Artists Partners
Devin Walker
Uncle Devin & Friends
“Uncle Devin” Walker is a celebrated children’s drummer and music educator. His dynamic shows, like The Uncle Devin Show® featuring “Drum Tales!” and “Be Yourself!,” inspire children through engaging rhythms. His captivating concerts, workshops, and professional development uplift schools and communities globally, exploring the rich history of percussion.
He is a member of the 1 Tribe Collective, whose album All One Tribe was nominated for a GRAMMY® in 2022.
Additionally, his acclaimed children’s book, The ABCs of Percussion!, reflects his dedication to early childhood education through the arts. In 2022, The Uncle Devin Show®—a DC Certified Business Enterprise—was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the DC Small Business Development Center.
Uncle Devin Show!
Uncle Devin Live (All Ages)
CLIN# – 0002 Music, 0009 Art for Children with Disabilities
Get ready for an exciting and interactive musical adventure with The Uncle Devin Show! Designed for children ages 0–12, this dynamic concert takes young audiences on a magical journey through the land of percussion.
Children will be captivated as they see and hear a wide variety of percussion instruments while discovering their unique sounds. Uncle Devin will also introduce students to different genres of music, demonstrating how percussion instruments form the very “heartbeat” of so many styles. Plus, we’ll put a special spotlight on Go-Go, D.C.’s indigenous music, showcasing its vibrant rhythms and cultural significance!
The Uncle Devin Show is a fun and educational experience that will spark a love for music and rhythm in every child!
ABCs of Percussion Book Reading and Music Experience (All Ages)
CLIN# – 0002 Music, 0009 Art for Children with Disabilities
What does music and reading have in common? Uncle Devin!
Join Uncle Devin for a lively and interactive reading of his children’s book, The ABCs of Percussion! Get ready to sing, dance, and have a blast as Uncle Devin introduces a different percussion instrument for every letter of the alphabet. You’ll not only see these exciting instruments up close, but you’ll also hear what each one sounds like as we make music together. It’s a fun, educational, and hands-on party that will have everyone grooving!
Uncle Devin’s Percussion Playground (All Ages)
CLIN# – 0002 Music, 0009 Art for Children with Disabilities
Let your child’s inner rhythm shine at Uncle Devin’s Percussion Playground! This hands-on musical experience lets kids explore and play a wide variety of percussion instruments.
Our playground features four exciting stations:
- Shake & Scrape Station: Discover fun sounds with shakers, guiros, and more.
- Strike Stations: Various striking percussion for exploration.
- Drum Set Station: Get a feel for the beat on a real drum set.
- Hand Drum Station: Explore rhythms with congas, bongos, and other hand drums.
In this supervised, playground-style format, children will have a blast taking turns playing and examining all the different percussion instruments!
Spotlight
Devin Walker
Multi-Instrumentalist | Educator | Entrepreneur | Author | Keynote Speaker
Jennifer Ridgway
Yard Dramas
With over 30 years as a theatre and teaching artist, Jennifer is passionate about the transformative power of theatre. She has performed at the Kennedy Center, Wolf Trap, and small organizations like InterAct Story Theatre and ArtStream, specializing in blending theatre with storytelling, music, dance, and puppetry—all rooted in a strong commitment to community.
Her expertise in critical literacy, arts integration, social-emotional learning, and environmental stewardship enables her to create customized experiences that engage participants of all ages, fostering self-reflection and lifelong learning.
Yard Dramas
CLIN# – 0001 STEAM, 0007 Multi-Disciplinary Arts & 0009 Art for Children w/ Disabilities
Colorful Emotions: Exploring Our Feelings in Dramatic Play (Ages 3–5)
El Monstruo de Colores by Anna Llenas inspires a multi-session social-emotional investigation that uses drama and puppets. We develop an imaginary world and explore a particular problem, situation, or theme. Your classroom becomes a rehearsal hall—learning becomes personal, immediate, and active—and students become storytellers and agents of change. Requires one or more 20–30 minute session(s).
Storyteller’s Puppet Box: From Writing to Performance (Grades 2–4)
This session delves into the impact of illumination on storytelling and the significance of silence and darkness. Students will harness their individual creativity to craft a 7-line story that will serve as inspiration for a crankie and shadow puppets. Through collaborative work in small groups, they will refine their stories by engaging in constructive feedback as each group prepares for the culminating sharing day. Requires five to ten 30–45 minute sessions.
Spotlight
Jennifer Ridgway
Theater | Storyteller | Music | Dance | Puppetry
Tyrone Travis
Uncle Ty-Rone
One Mic, Many Voices
Uncle Ty-Rone has been entertaining kids and their families for over 40 years in family and educational venues all across America. He is a professional ventriloquist, comedian, puppeteer, music producer, and puppet builder all rolled into one. His mission each time he steps on stage is to bring the audience something so needed in our society: laughter and clean fun. With the help of his zany puppets, he delivers an enjoyable experience your audience will always remember.
Uncle Ty-Rone
CLIN# – 0002 Music, 0005 Storytelling
One Mic, Many Voices
One Mic, Many Voices is based on Uncle Ty-Rone’s true-life experiences learning the art of ventriloquism and never giving up on his childhood dream of pursuing a career in the entertainment industry.
This is a 45-minute fun-filled ventriloquism, puppets, and music stage performance appropriate for everyone. In this show, Uncle Ty-Rone explains—in a comedic way—how he learned the art of ventriloquism at age 7 from a library book and how reading that one book changed his outlook on education and life for the better.
The audience will meet Uncle Ty-Rone’s crew: Ty-J (his Mini-Me), Raggz (his lovable hound dog), Baby T-Rex (the Ty-Ronenosaurus Rex), and Stinky The Rock N Roll Sock—which Uncle Ty-Rone will take a sock and build into a full-size puppet right on stage. Let’s not forget Freddy the Flea—you’ll have to use your imagination for this one!
All music is kid-friendly and appropriate for children and adults to enjoy. The standard show length is 45 minutes (performing arts theaters: 45–90 minutes). Any venue, any size—Uncle Ty-Rone will be glad to help make your event a sure enjoyable success!
Spotlight
Tyrone Travis
Children's Comedian I Ventriloquist I Storyteller I Puppeteer I Music
Groovy Nate
Groovy Nate’s High Energy Funk
Groovy Nate® creates fun and educational shows using funky grooves played on his loop station, electric guitar, exotic musical instruments such as the mouth bow, talking drum, and kitchen utensils—laced with comedy, creative play, and puppet skits—a la Sesame Street meets Parliament/Funkadelic. His music is unique and eclectic, using Funk music as the foundation and reference. This is best represented in his children’s music albums Meet Groovy Nate and I’m Gonna Play My Bell, along with a single, “Put Your Seat Belt On,” recently published as a children’s book. Additionally, Groovy Nate has a song titled “Respect Everybody” that is featured in the 2022 GRAMMY-nominated compilation album by One Tribe Collective, All One Tribe.
Groovy Nate
CLIN# – 0002 Music, 0007 Theater, 0008 Multi-Disciplinary Arts, & 0009 Art for Children with Disabilities
The Groovy Nate Groove Circle Experience
In the Groovy Nate Groove Experience, participants will create and play original rhythm patterns using various percussion instruments, including but not limited to recycled materials, various hand drums, bells, sound shapes, rhythm sticks, and voice. Rhythm patterns will be derived from children’s books, names, and other ideas from Groovy Nate and students. Children will also explore/learn musical fundamentals (deep listening, tempo, dynamics, etc.), participate in a group, develop focus, and express creativity.
Groovy Classic Tales Production
- Participants will explore music, movement, and imaginative play to create and perform an age- and skill-appropriate production of a classic children’s story.
- Children will create funky chants, play percussion instruments, use props and costumes to produce a comical rendition of a classic tale with a child-inspired alternative ending.
- Tales include but are not limited to: The Gingerbread Man, Jack and the Beanstalk, and The 3 Little Pigs. Grades: Kindergarten to 3rd Grade.
Groovy Nate’s Fun in FUNk Music Movement Experience
Participants will take an imaginary field trip with Groovy Nate on a “club-hopping” musical journey filled with funky grooves that entertain and educate! Get ready to groove, shake, and have fun with a delightful blend of energetic beats and creative movement! Groovy Nate will lead you through a variety of funky and engaging rhythms that will have you moving and grooving in no time! Pre-K to 2nd Grade.
Inside the Music: Meet Groovy Nate Teacher Training
Children’s entertainer Groovy Nate takes educators on an inside exploration of his music. In this workshop, we break free from conventional boundaries and explore innovative teaching techniques through the lens of funk and creativity. Here’s a taste of what you can expect:
- Teachers are introduced to different genres of music that appear in his music: Funk, Reggae, Techno, Hip-Hop, and Go-Go.
- Use Groovy Nate’s songs as teaching tools by altering the lyrics to fit curriculum standards (to include, but not limited to, making rhymes, teaching shapes, STEM standards of learning).
- Discover how incorporating music, songwriting, rhythmic chants, and creative movement can engage students and enhance their learning experience.
Spotlight
Groovy Nate
Multidisciplinary Arts | Songwriting | Arts Integration
Curtis “Mr. Blues” Mailloux
Curtis Blues Music
Multi-instrumentalist and roots musician Curtis Blues is a talented musician and educator. His performances teach the Growth Mindset and lifelong learning using music. His shows keep the tradition of acoustic American roots music alive and demonstrate for students the origins of modern rock and hip-hop from its multicultural sources. Curtis has been playing Delta Blues since he was fourteen years old, when he was exposed to some of the last living Delta Blues masters at folk festivals. He has recorded two critically acclaimed CDs and performs at Blues festivals and schools in an effort to pass this precious music down to the next generation.
Curtis “Mr. Blues” Mailloux
CLIN# – 0001 STEAM & 0002 Music & 0003 Dance
Up-cycling: Making Musical Instruments Out of Junk from Around the World
Science – STEM – Show
Using the STEM engineering model as a guide, Curtis performs on a variety of instruments made of up-cycled materials. Students discuss responsible green practices and how they can use discarded items to create musical instruments. This assembly program touches on many curriculum connections from science, social studies, and history. It inspires students to be flexible and creative when thinking about how people throughout history have made their own instruments to express their feelings.
Reasons to book this show:
- Students are engaged in learning from the first minute thanks to the unusual instruments.
- Students learn how a creative person can use any material to make music.
- Students learn about other cultures and how they created instruments out of what they had—a lesson in resilience and multicultural appreciation.
The Multicultural Roots of American Popular Music
Music Show
Multi-instrumentalist Curtis Blues performs with fascinating instruments from Africa and North and South America to demonstrate the multicultural American musical history that created popular music today. This assembly focuses on the poetic, figurative language found in American Blues songs and popular music. This helps students understand how they can make their writing compelling with sensory images and figurative language. It is targeted to specific grade levels to connect with age-appropriate curricula. This assembly program touches on many 21st-century skills and connections, as well as celebrating the lives of specific African Americans who changed musical history. A highlight of the show for students is when the group writes a short blues song together using student-generated sensory-based prompts.
Reasons to book this show:
- Students are engaged in learning from the first minute and stay engaged by lively music and questions about songwriting.
- Students learn how metaphorical language allows us to express complex feelings and ideas in simple images.
- Children learn about other cultures and people from different time periods who share their modern concerns.
Wild Animal Dance Party Early Childhood Show
Music and Dancing
What happens when young minds put on the imaginary costumes of animals from a picture book?
- Their imaginations grow.
- They learn scientific differences between animals.
- They learn how to enter books through their imaginations.
Reasons to book this show:
- Students are engaged in learning from the first minute and stay engaged by lively music and dancing.
- Students become different animals and think about what makes one animal different from another.
- There is great joy in dancing in their imaginary costumes.
Spotlight
Curtis “Mr. Blues” Mailloux
Multi-Instrumentalist | Blues Singer/ Songwriter | Educator
Josarie Molina & Garwin Zamora
Grano de arena PR
Grano de arena PR is an initiative by two boricuas who are dedicated to visual arts and cultural work with the aim of creating dramatic objects and aesthetic spaces that connect with cultural and natural heritage. Garwin Zamora and Josarie Molina have over 50 years of combined experience in art, education and cultural work.
Spanish / Bilingual Programming
Grano de arena PR
CLIN# – 0001 STEAM, 0005 Visual Arts, 0006 Spanish/ Bilingual Programming, & 0008 Multi-Disciplinary Arts
Bilingual Storytelling (English and Spanish)
¿De quién son las playas? Who do the beaches belong to? invites audiences of all ages to reflect on beach conservation for both the community and wildlife. Garwin and Josarie narrate the story with props, sounds and art to engage all participants. Grano de arena PR’s first publication and storytelling stage are designed with images, textures and colors that connect with life in the Caribbean archipelago. The text is bilingual (English and Spanish) and 100% human made.
- Space for stage set up, 10´ x 10´
- Ages: all
Sing Our Stories!
Grano de arena PR will model the call and response tradition of Puerto Rican Plena music, encouraging participants to engage in song, movement, and lyrics creation. Plena, aka “the people’s newspaper,” is a musical genre where individual and collective stories are shared, accompanied by the beat of hand drums. Afterwards, participants will be invited to transform their experience into an art object by playing and exploring with a variety of materials.
- Enough tables and chairs for all participants, and additional tables for demonstration and working; projection screen or smartboard
- Participants: DCPL Staff, Public youth and families
- Ages: 7+ years, no experience required
Spotlight
Josarie Molina & Garwin Zamora
Art Teachers | Storytellers | Performers
Khaleshia Thorpe-Price
Dramatic Play
Khaleshia Thorpe-Price is the owner and Dramatic Solutions Architect at Dramatic Play LLC, a Certified Minority-owned business with MBE, SBE, and DBE certifications. She is an Imagination Cultivator, Creative Collaborator, and Community Builder. Khaleshia is a versatile creator, educator, and administrator who aims to dazzle participants with the art of play, creative investigation, and ensemble building. She has worked in arts education for over 25 years.
Khaleshia Thorpe-Price – Dramatic Play
CLIN# – 0001 STEAM, 0007 Theater & 0008 Multi-Disciplinary Arts
Storytelling Program for Youth Ages Birth–12
First Class Postal Adventure A movement story Ages: toddler–2nd grade | 30 minutes Imagine delivering mail to animals in their natural habitats. Participants will use their imaginations to go on an imaginary journey with Ms. Khaleshia. They will travel into the forest, high above the treetops, into the swamp, and deep into the coral reef. Participants will learn about postal workers, ASL, animal habitats, and animal characteristics, and practice sequencing and recalling the story.
Going on Safari A movement story Ages: toddler–2nd grade | 30 minutes Participants will go on an imaginary journey to the African Savanna. They will engage in imaginary travel to create imagery.
Becoming a Legend Tales of becoming Ages: 3–3rd grade | 30 minutes This interactive workshop combines performance and active participation. Participants will play a “Guess Who” game while watching brief performances of legendary African American women. They will use their imaginations to travel in time to become these legends: Bessie Coleman, Florence Griffith Joyner, and Mae Jemison.
Anansi and the Magic Rock A trickster tale Ages: 3–3rd grade Anansi and the Magic Rock is an interactive performance for young audiences. Participants will use their actor’s tools of body, voice, and imagination to engage with Anansi’s tale.
Diaspora of the Trickster Two clever tales Ages: 3–3rd grade African folktales and characters accompanied Africans during the Diaspora. Participants will hear tales of Anansi, the Crocodile, Bruh Rabbit, and the Wolf. They will engage, imagine, and learn ASL during this communal experience.
The Spider and the Crocodile A shadow puppet story Ages: toddler–1st grade | Participants: 20 per session The Spider and the Crocodile is an original Anansi story written by Khaleshia Thorpe-Price. This petite puppet show engages tiny viewers with ASL, chants, and puppets.
K. Klause Holiday Storytime A pop-up experience Ages: toddler–2nd grade | Participants: 20 per pop-up session | 15–20 minutes Santa is busy preparing for the holiday season, but Mrs. Klause is available to spread cheer with your favorite holiday stories and songs.
Historical Perspectives: Original Points of View from History Grades: 3 and up | 30–45 minutes Participants experience and engage with historical monologue performances from inspiring young African American women before and after the Brown vs. Board of Education decision. They learn about the creative process, their role as historians, and how to create their own historical monologues.
Theater Program for Youth Ages Birth–12
The Actor’s Toolbox Grades: 3 and up | 60 minutes per session | Participants: 20 Participants will actively explore the elements of drama while applying 21st-century skills and learning drama games.
Creating a Narrative Grade: 3 and up | 60 minutes per session | Participants: 20 Participants will explore multiple theater-based strategies as they create, refine, and perform original monologues.
Acting and Public Speaking Grade: 3 and up | 60 minutes per session | Participants: 20 Participants will be taught how to use their actor’s toolbox and oratory skills to perform monologues and historical speeches.
All the World’s a Stage Grades: 3 and up | 60 minutes per session | Participants: 20 Participants will be introduced to Shakespeare’s writing, impact, and the Elizabethan Era.
Multi-Disciplinary Arts Program for Youth Ages Birth–12
Belle’s Book Club Playgroups Ages: infant–4 years old | 45 minutes per session | Participants: 12 children / 12 adults Belle’s Book Club provides an interactive, arts-integrated approach to early literacy and school readiness. Participants engage in dramatic play, visual arts, music, and creative movement.https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6Jvom7upfO0
Belle’s Book Club Grades: PK–2nd | 45 minutes | Participants: 20 Belle’s Book Club provides an interactive, arts-integrated approach to early literacy in a developmentally appropriate social atmosphere. Participants engage in dramatic play, visual arts, music, and movement. Belle’s Book Club incorporates strategies that support whole-child learning and aims to develop early readers.
Spotlight
Khaleshia Thorpe-Price
Imagination Cultivator | Educator | Thorpe-Price Commuity Builder | Arts Administrator
Deanna Hawkins
B.P.M. Music and Enrichment
Bridging Possibilities in Music
Since 2021, B.P.M. Music and Enrichment, LLC has offered unique learning opportunities to students ages 10 and up, providing a creative space to introduce and foster music production and music technology in a fun and exciting way! B.P.M. continually aims to expand students’ horizons in musical taste and exposure while honoring the need for self-expression. This project-based program lets students use a variety of software applications to create, record, and arrange music—ultimately bridging the gap between the future of music, its properties, and technology, right at their fingertips!
B.P.M. Enrichment
CLIN# – 0001 STEAM, 0002 Music & 0003 Dance
Loops N’ Moves
Bridging Possibilities in Music
A unique experience combining beat-making, dance, and FUN!!
- Physical activity + digital creativity enrichment
- Perfect for grades K–5
- Boosts adaptive thinking
- Promotes self-expression
- Improves rhythm, timing, and coordination through integrated learning
Provides hands-on experience with music software and movement design
All equipment provided
Sessions are led by industry professionals
Spotlight
Deanna Hawkins
Music Producer | Educator | Professional Musician | Musical Director | Entrepreneur
Will Patterson
Eco-Lore
William Patterson is a second-generation Washingtonian who enjoys discovering the Nation’s Capital’s undiscovered historical and cultural aspects. He attended the University of the District of Columbia as an undergraduate, majoring in Urban Sustainability. Will is an environmentalist and lives by the creed of preservation, conservation, and minimalism toward finite resources. Will holds a master’s degree from George Mason University in Folklore. Folklore encompasses many different fabrics of culture; the practice of a folklorist is the sustainability of relevant cultural expression and behavior. He aims to combine these two disciplines, as folklore and environmental sustainability are interdisciplinary and cannot exist without each other.
Eco-Lore
CLIN# – 0004 Storytelling & 0008 Multi-Disciplinary Arts
Mythical Journeys: A Global Folktale Adventure!
Embark on a captivating journey with Eco-Lore, led by folklorist William Patterson, as we explore global mythology and folktales from cultures far and wide! Designed for children ages 0–12, this interactive workshop educates and entertains through timeless stories filled with adventure, wisdom, and fascinating characters. Discover diverse traditions and spark your imagination in this engaging celebration of storytelling from around the world!
Speak Your Art: A Poetry & Performance Workshop
Speak Your Art is a dynamic program for children ages 0–12 focused on the art of spoken word. Participants will learn how language connects to memories, emotions, and traditions. We’ll teach proven techniques for memorizing and reciting poetry, while providing opportunities for public speaking. Children can also share their own original works, transforming their imaginations into engaging performances with rhythmic wordplay and profound meanings.
Video
Will Patterson
Poet | Storyteller | Spoken Word Artist | Performer
Andés Salguero & Christina Sanabria
123 Andrés
123 Andrés, the GRAMMY- and Latin GRAMMY-winning duo, delivers catchy songs and high-energy concerts that get kids and families singing and dancing—in Spanish and English. The husband-wife team of Andrés and Christina are educators and musicians who create books and live shows in Spanish and English for children and families. Their songs and videos are used in early childhood and elementary classrooms across the US and abroad. They have charmed audiences in the US, Puerto Rico, Panama, Guatemala, Mexico, and Colombia. 123 Andrés has published three children’s books with Scholastic, with two more scheduled for release in Fall 2025 and Spring 2026.
Spanish / Bilingual Programming
123 Andrés
CLIN# – 0002 Music & 0006 Spanish / Bilingual Programming
Music | Singer/Songwriters | Performers
Live Performance
123 Andrés are GRAMMY winners, beloved for their high-energy, interactive concerts en español y en inglés. They bring silly dance moves and catchy lyrics, plus traditional Spanish-language songs many families will recognize. The audience participates by making rhythms, contributing ideas, and moving big and small—with an emphasis on incorporating adults for cross-generational bonding through music and language.
Spotlight
Andés Salguero & Christina Sanabria
Music | Singer/Songwriters | Performers
Ms. Niki
Ms. Niki’s Music Class
Nicole “Ms. Niki” Addison is a classically trained singer/songwriter from Washington, D.C. One of family music’s most compelling and talented emerging artists, Ms. Niki is a member of the GRAMMY-nominated 1 Tribe Collective’s All One Tribe album featuring “Rainbow.” Described as “a new age cross between Mary Poppins and Ms. Frizzle,” Ms. Niki is sure to please audiences of all ages. Join music edutainer Ms. Niki on a colorful adventure through upbeat original songs and classics with a twist you’ve never heard before.
Ms. Niki’s Music Class
CLIN# – 0002 Music, 0007 Theater & 0008 Multi-Disciplinary Arts
Ms. Niki – Concert (Ages 2–10) – 45 minutes
Welcome to Ms. Niki’s magical music class where JOY meets LEARNING! Join music edutainer Ms. Niki on a colorful adventure through upbeat original songs and classic favorites with a fresh new twist. Ideal for early childhood, these songs help young students navigate their days, express happiness through movement, build self-love and body awareness, and discover patterns through beats and rhythms. Through her “Lyrical Learning” approach, listeners are guaranteed to learn something new about themselves and others.
Ms. Niki’s Music Class
Children ages 2–4 will engage in 30-minute music classes singing a varied repertoire of music, moving to lyrics, and acting out stories from musical books. Students will:
- Develop awareness of the characteristics of musical sounds and silence and the diversity of sounds in the environment
- Identify and respond to repeated patterns heard in music
- Identify and respond to changes heard in music (fast/slow, loud/soft, long/short, high/low)
- Use and simulate environmental sounds
- Experience performance through playing instruments and listening to the performance of others
- Experiment with vocal sounds that use a variety of pitches: singing in an age-appropriate range, speaking, whispering, and calling, and matching pitches within an age-appropriate vocal range
- Verbalize or use visual representation or acting out stories to express musical preferences (e.g., how it makes me feel, what it makes me think about, what it reminds me of)
Spotlight
Ms. Niki
Multidisciplinary Arts | Singer/Songwriter | Musical Theater
Leslie Olabisi
LESLIE O VOICE
Leslie Olabisi is a Nigerian American actor, award-winning voiceover artist, host, and presenter working across film, television, live events, and digital media. A SAG-eligible performer, she trained at The Studio Theatre Acting Conservatory and The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, and studied under legendary acting coach Wynn Handman. Her screen credits include For My Man and Toe to Toe, and her voice has been featured in campaigns for Fortune, Target, Sprite, FIS Financial, Bright Farms, state of Ohio, Netflix, and Dove.
She received a SOVAS Voice Arts Award for “Outstanding Radio Promo – Best Voiceover,” and narrated the Emmy-nominated documentary UNMARKED.
In addition to her performance career, Leslie is an experienced Teaching Artist who designs and facilitates arts-based programming for youth in partnership with public and community institutions. Her literacy-centered workshops combine storytelling, improvisation, and voice performance to strengthen confidence, collaboration, and creative expression. Through interactive programs such as Let’s Build a… and Our Audiobook, she guides young participants in transforming stories into live performance and recorded projects, bridging professional artistic practice with accessible arts education.
LESLIE O VOICE
CLIN# – 0003 Dance & 0007 Theater
“Let’s Build a…” (Imaginative Play at the DC Library)
Ages: 12 and under | Versions: 30-minute & 60-minute sessions
Overview: Let’s Build a… is a high-energy imaginative play and drama activity designed to spark creativity, encourage teamwork, and support self-expression through improvisation. Children are invited to move, act, and imagine as they build an entire world together—drawing inspiration from a story and transforming it into live play.
Program Highlights:
- Fosters collaboration, creativity, and foundational acting skills
- Features book-inspired improv games and character role-play
- Begins with a short story from the library’s collection (read aloud or paraphrased)
- Children are assigned characters and roles in a shared imaginative world
- Props are creatively re-used to represent different elements of the environment
- As the story unfolds, new surprises are introduced (weather changes, challenges, victories) to keep the children adapting and engaged
- Sessions expand naturally by adding new characters, scenes, or plot twists
Objective: To help children understand the value of working together while using their imagination to build something bigger than themselves—proving that storytelling and teamwork go hand in hand.
“OurAudiobook” (Voiceover at the DC Library)
Ages: 12 and under | Versions: 30-minute & 60-minute sessions
Overview: OurAudiobook is an interactive reading and performance program that brings books to life through the voices of young readers. Designed to strengthen literacy skills and build confidence, this hands-on project allows children to turn a selected story into a custom group audiobook—complete with narration, character voices, and sound effects.
Program Highlights:
- Reinforces reading fluency through guided recitation and dramatic expression
- Introduces children to voiceover performance in a fun, creative environment
- Encourages collaboration by assigning roles based on interest and reading level
- Books are chosen by group vote or library theme and matched to class size for balanced participation
- Non-readers can contribute through sound effects or group narration
- Final product is a recorded audiobook that children can share and be proud of
Objective: To foster a love of reading by transforming it into a collaborative, voice-driven experience—where every child becomes part of the story.
Spotlight
Leslie Olabisi
Award-winning Voiceover Artist | Actress | Storyteller | Imaginative Play
Maria Ines Tripodi
Sing, dance, and play together!
Using inspiration from children’s literature, music, stories and creative movement, we will play and create together in a fun and easy way. These sessions are child and family centered. Come ready to explore, move and be moved. Maria-Ines began working with children while living in San Francisco where she earned her Montessori Teaching certificate. Currently Maria works as a teaching artist for different arts organizations in the area. Having grown up both in Washington DC and Argentina, Maria is a native speaker and conducts classes in both English and Spanish.
Spanish / Bilingual Programming
Maria Ines-Tripodi
CLIN#-0003 Dance, 0004 Storytelling, 0006 Spanish / Bilingual Programming and 0009 Art for children w/ disabilities
Move & Imagine: A Creative Dance Workshop
Unleash creativity and build foundational skills at the library with Move & Imagine, a dynamic program for children ages 0-12 and their caregivers! Join Master Teaching Artist Maria-Ines Tripodi for an interactive workshop that blends fundamental dance principles with the magic of music, children’s literature, and imaginative play. This program offers a unique opportunity for children of all ages to explore movement, develop coordination, and express themselves in a fun, supportive environment. Through engaging activities, we’ll foster early literacy, spark imagination, and introduce the joy of dance, making the library a vibrant space for discovery and growth.
Spotlight
