Third Graders Experience Different Cultures With Symphony Space

Students in the Gym
Bronxville, NY

Third graders connected with teaching artists from Symphony Space as part of a cultural arts program from June 6-15. Through various workshops and interactive performances, they learned about the dance and music of different cultures.

Throughout the experience, they learned about the music and dance of the Iroquois and Plains Indians and participated in a Grasslands dance during a workshop with Louis Mofsie. They also learned an African dance that originated in Mali during a workshop with Jerbean Gilkes. During a workshop with artist Ricardo Rodriguez, the students gained an appreciation for Latin American music as they listened to him play several instruments with influences from Puerto Rico and Cuba.

In a different workshop, the third graders explored folk dances of Mexico, learned steps in traditional Mexican dances and gained insight about the jarana mosquito, which is a guitar-shaped, fretted stringed instrument from Veracruz. They also experienced classical Indian dance, music and myths. The students completed the cultural program with a workshop about taiko drums, koto and flutes of Japan, and played the taiko drums with artist Marco Lienhard.