She was maybe two feet tall, and all manners of independent. She spoke with an intensity comparable to preachers, leaders, mothers. She looked me in the eye when she asked me to move my things out of her way, so that she could sit and color. She pointed to the man in the corner who was not dancing, because she insisted I had "forgotten" him. She made me laugh and pay her serious attention all at the same time. I think they say I was kind of like that as a child. She reminded me in a beautiful way why I love dancing with children and why I'm so excited to have my own one day.
India, maybe four, maybe three years old. I didn't get a chane to ask her. She was one of several amazing children who came to bless my class at the family festival day in Southeast, DC yesterday. The festival was sponsored by the Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative, an organization committed to providing resources to families in Ward 8. Ward 8 is the nation's capital's last frontier. The dumping ground for less desirable things. The only part of the city where there are more carry-outs, liquor stores and churches all on the same block. The is also the place where I spent about 60% of my childhood (when I wasn't at my magnet schools and church across town). Of course, with gentrification and Obama, condos and dog-walkers are on the rise even here, because it is still technically Washington, DC. But S.E. is Southeast.
I was very excited to be asked to do a dance workshop for the children at this rare, but extremely necessary, S.E. community event. I am usually working across town where there's more money, better transportation, and healthier food options. I grew up in S.E. and wish I could do more with youth here, so I jump at opportunities (read: paid gigs) to do so.
The room was sunny and full of space. After a few minutes, three children walked in, wide-eyed and open-mouthed, all talking to me at once. "Can I tell you something about myself?" Edward asked. He dominated the introductions as he informed he intended to become a scientist. Wonderful, I thought, this group is lively!
We created a cicle to warm-up. With energetic little ones, all ranging from 3 to 8 years old, we make noise early. The movement is a lot easier to introduce if you can yell, and giggle and scream through it. We played the animal game next. Edward, the beaver, wanted to teach us about beavers instead of dancing the beaver. Sharon, one of the teachers, invited us to be kangaroos. Chanelle, a 6 year-old very enthusiastic about going to the first grade next year, roared us into lions. George, a quiet boy who informed us he'd been to Jupiter, was a sly tiger that flexed its teeth. I let us swim around and become fish.
We played more games, visited the Moon, Jupiter, and Saturn's rings all while traveling via rocet ships executed with loud, explosive leaps from the floor. We shared our names as movements and did the scoot-race, where you have to move forward on your bottom without using your hands.
This was a fun, successful workshop, and the children danced for 45 minutes before the crayons called out to them. I was pleased; this age group's attention span is usually about 30 minutes! Anyway, I hope you're inspired to dance with some youth, think outside the box and have fun! There's so many children waiting on you to play with them, to remind them that they can dream big and enjoy life.
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