Written by Spring 2025 AFA Intern Franny Daleo-Clark
February 25, 2025
On Tuesday, February 25, I joined teaching artist Nami Kagami at PS243 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. I got to help Nami with four creative movement and dance classes at the Pre-K, K, and first grade levels. Each class followed a similar pattern with some adjustments based on age and feasibility. We first greeted the students and handed out their name tags, and then invited them to a circle on the rug. Nami began by leading a mindful breathing exercise in which we rub our hands together until one student (they took turns) counts to three, and then another chooses a body part (eyes, knees, etc.) to place our hands. Then we all take a deep breath with our hands and energy focused there until each student has had a turn and we take one more deep breath and open our eyes. It was a great way to practice grounding and get everyone settled in the space! Next, Nami had the students raise their hands to remind us what comes next: “warm up!” We stayed in the circle, but played music and stood up to warm up our bodies for the activity by isolating different body parts and doing some simple stretches.
Once everyone was warmed up, Nami played a video of a project they worked on last week: Origami Storytelling Through Movement. The project allowed the kids to embody different transformations of paper through movement and connect it via a narrative, and the video showcased their work. The students LOVED seeing themselves dance, and every single class asked to watch it again. It was amazing to see how proud of themselves this art project had made them. Then, it was time to dance! Nami taught a short sequence of choreography, explaining how the movement related to the words and offering space for creative exploration. We all practiced this a few times before the kids were able to do it on their own and show us. Depending on the time left in the class, students got to share their hard work with their classroom teacher and improvise further movements for the dance. Next week, they will get to add on to the piece, working on coming up with their own choreography and thinking about ways to express the feeling of the music with movement!
March 4, 2025
On Tuesday, March 4, I returned to the Weeksville School to support Nami’s dance workshops. It was lovely to be welcomed back and remembered from the previous week! This week, Nami’s lesson plan had students continue to work on thematic choreography development. Her classes began with the same introductory rituals as last week: passing out name tags, singing a song with movements to gather the group in a circle, taking a moment to ground and practice mindful breathing, and doing a body warm-up to prepare for dancing. Next, we asked students what they remembered about the dance they started to learn last week, and then went over it with them and practiced it again with music. Then Nami taught them a new movement phrase, building on the part they already knew. The next section of the piece allowed students to create their own body shapes, posing for each of the lyrics: “Rise up, wise up, eyes up,” an important message for the youth of today. They got to demonstrate for each other and then we put the full dance together with the music.
Nami also led the kids in a discussion related to the meaningful lyrics of the song they’ve been dancing to about their hopes, dreams, and goals in life. Students had the opportunity to share what they wanted to be when they grew up, and they were excited to share with us and each other. Finally, everyone was given a chance to identify and share a word that encapsulates how dance class felt that day or how they were feeling in the moment. Each group of students had different thoughts to share, but many were proud or happy with themselves.
March 18, 2025
I was so excited to go back to the Weeksville School on Tuesday, March 18, and help with Nami’s creative movement classes. In the first two classes, we handed out name tags and gathered in a circle on the rug like usual. Nami led the students in a mindful breathing exercise, taking deep breaths while sending energy to their eyes, cheeks, and heart. Then, she led a warm up, and taught a few new stretches. Some students were really proud of themselves for doing well at this point! In the first class, they got to play freeze dance, too. Next, we reviewed the dance choreography from recent workshops. After practicing it in conjunction with the shapes they came up with, we put it all together. Nami also gave the students the opportunity to freestyle dance/improvise in the piece. I loved seeing everyone’s individuality come out. Then, students had the opportunity to share how they felt about the class or share something they did well. In the third class with students a little bit older, the session went similarly, but the choreography section was a little different. We split students into pairs, and then they worked independently to create a series of movements to add to their dance. They practiced and reviewed before finally coming back to the group and performing for each other.
The fourth class was structured a little differently, as this was another younger group. We did not split them into groups to choreograph on their own, but instead played a series of follow the leader dance/movement songs, which gave students the chance to practice following directions, using their listening ears, and working on mind-body coordination. Lastly, Nami led a brief cool down to re-center the group in the space, and we said goodbye for the day. I look forward to seeing these groups again next week!
March 25, 2025
On Tuesday, March 25, I went again to Nami Kagami’s creative movement classes at PS243. On this day, Nami started each class by warming up our bodies, leading the students in both new and familiar stretches and musical sequences. We also did a deep breathing warm up. Then, she invited students to remember and review the dance they have been working on and practice it without and then with music. In the older class, they also split into groups to review the choreography they came up with on their own before performing it together with music. At the end of class, Nami explained that today we would be recording the dance for a special video, so we talked about performing with big clear movements, dancing for the camera, and what it means to zoom in and zoom out. They had a fabulous time making the special video of the dance they have been working so hard on! At the end of class, everyone got a round of applause.
April 1, 2025
On this very special April Fools’ Day, I had the privilege of helping Nami again at PS243 with her four pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st grade dance classes. The plan for today was to film the dance the students had been working on again so that students who were absent or had not previously had photography permission could have the chance to be in the video this week. As usual, we sang and danced with a Circle Song to bring everyone to the group and get us situated on the carpet for a warm up. Nami had students help count and direct the mindful breathing first, sitting criss-crossed and counting to three and then picking body parts to focus on. Then we stretched and did some isolation movements, combining some new and some familiar activities. This week, the students did not even need to review the dance first; they remembered it from last week as soon as the music played. So, after running through it once, Nami filmed the student’s beautiful and expressive dance one more time. At the end of class, we came back to the circle on the rug and got to discuss a little with the kids about what comes next. Next week is Nami’s last workshop at PS243 with these groups, so the plan is to have a watch party where the kids can watch the videos of themselves dancing and celebrate themselves, and then we can have a positive discussion with them about what they’ve learned and how they’ve grown! She explained this to them today, and then each kid got to share something they loved about dancing and then “shine” for the group in a fun pose while everyone applauded them. I’m so impressed with all of these students!
April 8, 2025
Tuesday, April 8th was the last day of Nami’s artist residency at PS243 this school year. I got to join for the last day of workshops, which was bittersweet. I love to see all the progress all the kids have made and feel grateful to have been part of these sessions, but am sad it’s over! I have loved this artist residency and I know the students have, too. This day was extra special because as promised, Nami hosted a “watch party” for each group, to show them the videos of themselves dancing in the piece they have been working so hard on for the past few weeks. But first a little movement!
In the first class, Nami joined the pre-k group, who was already sitting on the rug, and started by leading a warm-up in the circle. We sang and danced to the “Circle Song,” which they are familiar with by now, and then did some mindful breathing. Nami had the students sit tall and shake out their bodies, and then “energize” their hands by clapping and rubbing them together before taking deep breaths directed at their cheeks, heart, and eyes. Next, we remained in the circle to do some light stretching and body part isolations. Then everyone was ready to dance to the “Silly Song,” which leads dancers in a bunch of fun dance activities, shaking out their wiggles and getting very energized but then transitioning into deep, calm breaths quietly. It’s a tricky transition, especially in the younger groups, but the kids like to practice it, and by the end they were mostly calm enough to be able to sit for their watch party! In the second and third classes, the dancers got to do this activity, too, but we skipped it for the last group at the end of the day for the sake of time, so that they would have more time for watching and discussing at the end.
When it was time for the watch party, the students took a seat either on the floor or at their desks, depending on the classroom, and Nami played the video of their “Rise Up, Wise Up, Eyes Up” dance, which is the one they have been working on for the past few weeks. (The music is to a song of the same name by artist Ibeye). The kids LOVE to watch themselves dance. They had such a fun time watching this video (twice) and even started dancing along! We encouraged them to think about what they noticed and learned while watching. After playing the video, we came back together to discuss. Nami called it an “interview,” and even brought a pretend microphone! She asked questions about what the kids feel like they learned over the course of Nami’s workshops about teamwork, dancing, and their favorite activities, and the speaker would get to hold the microphone. One boy in the pre-k classroom said that he learned never to give up, which was a pretty powerful moment. I have only been in these workshops for a few months, but I felt very proud of the students. Finally, it was time for goodbyes, which brought a few kids to tears. This has been such a lovely dance workshop series at PS243 and I am so grateful to have been a part of it.
