Hi! We are VJ-U. We teach the art of live visual performance–or VJing–to students of all ages. You can find our open source curriculum on Wikiversity and our weekly video podcast on Operator11. We are Benton-C Bainbridge, Marlon Barrios Solano and Dan Winckler. We are supported by Eyebeam Art & Technology Center and the Urban Assembly School of Music and Art (UAMA).

Even now, visual performance as a study in educational institutions is uncommon. The course that VJ-U initiated in New York City's public school system was the first (to our knowledge) class dedicated to VJing/visual performance in US public education.

Though not every student will pursue a profession in visual performance, the VJ's skills are becoming essential for everyday life in a highly mediated world. As this media becomes participatory (e.g.- youtube, MySpace) and realtime (e.g.- video chats, Operator11.com), 'media literacy' becomes less self-defense than self-expression. 

VJ-U teaches technology, but is tool-agnostic. The mission is to teach core skills of visual performance -  including improvisation, timing, stage presence, collaboration, musical theory and media literacy. 

We teach visual performance, media literacy and the craft of motion picture making. Lessons are theme, and content-oriented, but students learn movie-making skills in the course of producing work. An important philosophy of VJ-U that distinguishes it from other film and TV studies is that 'there is always an audience' - students work on projects that are made live in front of audiences and are immediately posted to the web at the end of class. VJ-U has built up an audience of 'subscribers' on youtube, enjoying a few 'viral' hits including one movie with over one million views (and counting).

Many of the skills learned in VJ-U classes used to be taught in the US public school system, but as arts education has been underfunded in recent years, such basics as color theory, counting music, and collaborative art making may no longer be part of an American teen's schooling. It is a sad irony that, in an era where the layperson has unprecedented access to media-making tools, it is less likely than ever that they are given the skills to take advantage of this power.

Currently, Dan Winckler is teaching two classes of VJ-U to high school students in Brooklyn. Benton-C Bainbridge taught a year of VJ-U classes as the Inaugural Education Fellow at Eyebeam to preteens, high school students and undergrads. Other workshops are given at New York arts organizations as single sessions or a series of classes. We also continue to webcast episodes of our net show on operator11.com

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