Debra Pasquerette, teaching artist and Manager of Community Engagement at The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, CA, has worked with people of all generations across the community. She later shifted to working with older adults and developed a passion to pursue Creative Aging programming in her community.
As part of GRoW @ The Wallis, the center’s lifelong learning initiative, Debra is currently teaching “Staged Stories,” a Creative Aging workshop series made possible through the National Guild for Community Arts Education and Lifetime Arts. The Wallis was selected as one of 10 nonprofit arts organizations across the country to receive seed grants toward the launch of these innovative arts education programs for older adults in their communities, as part of the Catalyzing Creative Aging 2019-2020 Program. In Debra’s 10-week class open to adults 55+, she teaches participants to share stories through journaling and connecting with others.
What is your primary artistic medium?
Debra Pasquerette: My primary medium is theater (acting and directing). I am a writer, collage artist, and photographer as well.
How did you get started as a teaching artist?
DP: I started my career as the artistic director of a theater company comprised of teens who did all devised original work dealing with social issues. As with many jobs in the non-profit arts sector, being the artistic director also meant being the teaching artist and writer.
How does teaching inform your own artistic process?
DP: Teaching gives me an opportunity to pull out all of the things I have in my artists tool box and use them again; favorite exercises from a mentor, favorite quotes, great books — all the things that have inspired me and I’ve forgotten about are new again. I love to learn and work along with my students. If I am teaching a writing course, I try to take a writing course at the same time to keep my perspective fresh and to remember what it’s like to sit with that blank sheet of paper (or computer screen).
What led you to working in Creative Aging and to actively pursue Creative Aging programs at The Wallis?
DP: I was the education director at another large theater in Los Angeles where I started working with older adults. I loved it and found the work profoundly satisfying. I truly feel it’s an honor to be in the presence of older adults and a privilege to work with them. At The Wallis, we believe that people of all ages should have the opportunity to learn and grow through the arts. As the Manager of Community Engagement, I knew I wanted to pursue new ways of creating programming for older adults. I had the opportunity to study with Lifetime Arts through the National Guild for Community Arts Education and it gave me the structure and mentorship to develop our new program, “Staged Stories.”
What have been your biggest challenges in designing and implementing responsive Creative Aging programming in your community?
DP: People in Beverly Hills (and Los Angeles for that matter) don’t want to admit that they are getting older. Ageism is rampant here. I thought that even though we were being mindful and using Creative Aging language to promote the workshop, we would have a hard time getting older adults to identify and sign up for our course. I was wrong! We sold out the course the first day we went out with it, and actually ended up adding a second session. We were about to go to print with postcards to distribute information about the course and pulled it from printing because the interest was overwhelming. We now have two full sessions and a waiting list with 30 people on it for the next session!
How has your experience been working with older adult learners compared to working with other students you have taught?
DP: I have found older adult learners to be more passionate about their writing than younger students. There is a sense of urgency they bring to the learning space, a real need to be heard. They are eager and I love it!
What have you learned about working with older adult learners during your program?
DP: I’ve learned that you can’t assume two classes of the same subject matter will be the same, or that the program will be for everyone. I have two sessions running right now and the classes are completely different. The first class has solidly gelled as a group, the other class has a lot of disruptions and people that need a lot more personal guidance, so they seem scattered and a bit behind. I’ve also found that even though people are aware they will be talking about their own personal stories, some are not able to work with the material that comes up for them. The work is therapeutic but not therapy and I had an instance this session where a participant really needed therapy instead of the class and she listened to herself and dropped out of the class which was the right decision for her.
What new skills have you developed while working with older adults?
DP: I am always working on patience, but working with older adults has really been a course in patience and acceptance. I sometimes assume because they are older they will all get along and just like any other group of people there are those who do and those who do not. I have learned how to manage my class in different ways and really take notice of the individuals in the class and to always have a plan B when A doesn’t work!
What advice would you give someone that wants to make a big impact as a teaching artist within an organization and in their community at large?
DP: Be bold, take a chance and propose things that you are passionate about. Make sure that others in your organization, including staff and the board know about the important work you are doing and invite them to your class and any public events. Know your community, look to see what is missing and propose work that fills a need.
What is coming up for “Staged Stories?”
DP: “Staged Stories” has two sessions running now through October, with the culminating event October 16 in our Lovelace Studio Theater. We are hoping to start two more sessions in January!
