Saturday brought me to YANJ’s cushy campus office near Princeton for an interesting session with Family Arts, a subgroup of YANJ that works with a pilot program focusing on preschool kids and their families. I’ve been to several training sessions with other artists, and I assumed the same. Looks like I snuck in on the planning itself. It didn’t dawn on me at first… Anyway, cool.
The pilot plan centers on Arts evenings putting preschoolers, parents, teachers together at an arts event, stirring them up creatively, and, hopefully the kids and parents become arts-partners and can continue at home.
I had the privilege to work with Claudio, who brought in a wonderful book of Latino kids’ and family songs, ones he learned as a kids and also passed on to his kids. It was great to hear Claudio sing these songs, and I hope to pass them on to you as I learn them.
We took one song, El Burrito, that has a funny story about a sick burro and the cures the doctor prescribes. That would be the focus of the community evening. The rest of the evening has warm ups, creative games and a wrap-up. Hopefully, all will come away with the hunger to sing, share stories and dance as a family.
I’m headed back for another session on Wednesday, then drive up to Roaring Brook for my open mike spotlight.