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Artists in schools

Storytelling through folkloric dance. Practicing rhythm, counting, and Spanish. Learning the historic origins of a multicultural art form. All this and more is what @flamencovivo brought to @bennettelemschool and Bonlee School in this year’s Artists-in-Schools residency this week. First the students got to experience a live flamenco performance with singing, traditional guitar and dance. Then in workshops they learned how to sing, create the rhythm, and dance basic flamenco steps. The best part? Students’ questions: “Where are you from and how many different dances do you do?” “Where have you performed?” Hint: all over the world! “What’s your favorite [dance] mood?” “Do the guys ever dance?” And yes, they do! Fun fact, in traditional flamenco performances, the guitarist putting their instrument down and dancing at the end of the show is highlight! And we wouldn’t be able to bring these amazing experiences to Chatham County students without our amazing sponsors, Lily McCoy Voller Stargazer Fund (Bonlee) and Miki Adams (Bennett). Thank you so much for your support! If this post made you smile, consider joining our email list at the link in bio to be the first to read the full recap article when it’s out! Video credit: Chatham Arts Council #chathamartscouncil #chathamcountync #chathamcountyschoolsnc #artistsinschools @chathamcountyschools

Our first week back with the Artists-in-Schools Initiative has been a phenomenal one with our friends from @blackboxdance at @scebulldogs ! Students faces lit up when fan favorite, Alfredo, stepped out with an introduction to a new piece in Spanish. Paying tribute to Latin cultures, the students laughed, clapped, and joyfully cheered for the dancers. They even got a mini-chemistry lesson…through dance! With dancers acting out the interplay between protons, neutrons and electrons, the students got an artistic and visual demonstration aligned with curriculum standards. And that’s what makes Artists-in-Schools so special! Not only do students get to watch and work with professional teaching artists, they get to learn about typical subjects in an atypical way, piquing their interest and asking them to step outside the norm through art. And a big thank you to our sponsor, Amador Foundation, for supporting this amazing work! Your partnership helps make Artists-in-Schools possible. #chathamartscouncil #artistsinschools #chathamcountync #chathamcountyschools

Read along for an artist experience on the impact of our Artists-in-Schools Initiative in honor of Arts in Education Week by Mike Wiley: “He got up there to read and I said, {student} I want you to read louder, I’m gonna need you to project. And he proceeded to do it the same way. I said I want you to hit the back wall with your voice. And he proceeded to do it the same way. So I walked up there and I looked back at his teacher and she kind of shrugged as if to say ‘this is who he is’. And I said ok [student] we’re going to work on this, ok? And he said, I just don’t speak loud. I said, ok [student] I want you to take everything that’s in here (referring to his chest) and I want you to put it out there. I don’t want you to let it go backwards, I want you to let it go forwards and to push it out, and to push it out loud like you’re on the playground. And he said ok, and then he said “MY NAME IS [STUDENT]” and he continued and the class just cheered because apparently he had never spoke this loud before! I looked back at his teacher and she was in tears. And [student] proceeded to be not only be the loudest but the funniest. When he finished I said [student] are you a comedian? And he said No, and I said well you should be and you should always live with this voice. Afterwards the teacher came up to me and said I have never heard him speak this way and I can’t wait to tell his mother because I think she’ll be in tears too. That’s the important work that we do. Chatham Arts Council and Mike Wiley Productions. This is what we do. Thanks for the opportunity to make me able to do this work.” - @mikewileyproductions This is what Arts in Education is all about. Pulling students out of their comfort zone and showing them, through art, a new way of being. This is what we do. \#ArtsEdWeek #ArtsAdvocacy #ArtsEducation

Did you know this week is National Arts in Education Week? And that Arts in education drives student success across every measure: - Academic Achievement: Higher test scores and graduation rates - Workforce Readiness: Building the creativity and collaboration skills that 72% of business leaders say are essential - Student Wellness: Providing emotional outlets and supportive communities - Equity: Ensuring all students can access transformative learning experiences (Source: Americans for the Arts) This week we are celebrating all the folks who make Arts in Education possible in our community, and today its our teachers. Through our Artists-in-Schools Initiative, we work with teachers across Chatham County to bring professional teaching artists into their classrooms to work directly with their students. Teachers are the glue that holds those classrooms together. They get to witness the shift in their students as they engage in arts they may never have experienced before. Their eyes light up, and teachers see the possibility as much as the students. It takes us all working together to make Arts in Education possible. Thank you Teachers! #ArtsEdWeek #ArtsAdvocacy #ArtsinEducation

🎉 Guess who’s going back to school? Actually…a whole lot of incredible professional artists. For the second year in a row, the Chatham Arts Council is bringing professional artists to all 20 Chatham County district schools through our Artists-in-Schools Initiative. And this year’s lineup is going to be a lot of fun: 🎷 Jazz 💃 Flamenco 📝 Poetry 🎭 Theater 🥁 African drumming + kora 🎧 Beatmaking 🎶 Bilingual music 🎼 Lyric + music writing …and more! Over the course of the school year, students will write, dance, drum, make music, perform, ask questions, and work alongside some seriously talented professional artists. Because creativity doesn’t just happen in art class. It helps students think differently, solve problems, communicate, and imagine what’s possible—and that’s why we’re proud to nurture creative thinkers in classrooms across Chatham County. 20 schools. Incredible artists. One very creative county. Let’s go, Chatham! 🎨✨ Learn more about this year’s Artists-in-Schools season at the link in our bio or https://www.chathamartscouncil.org/announcing-the-2026-2027-artists-in-schools-season/

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