Choreographer Alonzo King has created contemporary ballets for more than fifty international dance companies as well as dozens of pieces for film, television, opera and his own company, LINES Ballet. This Educator Guide tracks the history of modern-contemporary ballet and the contributions of King and other innovative choreographers.

SPARK goes backstage as 40 5th-9th grade students in the Marsh Youth Theatre (MYT) Mainstage Performance Ensemble prepare for the premiere of Jip, His Story. This Educator Guide is about the history of children's theatre in the US.

Modern dance choreographer Brenda Way inspires her Oberlin Dance Company dancers to work harder and accomplish more than they ever dreamed possible. This Educator Guide addresses the history and uniqueness of ODC/San Francisco and dance in San Francisco.

Students will be introduced to Chinese Circus Arts and San Francisco’s Circus Center. They will learn about the origins of Chinese acrobatics and circus arts, and be inspired to study China’s history, and explore how circuses differ across cultures. Students will engage in group oral discussion, hands-on individual and group projects, as well as critical reflection on personal expressions.

SPARK follows pioneering composer Terry Riley as he works with David Harrington and the Kronos Quartet on "The Cusp of Magic". This Educator Guide traces the history of minimalism and serialism in music, highlighting key contributions by noted composers such as Riley and Kronos Quartet.

Spark visits organ player Wil Blades as he jams with Dr. Lonnie Smith at San Francisco's Boom Boom Room. This Educator Guide is about jazz, the history of the Hammond B3 organ, and the science of electronic instruments.

SPARK visits with contemporary quilt artist Anna Von Mertens, who shows how she makes her work from first concepts to the last stitch. This Educator Guide traces the history of quilting from the early 18th century through the present day, including group quilts, slave quilts, and contemporary quilts.

SPARK trails behind internationally known tattooist Don Ed Hardy as he looks back at a career that has taken him from the tattoo parlor to the gallery and back again. This Educator Guide explores the tradition of tattooing from the earliest civilizations to the present day.

"Not In Our Town Northern California: When Hate Happens Here" looks at five communities that are dealing with hate violence. This Educator Guide addresses an event that took place in Anderson, CA. In January 2004, an eight-foot-high cross was erected and burned on the lawn of an African American family's home, inspiring a community-organized march in support of the family. This guide includes discussion ideas and activities related to hate crimes and racism.

Not in Our Town Northern California: When Hate Happens Here looks at five communities that are dealing with hate violence. The film’s four segments focus on hate crimes that took place in these five communities between 1999 and 2004. Taken together, the stories reveal that whether the crimes are motivated by racism, anti-Semitism, or gender or sexual orientation, hate is the same. From Sacramento to the center of San Francisco, from the shadow of Mount Shasta to the suburbs of Silicon Valley, community leaders and ordinary citizens have found new and innovative ways to move beyond controversy and differences to create safe communities for all residents. After a transgender teen is killed by local youth in the Silicon Valley suburb of Newark, high school students, residents and civic leaders respond, and in so doing, they struggle with how tod eal with a brutal and preventable crime. The Sacramento community mobilizes after the worst anti-Semitic attacks in the capital’s history. Redding citizens find new strength in diversity after a prominent gay couple is murdered. When a cross is burned on an African American family’s lawn in the Shasta County town of Anderson, the town’s residents join forces to make their values clear. And the San Francisco Public Library turns the mutilation of gay-themed books into an opportunity for creative community action.

SPARK follows Teatro Visin de San Jose, a Latino community theatre organizations in San Jose, California as they mount a new theatre work called Conjunto. This Educator Guide offers activities related to Latino/Chicano Theatre, the internment of the Japanese, and theatre.

American Photorealist painter Robert Bechtle prepares for a retrospective exhibit of his work at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. This Educator Guide address the history and evolution of photorealism in painting.

SPARK explores experimental music with Matt Davignon as he curates "Live Play" at Artist's Television Access, the first event in San Francisco's Soundwave Series. This Educator Guide is about the history of experimental music and sound art.

SPARK explores the musical inventions of Walter Kitundu and gets a sneak peek of his show at The Luggage Store Gallery in downtown San Francisco. This Educator Guide is about experimental music, turntablism, and the creation of new instruments inspired by those that are traditional.

SPARK goes behind the scenes with two conservators with the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco to get a glimpse into their painstaking work restoring and preserving treasures of the art world. This Educator Guide addresses the scientific and artistic issues of preserving and conserving works of art.

Spark visits painter Sandow Birk and his crew as they finish production on the artist's distinctly contemporary take on Dante's 14th century epic The Divine Comedy -- set in 21th century San Francisco. This Educator Guide is about history painting and storytelling.

Visual artist Ann Chamberlain transforms what are often intimidating public spaces into welcoming, inspirational, and creative environments. This Educator Guide discusses the history of public monuments and the Abraham Lincoln Brigade.

SPARK spends time with Kawika Alfiche, a young hula kumu (teacher) who has devoted his life to reviving ancient Hawaiian music and dance traditions. This Educator Guide introduces the Hawaiian dance form of hula, including its historical traditions, cultural significance, and present day practice as both creative expression and social preservation.

SPARK follows Scott Snibbe at work on an installation piece Blow Up at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, and through his studio as he discusses his installation, interactive, and net art projects and some of the ideas underlying them. This Educator Guide is about the digital and new media art and the historic interplay between art and science and technology.

SPARK visits with Crooked Jades as they rehearse, perform, and prepare for their tour. This Educator Guide is about old-time music and its roots.