Teaching artist, David DeBlieck currently holds the position of Assistant Professor of Dance in the Theater Department at the College of St Benedict & St John’s University. Since 2010, David has conducted numerous workshops and residencies in the community through the Paramount Center for the Arts, including participation as a lead artist in the Growing Artful program part of Aroha Philanthropies’ Seeding Vitality Arts Initiative.
Art Form: Acting
School of Drag Attracts Intergenerational Performers
School of Drag, a Creative Aging program collaboration between the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tucson, AZ (MOCA) and Fluxx Productions, is a 10-week workshop series that invites 55+ LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning, asexual, non-binary, pansexual, etc.) community members to explore art, narrative and performance which culminates into a showcase featuring performers of all ages and local professional drag performers. School of Drag creator, Dante Celeiro, leads this Creative Aging workshop series with Eli Burke, teaching artist and Education Director at MOCA.
Innovative “School of Drag” Event Mixes Generations and Gender Performance
In May 2019, gender performers of all ages wowed local audiences at the culminating event for “School of Drag,” an innovative arts workshop series held at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Tucson, AZ. This free intergenerational program, promoted to LGBTQIA+ members of the Tucson community ages 13-17 and 55+, was led by teaching artists Eli Burke, Education Director at MOCA and Dante Celeiro, founder of Fluxx Productions and creator of School of Drag. Over the course of 10 weeks, participants explored the history and social construction of gender through performance; developed their own drag character; invented a name; and designed and created their own costumes.