Thursday, October 30, 2014

FOCUSED: Creative Youth in the Empire State premieres tonight!

Explore the creative force that drives New York kids to give up their summer vacations for four weeks of intensive study and training.

Mountain Lake PBS is proud to partner with the New York State Summer School of the Arts (NYSSSA) to celebrate young people who have their ambitions aimed at the arts.   NYSSSA is a 45 year old program of the New York State Education Department that operates 4-week residential programs in ballet, choral studies, dance, media arts, orchestral studies, theatre and visual arts, for approximately 425 of the state’s most talented youths. The schools provide intensive training in an environment where students experience the rigorous discipline of the daily life of a professional artist.   The school is open to all high school age students who qualify, and no student who qualifies is denied NYSSSA’s opportunities because they cannot afford them. NYSSSA represents the wide spectrum of cultural, ethnic, social, and economic diversity that is New York State.

FOCUSED: Creative Youth in the Empire State is a special television program that follows students from audition through performance during their journey at NYSSSA. These talented teens represent the future of the arts. You’ll see their dedication, determination and drive. Some of the students come from rural areas where working with top professionals in the arts would not otherwise be an option for them.

Be inspired by their discovery and growth as artists and as young adults, and learn why this program has been a life-changing experience for more than 20,000 students. 

The program, produced by Paul Larson, airs tonight at 9pm on Mountain Lake PBS.  It repeats Friday at 2am, Friday at noon, and Saturday at 5pm.