Performing Arts
In House:
The in house music groups focus on improving a wide variety of skills including social skills (appropriate interactions, taking turns, greeting each other), communication skills (expressing needs, understanding and expressing non verbal communication), cognitive skills (identifying colors, instruments, objects, words), motor skills (gross and fine motor, eye hand coordination, body spatial organization ), and emotional skills (self expression, self confidence, decision making skills).
Performance based:
Performance based music therapy groups provide opportunities to work on social, communicative, cognitive, motor and emotional skills as well as musical skills off and on campus at Georgia College & State University. The LEC and music therapy department at GCSU work together to produce a music performance twice a year. This collaboration enables our performers to experience music making with other musicians, while providing music therapy students with applied learning experiences in a supervised environment. The performing groups have performed throughout the southeastern United States. During the summer season, these groups still take place in the music therapy clinic. Performers express interest in participating in the groups that they want to be a part of. The different performing groups include:
Electric Beats
The Electric Beats premiered at the fall concert in 2018. This group began as a bucket drumming group at the Life Enrichment Center. The performers work independently and together to create a variety of rhythmic patterns. The group also adds additional visuals to their performance by utilizing black lights and paint.
Good Vibrations
Good Vibrations is a high energy drumming group. Participants use drums and other percussion instruments in drum circle style to produce a music experience that is choreographed to blend music and dance. This group has been performing since 2004.
The Harmonettes Vocal Choir
Harmonettes Vocal Choir sings a wide variety of music from traditional to pop. This group evolved from the Handbell Choir when many of the members expressed their interest in singing. Thus, the Harmonettes Chorus was formed and has been performing for conferences, civic groups, and churches.
The Jungle Royales |
The Jungle Royales are the very first Rock-n-Roll band from Creative Expressions Studio. Making it's debut performance November of 2010. The band is an integrated group of musicians sharing talents and abilities together; working together on playing the guitar, bass, drums, piano, bells and singing to learn various songs and styles.
Music in Motion
This group was implemented in 2000, and combines the flowing hand motions of modified American Sign Language with a wide selection of pop and sacred music. Visually, the group is entertaining as the message of the music is conveyed. This group has performed for many churches, nursing homes, and conferences.
Rock-n-Rollers
The Rock-n-Rollers are one of the newest edition to the performing groups. Majority of the performers in the group are in a wheelchair and it makes the group very special! After making it's debut performance November of 2015, the group has been exploring different assistive and adaptive technology for the performers.
Shawn & The Music Makers
Shawn and The Music Makers meet and work on songs that Shawn wants to learn on his instrument, the makey makey. Shawn has learned many songs and his group continues to grow in both size and creativity. As a collective group, multiple instruments and voice part are brought in to really liven up the performance.
Step-N-Time Dancers
Step-n-Time was founded in 2014 by an LEC individual who dreams of becoming a professional dancer. Each performance is made up of original choreography to music ranging from Hip Hop to Broadway. This group contains select dancers from the LEC that are each partnered with GCSU student from the Health Sciences Department. Together, each performers personality is brought proudly to center stage as they show off their talents.
