Bollywood Dance with Puja Amin
Grades JK to 3, 4 to 6, 7 to 8 | 2 class/session for single introductory visit or, 1 classes/session for a 5 to 6 day series including student performance
Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments / Health & Physical Education: Active Living, Movement Competence, Healthy Living
The Mumbai-based Hindi language film industry in India is informally, and very popularly, known as Bollywood. Students are introduced to the various influences of Bollywood music’s diverse styles and energy on Bollywood dance rhythms. Experimentation includes vocal work and/or hand and feet sounds as percussive elements. Students may also work with other visual props and musical instruments given the opportunity – all within a loosely structured choreography leading to a final performance.
See IDEAS YouTube: Bollycore
Chantez, dansez, jouez! with Bill Russell
Grades 1 to 8 | 250 as performance or 2 classes/per session | maximum 3 sessions/day
FSL / Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments
Drawing on his experience and knowledge of Cajun, Creole and Zydeco music and folklore of his native Louisiana, students learn the historical and cultural connections between them and the traditional music of French Canada through participating in the songs, dances and games passed down from Cajun and Creole oral traditions.
Contra and Square Dance with Hannah Naiman (as a duo or trio)
Grade 5 to 8 | 2-3 classes/session, maximum 3 sessions/day | available as duo or trio
Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments / History & Geography / Health & Physical Education: Active Living, Movement Competence, Healthy Living
Contra and Square dancing go together like peas and carrots! Contra dancing is like square dancing, but in longer rectangular shapes. Students and teachers learn basic dances to live music in this fun and cooperative dance experience. These workshops will cover diverse styles of dancing, ranging from Tennessee and Kentucky, to New England. Available as a single visit as well as a 5-day residency where students will learn a few new dances daily, and at the end of the 5 days they’ll put them all together and have a dance party!
Family Dance with Hannah Naiman (as trio or quartet)
For school and community social events | available as trio or quartet
Celebrate special occasions and events including dinner dances, fundraisers and potlucks. Experienced caller Hannah Namain together with live music bring school communities together for a fun evening of simple to learn traditional circle, square and contra dancing including traditional danses Canadiennes.
From Skin to Steel and Beyond with Joy Lapps Lewis
Grades 3 to 8, 9 to 12 | as performance: maximum 100 | or 6-day workshop series including student showcase, 1 class/session, maximum 2 sessions/ half-day | * steel pan kit required
Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments / Math
Students experiment and learn to play simple patterns and rhythms as an ensemble while learning the rich history of pan as an irrepressible collective expression of creativity and its present cultural and social contributions to communities throughout the world and locally.
Hands That Tell Stories, Fingers That Sing with Kathy Reid Naiman
Grades JK/SK | 2 classes/ session, maximum 4 sessions/day or performance with 100 audience maximum
Kathy shares many of her favourite traditional and original finger-plays and hand-tales in a fun and interactive program that develops and reinforces early literacy skills. Students participate in learning rhymes and songs as well as being introduced to some creative signs and American Sign Language. Teacher resources includes a DVD of the material for use in both pre and post visit.
Harvest Hoe Down with Bill Russell and Anne Lederman (as trio or quartet)
For school and community social events | available as trio or quartet
Celebrate special occasions and events including dinner dances, fundraisers and potlucks. Experienced caller Bill Russell together with live music bring school communities together for a fun evening of simple to learn traditional circle, square and contra dancing including traditional danses Canadiennes.
Heart Beats with Muhtadi Thomas
Grades 3 to 8, 9 to 12 | as 5 day workshop series including student showcase: 1 class/session, maximum 3 sessions/day * djembe drum kit required |as a performance: trio or quartet audience maximum 250 to 350 audience
Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments / Math
Muhtadi introduces students to the heartbeat of all music featuring drums and rhythms from around the world where students learn the basic elements of rhythm, beat and playing as an ensemble and showcase their learning. Instruments required – contact the MITS office for additional information.
Performances are available for larger audiences with Muhtadi’s World Drummers.
Jug Band and Folk Songs with Ken Whiteley
Grades K to 8 | Maximum 350 | available as a duo with second musician
Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments / History & Geography
Jug band and music is the coming together of Appalachian folk with blues, zydeco and early jazz and of course is best known for its novel, do-it-yourself instrumentation: jugs, brooms, combs, buckets, spoons etc. The inherent playfulness of these instruments and the rhythmically bouncy music brought people from miles around in the day, and continues to lend itself to informal, spontaneous, music making. In this robust and delightful, music-filled performance students participate by playing jugs, combs, washtub bass and spoons joining Ken’s jug band!
La Bastringue va commencer! with Bill Russell and Anne Lederman
For school community social events
La Bastringue va commencer! is a fun, interactive program for dinner dances, fundraisers and potlucks. Bill calls and Anne fiddles for an evening of traditional danses canadiennes.
Let’s Dance For Life! with Njacko Backo
Grades to read: Grades 1 to 8 | 5-day residency including student showcase | 2 classes/ session, maximum 2 sessions/half-day | available for morning visits only
Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments / Health & Physical Education: Active Living, Movement Competence, Healthy Living / FSL
Njacko ramps up daily physical education and dance programs by incorporating traditional African choreography and chants in a safe, fun and simple dance repertoire. In keeping with tradition, older students are encouraged to assist younger students deepening their sense of community. Available for a single visit as well as a residency including student showcase.
Music and Movement with Kathy Reid Naiman
Grades JK to 3 |1 class/session, maximum 3 sessions/day or performance with 100 audience maximum
Health & Physical Education: Active Living, Movement Competence, Healthy Living
Along with their teacher, students delight in learning rhythms and songs through finger-plays, circle and party games with a selection of instruments including guitar, dulcimer, fiddle, banjo and bowed psaltery.
Rigodon…Dansons! with Andrea Haddad
Grades 4 to 12 | available in French | 1 class/session, maximum 3 sessions/day
FSL / Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments / History
Tout le monde balance et tout le monde swing! Hold a québécois veillée in your classroom and watch out for that queue du loup! Students learn to play the spoons, dance the gigue, a cotillon or a carrée, and enact the story of Rose Latulippe as Andrea introduces students to customs, traditions and lifestyles of New France expressed in the social dances of the time.
Singing Dances with Hannah Naiman
Grades 1 to 4 | 1 class/session, maximum 3 sessions/day
Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments / History & Geography / Health & Physical Education: Active Living, Movement Competence, Healthy Living
Hannah fosters group cooperation and physical coordination with students and their teachers through traditional rhythms, songs and dances.
Tabla Fusion with Gurpreet Chana
Grades 4 to 8, 9 to 12 music programs | 100 maximum as performance | limited availability
Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments
The tabla has its origins in north Indian classical music and the ancient rhythmic traditions of 5000 years ago represented by a continuum of musicians passing the music down in the oral tradition. It has become a popular percussion instrument in India and to world percussion music.
In this performance, Gurpreet introduces students to this remarkable instrument demonstrating its sophistication, tonal beauty and versatility within Indian traditional, classical and contemporary music as well as Soul, Jazz, Funk, Hip Hop and Dance Hall genres and students are invited to participate in vocalizing tabla bols and sol-ka-tu (rhythmic syllables).
Tabla Fusion Five-day workshop series available with Gurpreet Chana and Ed Hanley
Grades 4 to 8, 9 to 12 music programs | 1 class/session, maximum 3 to sessions/day | limited availability
Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments / Math
In collaboration with the music teacher, this 5-day workshop series provides students with the opportunity to collectively create their own bols and to showcase their learning.
See IDEAS: ‘AWAKE’ and ‘Hold Up The Sky 5 year retrospective’
Toum Kak, Chaa Chaa, Keeuk (drums, maracas and bells) with Njacko Backo
Grades 1 to 8 | maximum 3 sessions/day | available for morning visits only | materials required
Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments / FSL
Students make their own percussion instruments from recycled materials as they do in villages throughout Africa, and learn to play basic rhythms and beats.
We Are One With The Drum with Njacko Backo
Grades 1 to 8 | 5 day residency with student showcase | 1 class/ session, maximum 2 sessions/half-day | available for morning visits only
Social Studies: Heritage & Identity, People & Environments / FSL / Math
Learn of village life in Cameroon while playing percussion instruments made from everyday objects and build a repertoire of African songs and dance steps.