Aya Shabu is a performer, theater choreographer, and dancer living in Durham, North Carolina. Passionate about preserving African diaspora cultural traditions, Aya founded Whistle Stop Tours —a performance based walking tour company sharing African American stories in celebration of Durham’s history. A 2012-2013 Emerging Artist Grant recipient, Aya has choreographed for some of the Triangle’s best theatrical productions. Aya toured “The Parchman Hour” to Mississippi for the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Rides. ARTS-CURRICULUM INTEGRATION: (SOCIAL STUDIES) (TECHNOLOGY) (DURHAM HISTORY) (CULTURAL)
Workshop Doc-U-Memories (field trip-walking tour)
GRADES: 3rd – 12th grade
Doc-U-Memories is an interactive game-ified walking and “place-keeping” experience where students work together to explore historic neighborhoods, symbolic monuments, and sites of civic engagement to find clues and solve challenges in a history scavenger hunt. 90-minutes (field trip- walking tour) The workshop will take place on-site in one of three historic African American neighborhood – Hayti, West End, or Black Wall Street.
Max Participants: 90
Duration: 90 minutes
Special Requirements: The workshop will take place on-site in one of three historic African American neighborhoods (Hayti, West End, or Black Wall St.). Teachers are encouraged to support the workshop by playing along with students.
Fee: $687.50 for up to 1-30 participants; $875 for 31-60 participants; $1,062.50 for 61-90 participants. Discounts available for more than one workshop per day.
Workshop Doc-U-Memories at Your School's Campus
GRADES: 3rd – 12th grade
Doc-U-Memories has an on-campus school option. Whistle Stop will design challenges, curate sites of exploration, and highlight relevant history specific and approximate to the school and surrounding environment. The workshop will take place on the school campus. *Workshop must be booked a minimum of 45 days in advance.
Max Participants: 40
Duration: 90 minutes
Special Requirements:
The workshop will take place on the school campus. Workshop must be booked a minimum of 45 days in advance. School staff must be available to conduct a guided site visit, and two 30 minute planning sessions with Whistle Stop. A minimum of one staff person must be available for set up and break down. Teachers are encouraged to support the workshop by playing along with students.
Fee: $1,080 for 1 workshop; $2,025 for 2 same-day workshops; $2,700 for 3 same-day workshops
Performance Meet the Fitzgeralds
GRADES: 3rd – 8th grade
In this presentation, Whistle Stop Tours introduces audiences to the Fitzgeralds, an African American family whose individual and collective struggles for emancipation helped shape the West End neighborhood and the larger Durham African American community. Specific themes coveredthe period of emancipation to integration.
Max Participants: 400
Duration: 45-60 minutes
Special Requirements: Performance space of 13 ft x 10 ft (preferably a stage or raised platform; 4 wireless ear microphones; PA system; projection screen and projector
Fee: $1,625 for one performance; $2,937.50 for two same-day performances