A circle of children and Ms. A standing with hands up in the air.

The Details

Playground Pop-Ups are energetic recess visits from Ms. A that include rhythm games, chants and dance for students who choose to participate. Not only are Playground Pop-Ups fun, they add VAPA and PE Common Core standards to recess time! Did you know that there are over 50 standards related to rhythm!?! My festive hats add to the playful and joyful nature of Playground Pop-Ups. They are available to book any time.

Workshops are for individual classrooms, after school programs, community centers, scouting groups, etc., accommodating a group of up to 30 students and are also available to book any time. They start with an opening circle that includes rhythm play and introductions. Ms A leads dancing, chanting and a breathing exercise before beginning the art experience. We discuss how humans use art to express ideas and feelings, how art inspires thought and can be used as a call to action. All the art experiences are open-ended and student-created with emphasis on the process and not the product, student artwork will vary accordingly. Tables or desks and a sink are required. Workshops are an hour. Shorter or longer sessions can be arranged if needed.

Dance and Play with Ms. A assembly programs are for elementary schools and will be available starting in August of 2025. Presentations are adjusted to younger, older or mixed ages, they include live drumming, chanting, kid friendly breathing exercises, directed and freestyle dance and student participation. Ms. A also engages with the teachers, inviting them to participate and celebrating them as champions of children with an uplifting round of applause. Please note that at least one dedicated school staff member is needed to assist in managing the movement of the students volunteering during the program. The presentations are 45 minutes – starting with a dynamic welcoming as children enter the room, and calming visuals and relaxing music as students exit. To accommodate larger organizations, the selected program can be repeated multiple times the same day. If multiple shows, please allow a minimum of 10 minutes between the end time of one session and the beginning of the next.

Dance and Play with Ms. A Assembly Programs, Workshops and Pop-Ups provide many educational benefits such as engaging children in appealing ways outside their routine, offering students opportunities for learning social awareness and discipline, instilling confidence and creating unity. The workshops are aligned with Common Core Standards, particularly Social Studies and VAPA standards which have many specifically related to rhythm. For more information about the Common Core alignment click here.

“She incorporates theory, storytelling, music and movement in a way that engages diverse learners, of all ages and abilities.” — Jamie Lee, educator and parent of private students

Ms. A playing portable cajon drum with a student on either side of her in a n outdoor setting

Assemblies

Available to book beginning in December 2024!

A collection of colorful scarves and a variety of percussion instruments

Shine Your Light!

Shine Your Light uses live drumming, rhythmic clapping, chanting, dance and kid-friendly breathing exercises to share the power of connectedness and self-awareness with the children. Students are greeted by Ms. A drumming on her portable drum, engaging with participants as they enter the room. The opening includes a brief breathing exercise and interactive process to establish expected group parameters. Behavior guidelines are introduced: respect, responsibility, kindness and safety. If a school has additional expectations or norms for their community, Ms. A will include them. The show progresses through segments of directed and freestyle dancing, chanting and additional breathing exercises. During several songs, volunteers are invited to play with colorful scarves, lead dance moves and use a variety of percussion instruments. A background video emphasizes the material covered. The fun ends with a relaxing breathing exercise and a challenge to the students to return to class quietly. Diversity is celebrated in the songs and content of the program. Children are encouraged to shine their light, using imagination, creativity, curiosity and play to grow their understanding of themselves and the world around them. 

Party for the Planet!

The Party for the Planet presentation has a focus on conservation. The visuals of the program underscore the beauty, diversity and vastness of Earth. The structure is the same as the Shine Your Light program with the opening featuring drumming, followed by establishing behavior expectations. The songs and content focus on encouraging children to feel wonder and awe about nature, instilling principles of conservation and sustainability. The three R’s, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, a concept most children are familiar with, is highlighted. This is perfect for April when the world celebrates Earth Day!

Workshops

Play with Printing!

Printing can be done with a wide variety of materials. In this workshop Ms. A shares styles of printing from around the world, explains the different processes of printmaking and offers materials for the children to use to create their own printed artwork.

Set up for pruning activity using a round plastic cup with blue circles printed on yellow paper

Wonderful Watercolor!

Watercolors are are versatile, easy to clean up and fun for kids to use. In this workshop Ms. A shares artists work in watercolor from around the world, explains some watercolor techniques and offers materials for children to create their own watercolor artwork.

Collection of six trays of watercolor sets in a decorative heap

Trash to Treasure!

Recycled art seeks to transform paper, cardboard, plastics, metal and other waste into works of art. Artists worldwide work with recycled materials and their work is highlighted. Texture, form and space are discussed before children create a sculptural artwork using recycled materials.

Materials laid out for making art with recycled materials including scissor, tape, glue, craft stick and a paper towel tube

“I liked how she taught me the color wheel and how to paint! I miss dancing with her.” -Shiloh, age 7

Young boy holding a creation made with paper towel tubes up to his face like a telescope

Pricing

Assembly Programs

Shine Your Light or Party for the Planet

Single assembly: $600.00

Includes:

  • arrival of Ms. A an hour before the performance starts

  • audio/visual set up by Ms. A (help is welcome but not necessary)

  • 40 minute interactive, energizing experience

  • If multiple assemblies are booked there is a minimum 10 minute break time required between performances

  • 30 minute break down time after performance

Additional assemblies: $150 each

Workshops

Play with Printing, Wonderful Watercolor, Trash to Treasure

Standard 60 minute workshop: $200

Includes:

  • arrival of Ms. A to the classroom at the scheduled start time

  • Co-created experience for the class using rhythm, recorded music, dance and art making

  • all materials for the art project, teachers and group leaders are welcome to contribute materials for Trash to Treasure but it is not required

  • 60 minutes of engaged activity for the class

Longer workshops are available, $50 for each additional 30 minutes up to four hours

Playground Pop-up

$75.00 per recess session, you can book for multiple consecutive recess times

Includes:

  • Arrival of Ms. A 30 minutes prior to the first recess session in order to sign in, see the playground space and get situated

  • Rhythm games that include live drumming by Ms. A, chanting, and dance

  • A pop-up is intended to be a choice for the students, some students will choose to participate some will not!

  • Ms. A, the original hat DJ will have one of her wonderful hand made speaker hats!