OMA at Collier

Wendy Joy
Teaching Artist

... has a Master of Fine Arts (1998) in Theatre Arts with a dance concentration from the University of Arizona and a Bachelor of Arts (1986) in dance from Douglass College at Rutgers University. In addition to working for the Tucson Unified School District as an Opening Minds through the Arts (OMA) Design Team Teaching Artist she is the director/developer of PROJECT: connect, an innovative program that fuses a dance education certification tract with the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the University of Arizona. She is also a founding member of Zuzi!, a Tucson-based modern dance company she worked with for 10 seasons. Wendy has extensive training in both classical ballet and modern dance, and has studied with and performed for such artists as Liz Lerman, David Rousseve, Alexei Yudenich, Don Redlich, Claudia Gitelman, and Melanie Stewart. Prior to coming to Tucson, Wendy was known throughout the southern New Jersey and Philadelphia areas for her teaching and choreography and was the owner and artistic director of dance images by wendy joy in Ventnor, NJ.

We blend music, opera, dance, theatre and visual arts into your child's classroom learning.

We can’t wait for your child to learn and participate in the arts!

Research shows that students who participate in the arts develop strong critical thinking, problem-solving and academic skills.

Every child deserves a rich and engaging education, and OMA Gold is one of the ways our teachers make that possible.

Why OMA Works?

Arts integration curriculum at each grade level is determined by brain-based research, multi-intelligence learning and the neurological development of children.

Students learn rhythm to develop verbal communication and literacy skills.

1^st

Through learning about opera, students build a connection between writing and music.

2^nd

Creative movement helps expand students’ vocabularies and develop critical thinking skills.

3^rd

Through weekly recorder performance/composition classes, students make progress with skills such as listening, processing visual information and coordinating movement.

4^th

Students play a stringed instrument, which further develops the left brain/right brain intellect.

5^th

Everything students have learned over the last five years comes together, with students gaining a better understanding of the arts through attending professional performances and connecting with community arts partners.

We are committed to providing educational experiences which:

foster creativity
build community
honor our humanity

Learn more about our programs & resources.

Fine & Performing Arts
520-225-4900
2025 E. Winsett St., Tucson, AZ 85719