Disney’s YES Program: Performing Arts Edition

Disney is a growingly popular place within the United States to take your elementary, middle school, or high school performance groups, both for the educational workshops and the performance opportunities provided.

Many teachers and/or directors may be surprised by how many opportunities Disney in both California and Florida provide for musically inclined students, the entire Disney Youth Education Series (Disney YES Program) providing several different options in both locations for vocal, instrumental, dance, and theater groups alike, though it is a much broader program covering many topics outside of performing arts altogether as well (leadership, science, history, marketing). 

Recently a few team members from Adventure Student Travel got to see firsthand a few of these student workshops, and we have some great insider information to share with you! Here are the basics of the 4 different type of performance group workshops, and some extra info we think you’ll need before booking your own trip!

It should be known that though there are different styles of performances accepted and focused on at the park, each type of performance group will each have the same basic performance opportunity entitle Disney Performing Arts OnStage (for ages 7 and up). This performance opportunity allows your ensemble to sing, play, march, and strut your stuff with the traditional Disney ‘emotion, pageantry, and pride’ that is involved in each and every professional performance.

It should also be known that your group will get a true ‘backstage experience’ while doing these various workshops, the classes themselves happening within various recording studios and classrooms within the Performing Arts Production Center in backstage Epcot!

Dance

Dancers will be able to choose from 3 different performance workshops as follows:

• Dance Technique: Ballet, Hip Hop, Jazz and Tap (11 and up)
  Learn a Disney production number, such as the dance scene from Beauty and the Beast, for instance, practice and receive critique, and then enjoy a fully put together performance as is in the featured movie/play at the end.

• Disney Dancin’ (11 and up) & Young Performer Edition (6-10)
  Receive a truly fun and upbeat lesson including an audition experience, professional dancer workshop, and final performance.

Vocal

Show choirs, choral groups, and special ensembles alike will really enjoy the 5 different workshop opportunities that include:

• Candlelight Processional (high school only)
  A highly popular holiday performance series taking place November through December, filling up fast and requiring a highly selective audition process. Your group will perform with a 50 piece orchestra and celebrity narrator (including Neil Patrick Harris and Haley Joel Osment in the past), a truly memorable and magical experience.

• Disney Broadway Magic (11 and up)
  Stage material from a famous Broadway production as you learn new vocal techniques and learn how to make the most out of short rehearsals.

• Disney Sings (middle and high schools) & Young Performer Edition (elementary and middle schools)
  One of the most popular workshops, this class allows you and your group to record an excerpt from a Disney feature film clip, the entire time learning a lot as you are under the lesson of a pro-Disney vocalist.

• Disney’s Show Choir Experience (11 and up)
  This option caters more to your group personally, customizable experience for the specific skills you want to work on/ learn more about.

Theatre

The theater program is highly important to Disney, as you will see with 3 following offered workshops:

• Acting 101 (9 and up)
  Create characters, learn improv techniques and try out a new sort of ‘professionalism’ onstage with the help of an experienced Disney master performer.

• Disney Broadway Magic (11 and up)
  Get the basics of musical theater and learn the material from a Disney production piece.
• Backstage at La Nouba - Cirque du Soleil (11-18)
  This unique performance opportunity will allow your performance group to see inside the amazing performance that is Cirque du Soleil, a backstage look at what it takes to perform in such a spectacle.

 

Instrumental

Marching bands, jazz bands, and concert bands alike will all go crazy for the opportunity to perform and learn at Disney, and here are 2 excellent reasons why:

• Jazz it Up (middle and high schools)
  Jazz lovers rejoice, this workshop will allow you to experience the thrill of a studio recording session as you learn and play popular Disney jazz pieces.
• You’re Instrumental (middle and high schools) & Young performer Edition (elementary and middle school).
  Sight read, perform, and record a performance piece in the studio and hear it against the backdrop of a Disney clip, the perfect way to bring the magic to life and get your students truly excited and interested in learning.

If this trip sounds right for your own student performance group, contact us further for more details on transportation, booking, and group rates.

For more information on any other aspect of the program contact us today through phone or email, or request a trip on the side of the page!