioux, will school you in the world of hip hop and break dance!
Students will learn basic break and b-boy/girl moves and they can then finish the class off with an old school dance battle! A great way to get your students to interact from a distance.
Instructor: Lésouta Luc Bambara
Lésouta Luc Bambara has been sharing his culture and his passion for drumming and dancing in schools throughout Québec for over a decade.
In this workshop Luc will give participants a taste of culture from Burkina Faso, through a fun and energetic introduction to traditional African drumming and dancing.
Read our blog post about how we collaborated with the Lester B. Pearson schools board to bring African Drumming & Dancing workshops to their schools for Black History Month.
Instructor: Sylvain Grenier
Sylvain Grenier is a percussion performer and creator. He has been giving workshops stemming from his show Concept for Recycling and the Art of Percussion (SCRAP) since 2021, all over Canada.
Give your students the opportunity to meet the musician-designer of the CréaSon show! Participants will benefit from the experience of this “reinvented percussion” specialist, while making a musical-environmental effort.
Instructor: Alison Notkin
Alison Notkin is a performer and composer whose work has been featured on many albums, including the Juno-winning album, “Bloom.” Her nature-inspired music program, Music by the Season has reached hundreds people of all ages throughout Montreal.
People love listening to songs, but what does it take to create one yourself? Musicologist and songwriter Alison Notkin demystifies the art of songwriting and coaches the group through the creation of their own personalized class song.
Instructor: Alison Notkin
Alison Notkin is a performer and composer whose work has been featured on many albums, including the Juno-winning album, “Bloom.” Her nature-inspired music program, Music by the Season has reached hundreds people of all ages throughout Montreal.
Join musicologist and songwriter Alison Notkin in an exploration of how popular songs have been used historically and are still being used today to influence people and even change their minds about social, political and environmental issues.
Instructor: Solon McDade
Solon McDade’s distinctive melodies and powerful bass playing provides the foundation upon which numerous recordings have been built. His group, The McDades, won a 2007 Juno Award and two Canadian Folk Music Awards for their album “Bloom.”
What does jazz music teach us about ourselves and the people around us? Juno award-winning musician Solon McDade hosts this exploration of spirituality, innovation, improvisation, individuality and tradition through the music of jazz.
Watch Préville In Schools In Action!
African Drumming & Dancing Workshop with Luc Bambara
Recurring sessions come to your classroom virtually. Available during school hours to complement your curriculum, or as lunchtime or after-school programming–tailored according to number, length and frequency of sessions. A fun way to enrich every student’s experience!
In this class, students of all ages will learn the basics of Kanyen’kéha, the ancestral language of the Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) people. Students will learn to read and use the Mohawk alphabet in order to pronounce words correctly. Language study will be used as a vehicle to also learn about indigenous culture and history.
Instructor: Mariette Buckshot
Join Mariette Buckshot, Language and Cultural Coordinator for Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, as she introduces you to the beautiful world of the Algonquin language and its people. You will learn the alphabet, the sounds of the vowels and consonants, learn how to pronounce words and the meaning and history behind them.
Instructor: Robot in a Can
Participants will learn to put together their own robot using the unique technology created by the team at Robot in a Can, while also learning about electricity, artificial intelligence and design fundamentals.
Instructor: Robot in a Can
Programming is easier than you think! Learn the basics of coding in HTML and CSS in a fun and accessible way with the Robot In A Can team.
Instructor: Beverly Landry
Share instructor Beverly Landry’s passion for art and art history by making beautiful art together while learning about famous artists, and the cultural and historical elements that influenced their lives and their work.
Instructor: Stephany Hernandez
Stephany will introduce students to art journaling as an expressive outlet. Centred around mindful art-making, the goal is to create with intention and begin a weekly art practice in a sketchbook. Art journaling can help us centre our thoughts, and channel our inner creative selves, contributing to a deeper sense of mental well-being.
*NOTE: This activity can also be offered as an in-person workshop.
“The students really benefited from the [Expressive Art Journals] workshop. They had fun, were able to express themselves creatively, and walked away with something concrete to use in the future. I was also so impressed with the materials provided. They really facilitated the activity and increased student engagement. It is apparent that [artist and teacher, Stephany Hernandez,] loves what she does. Her passion and ability to connect and communicate with students surpassed my expectations.”
– Ms. Liane Brabant
Cycle II English Teacher & Teacher Mentoring Coordinator
John Rennie High School
Instructor: Alison Notkin
Learn popular and folk songs, and even create some new songs as a group, with your instructor, singer-songwriter, Alison Notkin.
Instructor: Jamie Malysh
The Director of Préville’s Dance Academy, Jamie Malysh, is energetic, and passionate about movement. Students will be inspired by Jamie’s energy and love of dance in all its forms, from hip hop, contemporary and jazz, to modern and dance-inspired fitness.
“The students really benefited from the [Expressive Art Journals] workshop. They had fun, were able to express themselves creatively, and walked away with something concrete to use in the future. I was also so impressed with the materials provided. They really facilitated the activity and increased student engagement. It is apparent that [artist and teacher, Stephany Hernandez,] loves what she does. Her passion and ability to connect and communicate with students surpassed my expectations.”
– Ms. Liane Brabant
Cycle II English Teacher & Teacher Mentoring Coordinator
John Rennie High School
Past projects & Workshops
An Interview with Préville In Schools
Frank Caracciolo from the Lester B. Pearson School Board interviews members of the Préville Fine Arts team for an episode of his podcast called, The Blank Canvas.
Frank is a visual artist and teacher, who is also the pedagogical consultant for the LBPSB. He helps us connect with teachers for our Preville In Schools programming.
