Artists Partners

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:
• 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!

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 Drama

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.

Uncle Ty-Rone
One Mic, Many Voices

Uncle Tyrone has been entertaining kids and their families for over forty years in family and educational venues all across America.
He is a professional ventriloquist, comedian. puppeteer, music producer, and puppet builder all rolled up into one.

His mission, each time he steps on the stage, is to bring the audience something so needed in our society, laughter and clean fun. With the help of his zany puppets, we will give your audience an enjoyable experience they 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 ventriloquism and never giving up on his childhood dream, pursuing a career in the entertainment industry.

This is a forty-five minute fun-filled ventriloquism, puppets and music stage performance appropriate for everyone.

In this show, Uncle Ty-Rone will explain how he learned the art ventriloquism at the age of 7 in a comedic way from a library book and how reading that one book, change his outlook for the better about education and life during his childhood. *The audience will meet Uncle Ty-Rone’s crew, Ty-J his Mini-Me, Raggz his lovable hound dog, his adorable Baby T-Rex the Ty-Ronenosaurus Rex and Stinky The Rock N Roll Sock, which Uncle Ty- Rone will take a sock and build it into a full-size puppet on stage. Let’s not forget Uncle Ty-Rone’s Freddy the Flea, you will have to use your imagination for this one.

All music is kid-friendly and appropriate for children and adults to enjoy. The length of the show is 45 minutes. (Performing Arts Theaters 45-90 minutes). Any venue, any size, Uncle Ty-Rone will be glad to help you make your event a sure enjoyable success!

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 arliament/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

The Groovy Nate Groove Circle Experience

CLIN# – 0002 Music, 0007 Theater, 0008 Multi-Disciplinary Arts, & 0009 Art for Children with Disabilities

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 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.

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 music 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. Curtis 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:

1. Students are engaged in learning from the first minute from the unusual instruments.

2. Students learn how a creative person can use any material to make music.

3. Students learn about other cultures and how they created instruments out of what they had. It is 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 the specific grade levels to connect with their age-appropriate curricuia.

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 we write a short blues song together using student generated sensory based prompts.

Reasons to book this show:

1. Students are engaged in learning from the first minute and stay engaged by lively music and questions about songwriting.

2. Students learn how metaphorical language allows us to express complex feelings and ideas in simple images.

3. 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?

1. Their imaginations grow.

2. They learn scientific differences between animals.

3. They learn how to enter books through their imaginations.

Reasons to book this show:

1. Students are engaged in learning from the first minute and stay engaged by lively music and dancing.

2. Students become different animals and think about what makes one animal different from another.

3. There is great joy in dancing in their imaginary costumes.

2Teaching Artists

Since 1998, Garwin has been guiding participants in journeys of learning and self-discovery by facilitating experiences rooted in the love of arts, pedagogy, culture, and community.

Serving children and families for over 20 years as an art teacher, museum educator, art historian, school librarian, school and family program coordinator, storyteller, and stage performer.

Spanish/Bilingual Programming

2 Teaching Artists

CLIN# -0001 STEAM, 0005 Visual Arts, 0006 Spanish/ Bilingual Programming, & 0008 Multi-Disciplinary Arts

Let’s Sing in Community and Inspire Each Other’s Artwork

This workshop is framed by Plena, aka “the people’s newspaper”, a percussion-based traditional music genre from Puerto Rico where the community tells stories that are passed on orally. 2tA will share a traditional song and set the space(stage) for participants to engage in song, movement, and/or lyrics. Following this, participants will be invited to translate their personal experience into visual language using mixed media. 2tA will demonstrate art mediums for participants to create their own visual artwork as a keepsake. Play and exploration will be encouraged.

Language: Bilingual (Spanish and English)

● A/V and equipment needed: enough chairs for all participants and tables for
demonstration and working, projection screen or smartboard
● Participants: DCPL Staff, Public youth and families,
● Ages: 7+ years

Bilingual Storytelling with Live Painting That Inspires Participants’ Artwork

This experience is framed by Bomba music, Puerto Rico’s oldest percussion-based music genre where the community tells stories that are passed orally. 2tA will animate a bilingual (Spanish and English) story using multimodalities such as live painting, singing, and drumming. Participants will have the opportunity to create their own visual artwork inspired by the story and their personal experience. Play and exploration will be encouraged.

Dramatic Play

Khaleshia Thorpe-Price is the owner and Dramatic Solutions Architect at Dramatic Play LLC. Dramatic Play is 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 twenty-five 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. How will they get there? What will they see? Join us on this adventure
as we deliver mail to the most unlikely places. 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. Upon arrival,
they will be guided on a Safari to search for some of Africa’s finest animals.
Participants will learn through exploration and 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.
Anansi has a story to tell, and he needs help telling this story. Participants will
use their actor’s tools of body, voice, and imagination to engage and participate
with Anansi’s Tale.

Diaspora of the Trickster
Two clever tales
Ages 3-3rd grade

African Folktales and characters accompanied Africans during the Diaspora. This
interactive story presentation shares the stories of two well-known tricksters.
Anansi the Spider and Bruh Rabbit are up to their old tricks. They have traveled a
long way to share their stories. 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

The Spider and the Crocodile is an original Anansi Story written by.Khaleshia
Thorpe-Price. Anansi seeks the aid of Crocodile to move large amounts of fruit
from the garden across the river to his mountaintop home. Crocodile plans to
take all of the fruit for herself. However, Anansi is steps ahead of her. This petite
puppet show engages tiny viewers with ASL, chants and puppetst It is the perfect
length for wiggly toddlers or children with limited attention spans.

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. Mrs. Klause is
available during the months of November/December. The experience includes an
intimate storytime, a sing-along experience, and letters for Santa.

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.
The audience will see three original historical monologues or perspectives
created using three different types of inspiration. My grandmother, Cora Thorpe,
attended Roulhac High, a colored school in Chipley, Florida. Ruby Bridges was
the first black student to attend William Frantz Elementary School, and Elizabeth
Eckford was one of the first black teenagers to attend Little Rock Central High
School. These monologues take us back into history, into the minds of these
young women. Why was it so important to attend a good school? Was it worth it?
Why is the Brown vs. Board of Education decision so important?

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. They will collaborate,
communicate effectively, and apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills
while learning performance strategies and the actor’s tools of body, voice,
imagination, and ensemble.

Creating a Narrative
Grade 3 and up
60 minutes per session
Participants: 20

Participants will explore and experience multiple theater-based strategies that will
differentiate the pre-writing activities and the overall narrative writing process as
they create, refine, and perform original monologues. The skills and techniques
learned in this workshop will give participants creative opportunities to explore
additional dimensions of text-based characters and the creative authority to
create multidimensional original characters.

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
learn and perform monologues and excerpts from historical speeches and
quotes.

Participants will gain the knowledge and skills to speak comfortably and
confidently on and off the stage.

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. Who was William Shakespeare? Did he invent words? Is his
work relevant? Participants learn and dramatize Shakespearean quotes, scenes,
and sonnets.

Multi-disciplinary Arts Program for Youth Ages Birth -12

Belle’s Book Club Playgroups
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. The sessions teach both children and adults
skills that will help prepare a strong foundation for academic success in
kindergarten and beyond. This programming will help to empower parents, set an
early foundation for engaged learning, and set children up for future academic
success.

Participants will explore picture books, learn from arts strategies, and create
friendships. Participants and their caregivers will sing, dance, imagine, and play
while enjoying this interactive story experience.

Belle’s Book Club
PK-2nd Grade
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. Belle’s Book Club aims
to develop early readers by using a unique combination of creative and
social-emotional learning strategies.

Belle’s Book Club cultivates book lovers and fosters personal growth by
employing a distinctive blend of creative and social-emotional learning strategies.

B.P.M. Music and Enrichment
Bridging Possibilities in Music

Since 2021, B.P.M. Music and Enrichment, LLC has continued to offer unique learning opportunities to students of ages 10-and-up, by providing a creative space to introduce and foster the practice of music production and music technology in a fun and exciting way!
B.P.M. continually aims to expand our students’ horizons, in respect to musical taste and exposure, while honoring the need for self-expression. This is a project-based program in which students will use a variety of software applications to create, record and arrange music – Ultimately bridging the gap between the future of music, it’s 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-5th
• 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

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 towards finite resources.

Will has 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. I aim to combine the 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 will educate and entertain as we share 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 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, 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.

123 Andrés

123 Andrés, the GRAMMY and Latin Grammy-winning duo with catchy songs and high-energy concerts that gets kids and families singing and dancing, in Spanish and English.

123 Andrés, the husband-wife team of Andrés and Christina, are educators and musicians with 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, and 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 due out Fall 2025 and Spring 2026.

Spanish/ Bilingual Programming

Music | Singer/Songwriters | Performers
CLIN#-0002 Music & 0006 Spanish/ Bilingual Programming
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 with movements big and small, with an emphasis on incorporating adults for cross-generational bonding through music and language.

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 new 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 edu-tainer 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 makes me think about, what it reminds me of).

LOVStudios

Leslie Olabisi is a Nigerian American actor, award- winning voiceover artist, host, and creative entrepreneur. With SAG eligibility and training from The Studio Theatre Acting Conservatory and The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, she’s lent her voice to brands like Dove, Netflix, Bright Farms, and Fortune. Leslie’s accolades include a SOVAS Voice Arts Award for Outstanding Radio Promo and narration for the Emmy-nominated documentary, UNMARKED.

Beyond her artistic endeavors, Leslie is a dedicated advocate for youth development and community support. She has launched initiatives like The Wardman. Exchange Boutique and served on various boards. Through LOVStudios, she produces multimedia content and, as a teaching artist, fosters creativity in students from pre-K to high school seniors through acting, improvisation, voiceover, and creative writing.

LOVStudios

CLIN# – 0003 Dance & 0007 Theater

“Let’s Build a…” (Imaginative Play at the DC Library) Ages: 12 and under | Versions: 30-minute & 60-minute session

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 session

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.

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-innes 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 Innes- 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.