AddLife! African Dance at the Library & the Power of (ALL) People
12:18 PM
Thursday, we wrapped our session of AddLife! African Dance classes at
the Jamestown Bluffs Library, and various Libraries across St. Louis County.
The one thing I surely love about teaching for the Libraries is that ALL
kinds of people pour into the classes.
In just a few months, we successfully taught more than 100 students –
adults and children – and made some good friends along the way.
>> There was the 72-year-old Chinese woman who had more pep in her step
than many people a quarter of her age.
>> There was the mother-of-three who took a breather from parenting to put
her focus into steps which she performed marvelously.
>> There were eager children, a few shy beginners, some athletic teens, many
hard-working moms and bright-eyed retirees.
And together, we endeavored to push ourselves to new heights -- all the while journeying to Africa!
This past Thursday at the Jamestown Bluffs Library, I
integrated drama and acting into our dance lesson. So
basically, I asked the students to not only dance, but act-out a scene about losing
something important and trying to reclaim it.
After we took turns solo dancing and performing together, a very astute
young man, a 7th-grader in the class, said: “Now you have to offer your dance to the Gods, but they are not easily impressed!”
The class cracked up!
As AddLife! grows – and aspires to reach millions – I am
honored to work with students and the Libraries dedicated to human development.
The opportunity to teach such a diverse range of terrific people is a big blessing and has made me a more gifted teacher, dancer, and director of
AddLife!
I will forever cherish this experience and I look forward to all the
future has to offer.
Thank you!!
Malena Amusa
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