Affiliated with the national Young Audiences Arts for Learning network
Announcement: As we navigate a leadership transition and focus on financial planning, our summer programming will center on Arts, Care, and Connection. This intentional pause in other activities will help strengthen our foundation as we prepare to relaunch our core Right Brain Initiative this fall—supporting students, schools, and teaching artists with renewed energy and focus. Arts for Learning Northwest remains deeply committed to making arts and creativity accessible to all.
This is an invigorating, accessible and playful step towards learning about different West African cultures.
Habiba Addo shares the infectious joy and fundamentals of dance and music from West African Cultures.
Students build body confidence and strength as they participate in executing steps and learning the specific rhythm and songs that accompany the dances.
They will work in groups and pairs to collaborate on their own choreography based on traditional movements. In collaborating students will learn community building skills, cooperation, conflict-resolution, patience, kindness, compassion and empathy towards one another. They will practice in real time how to support and build each other up.
It will be a learning process that will also be fun for all physical abilities. Habiba celebrates each individuals’ contributions and the joy they bring to the dance. Habiba plans with teachers to select curriculum and activities for each classroom community.
Students will present their choreography for their classmates and in doing so will learn the etiquette of being an audience member. If schools would like classes to share their learning with each other, we will schedule a minimum of one extra class per classroom.
They learn to be champions of their classmates and helpful members of their micro community.
At the end of the session schools can choose to add a performance where students present for their larger school community (five classes).
This program offered by: Habiba’s Village
Program Model: In Class
Art Form: Dance
Curriculum Connections: Community Building, Language Arts, Mathematics, Physical Education, Social-Emotional Learning, World Cultures
Grades: 1, 10, 11, 12, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, Adult, K
Program Requirements: Clean rooms with plenty of space, furniture needs to be cleared by classroom teachers and students before the start of class.
Instruction Language(s): English
Min. Residency Sessions/Classroom: 3
PLEASE NOTE: Arts for Learning NW has paused its support of all residencies, workshops and performances outside of Right Brain Initiative contracts. We encourage you to work directly with the teaching artists. If you're interested in being connected directly with this artist, please email [email protected] with your request and we'll forward your message.
About the Artist
Habiba Addo is a native of Ghana. She has a degree in Theater from Portland State University. Habiba is a recipient of the Lila Jewel, and grants from RACC for her work in African cultures.
"Habiba Addo's electrifying storytelling offers a superbly authentic expression of African culture." --Sally Shaw, concert producer Corvallis, OR
Program costs are based on a variety of different factors including number of sessions, planning hours needed and material costs. Please contact Arts for Learning NW for help determining the actual cost of your programs. Email us at [email protected] or call 503-225-5900, ext 705