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Program Spotlight: “The Crack in Everything”

November 15, 2024 By Cindy Sherwood

 

Arts for Learning storyteller Robin Vivian says she was skimming her daughter’s PTA newsletter recently when her jaw dropped.

“If I were in a car, it’d be like the brakes going [SCREECH]!  I thought, that’s incredible because I have literally spent the last year creating this show that’s about accepting imperfection and the concept of looking at it in a different way.”

Robin was reacting to this year’s theme for Reflections, “Accepting Imperfection.”  Reflections is a National PTA-sponsored program. Each year more than 300,000 pre-K through 12th grade students make original works of art in response to a student-created theme.

Robin’s program for Arts for Learning Virginia is called The Crack in Everything. The title comes from a line in a Leonard Cohen song: “There’s a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”

“[Hearing that line] immediately reminded me of one of the first stories I ever learned called The Cracked Pot,” Robin says. The story, which Robin tells in her program, illustrates the beauty that can be found in imperfection, a Japanese concept called “wabi-sabi.” Sharing three multicultural tales and one personal one, Robin uses the wabi-sabi elements of imperfection, impermanence, and incomplete to help students reframe themselves and their experiences.

Robin’s role as the mom to a daughter in elementary school influenced how she developed her program—from her daughter’s distress about needing a tutor to the amount of time that age group spends on social media, including watching YouTube videos where they see others with seemingly perfect lives.

“I imagine that it would be very easy to watch that and say, ‘Hmm, my life doesn’t look like that, my photos don’t look like that. There must be something wrong with me,’” Robin says. “If they don’t have an outlet to talk to someone about it then they start to make their own narrative and that narrative can very easily go to ‘I’m not enough’ or self-blame or ‘my family’s not enough’ or ‘I’m different,’ which can equal ‘I’m bad’ or ‘I’m not enough.’”

Robin uses the story of The Stonecutter to address that negative narrative. By the end of the story, the stonecutter realizes he had everything he needed, from the very beginning, to be content.

Whatever you have right now, you focus on what you have instead of what you don’t. That’s happiness. You don’t need anything else. So that’s the part of wabi-sabi that’s incomplete.”

The Crack in Everything is highly interactive.  In one portion, for example, students come onto stage to act out a scene and in another they call out guesses related to a “mystery box” Robin brings out—what do its contents of a chocolate chip cookie, Popsicle, Slinky, and Silly Putty have in

common?  (Think about it and find out if your guess is correct at the end of this story!)

Along with some humorous moments, the program has a part that’s both difficult to hear and that almost everyone can relate to. It’s Robin’s own story from fourth grade when she desperately wanted a best friend—plus a 90’s-era “best friend charm” to display to her peers—and wound up being rejected in a cruel way.  But in the program, Robin shows that the story doesn’t end there. Although she never did become friends with that particular girl, years later in college she met a young woman, Fayth, similar to herself (“very goofy and a lot, just like me.”) Robin had told Fayth her painful story from fourth grade. And on Robin’s 20th birthday, Fayth surprised her with a best friend charm. They remain best friends today, along with A4L teaching artist April Uhrin.

It’s a lovely twist to the story, demonstrating the ever-changing aspect of life, or the wabi-sabi idea of impermanence.

But the story doesn’t end there either.

“When my daughter was in first grade, kids came to her and said she shouldn’t talk to this other little girl because that little girl was weird. And she was struggling with that,” Robin says. “So I told her the story that I just told you. And I watched it transform her. She realized that if she would do that, it would be very similar to what those girls did to me. And that’s hurtful. And I watched her become a kid who cares about other people and she learned compassion. And so that story went on. And she was nice to that little girl.”

That right there is part of the story. The story is the wabi-sabi. That’s the beauty. We all experience things that are painful. We all go through things. Everything ends from time to time. But when we share that experience of someone else hurting, magic happens because we realize that we’re not alone. We have each other. And there’s nothing actually wrong with us. It’s just part of life.”

Robin is a professional storyteller, actor, and educator who’s based in Northern Virginia. If you’d like to book Robin for your school, library, theater, or community center, contact Katie Driskill, School and Community Relationships Coordinator, at 757-961-3737 or scheduling@Arts4LearningVA.org.

The answer to what a chocolate chip cookie, Popsicle, Slinky, and Silly Putty have in common is that they were all created by mistake—from imperfection comes beauty! As Robin puts it, who wants to live in a world without chocolate chip cookies?

Filed Under: Artist Spotlight, Program Spotlight Tagged With: impermanence, PTA, Reflections, Robin Vivian, storyteller, storytelling, teaching artist, wabi-sabi

Teaching Artist Profile: Dino O’Dell

October 14, 2024 By Cindy Sherwood

(Many thanks to Arts for Learning Maryland for this terrific article and interview with Dino O’Dell. Below is a lightly edited version.)

Music moves us. Its rhythm, melody, harmony, and lyricism catches our ears, inspires us, stirs our imaginations, and sticks in our heads. If you ask us, that sounds a lot like great teaching!

Dino O’Dell uses the power of music to teach and engage students of all ages. A teaching artist, award-winning musician, and former elementary school music educator, Dino has been writing and performing for young audiences for 20 years. Today, he travels across Virginia (and the country!) to perform participatory assemblies that transform traditional academic lessons into joyful, fun, and creative experiences.

“My background is in children’s theater,” Dino says. “It’s shaped my teaching philosophy. The goal is to create ways for students to engage with the performance—whether it’s through clapping, singing, or movement. We simply tap into what already resonates with students—such as music and stories.”

Dino’s programs cover topics like science, outer space, geography, history, and animals. And by bringing young viewers into the performance, he’s creating memorable learning experiences for kids and their teachers.

For example, in Imagine Your Journey, Dino teaches students about the continents, using catchy tunes that encourage students to sing along and make corresponding dance moves. For North America, students mimic a basketball shot, nodding to the popular sport in the region; for South America, they swim in the Amazon; and for Europe, they eat an imaginary Italian pizza!

Movement and lyrics contain information. Rhythm and melody make it easier to recall,” Dino explains. “Music is the key that opens the door to the room of knowledge. And the knowledge contains the content derived from the lyrics and dance moves.”

Dino incorporates many styles of music into his work, including blues, folk, reggae, ska, funk, and classical. “Exposing kids to a variety of styles and structures is so powerful,” he says. “They may not recognize that they’re hearing a jazz tune, but they feel a different kind of groove, they experience syncopation, and in the process, their awareness of what’s out there and what’s possible expands.” Here’s an example!

At Arts for Learning Virginia, we see a truth illustrated in all of Dino’s programs and those of our other teaching artists: creativity uniquely resonates with young people. “Kids are naturally creative,” Dino says. “In many cases, they aren’t self-conscious yet, and convincing them that what they’re learning is also fun and interesting is easy. It’s a beautiful thing to be a part of.”

Dino will be on tour in Virginia the week of February 24th, 2025. We’re booking visits to schools, libraries, and community centers now!

To learn more about Dino and explore his programs available for your school or classroom, visit his artist profile on our website or contact Katie Driskill, School and Community Relationships Coordinator, at 757-961-3737 or  scheduling@Arts4LearningVA.org.

Filed Under: Artist Spotlight, ArtsEd Tagged With: 757 arts, 757 nonprofit, Arts Ed, arts education, Arts for Learning Virginia, arts-in-education, Dino O'Dell, music education, teaching artist

An IDEAL Learning Experience for Both Students and a New College Graduate

May 8, 2024 By Cindy Sherwood

The Margaret Shepherd Ray Student and Family Gallery at the Chrysler Museum of Art, which is displaying IDEAL students' artwork through June 9.
The Margaret Shepherd Ray Student and Family Gallery at the Chrysler Museum is displaying IDEAL students’ artwork through June 9.

On Thursday, May 9, the upper elementary students participating in the second year of our IDEAL (Intentional Designs of Expression in Artistic Languages) after-school residency will gather at the Chrysler Museum of Art, sharing their artwork with family and friends in a collaborative exhibit. Participating students came from three elementary schools in three school divisions: Douglass Park in Portsmouth, Point O’View in Virginia Beach, and Southside STEM Academy in Norfolk.

Brandy guides a student while working as a teaching artist at Portsmouth's Douglass Park Elementary.
Brandy guides a student while working as a teaching artist at Portsmouth’s Douglass Park Elementary.

Of the seven teaching artists who have guided students through this residency, there’s one who has learned a great deal herself, gaining valuable experience working with children, shortly after graduating from Norfolk State University.

Brandy Lee started as an Emerging Teaching Artist in the fall, learning various aspects about a career in arts education. Through a partnership with area colleges, Arts for Learning staff members and artists on our roster mentor student artists on classroom management, program development with curriculum preparation, and arts administration practices.

Simone Couther is an Emerging Teaching Artist with Arts for Learning Virginia.

Simone Couther was also named an Emerging Teaching Artist last fall and continues her journey through the program.

Brandy shows her artwork at the James Wise Gallery at Norfolk State.

Brandy, who lives in Virginia Beach, is a mixed media artist. As part of her Fine Arts major, she was required to throw her own art show, along with other NSU seniors. She graduated in December.

As an Emerging Teaching Artist, Brandy credits Aisha Noel, Arts for Learning’s Programs and Community Engagement Manager, for “showing her the ropes.”

“I was very new. I knew that I wanted to teach kids art, and Aisha was there to show me expectations of what I needed to do.”

Brandy working with IDEAL participants in Portsmouth.
Brandy works with IDEAL participants in Portsmouth.

The Emerging Teaching Artist program also benefits Arts for Learning. “It’s a great avenue for helping college students explore post-graduation careers in a supportive and artistic setting,” Aisha says. “I think it’s mutually beneficial—we help the students navigate that scary period between college and the real world, and the students help our organization remain youthful and relevant.”

In February, Brandy began working with students participating in IDEAL at Douglass Park Elementary. Along with teaching artist Tabetha McNeal, Brandy guided students as they explored the question of identity through various forms of visual art, music, and poetry.

Brandy helps a student in the IDEAL residency.
Brandy helps a student in the IDEAL residency.

“One thing that was very obvious to me as an Emerging Teaching Artist was that I can’t hold students to the same expectation as those in college or high school,” Brandy says. “They’re just learning how to do these things so you have to learn patience. You have to teach them in the very beginning about techniques and you have to think about, is this student actually interested in art, and if so, how am I going to teach them as they begin their adventure as an artist?”

Brandy calls the IDEAL residency “significant” to children who come from many different backgrounds. “It helps them push the boundaries of what they can really do. In IDEAL, we’re teaching kids identity through pattern, so they can establish their own identity, they can recognize their own identity. I feel that’s pivotal to them, and I’m grateful to be there and help them do that.”

And we’re grateful to Brandy, Tabetha, and the other IDEAL residency teaching artists: Asiko-oluwa Aderin, Jackie Adonis, Cindy Aitken, Jennifer Graham, and Dai Poole, plus Gary “JuJu” Garlic, who taught the music portion of the program for all three schools. Thank you also to the residency stewards from each school.

Student paintings are ready for viewing at the Chrysler Museum of Art.
Student paintings are ready for viewing at the Chrysler Museum of Art.

From now through June 9, you can view the collaborative art exhibit in the Margaret Shepherd Ray Student and Family Gallery at the Chrysler Museum. Art work created by the students who participated in IDEAL is professionally displayed and open to the public. Click here for more details.

 

Asiko-oluwa Aderin at her art show in April 2024.
Asiko-oluwa Aderin at her art show in April 2024. Photo credit: Silas Morgan

The first student to complete our Emerging Teaching Artist program and join our roster of teaching artists was Asiko-oluwa Aderin. Asiko graduated from Norfolk State University on May 4 with a major in Fine Arts and a concentration in Graphic Design. We’re so proud of Asiko, and we wish her all the best as she pursues her artistic career.

Filed Under: Art Exhibit, Artist Spotlight, News, Program Spotlight, Residency Tagged With: 757 arts, 757 nonprofit, Arts Ed, arts education, Arts for Learning Virginia, Chrysler Museum, Chrysler Museum of Art, IDEAL residency, Norfolk Public Schools, Portsmouth Public Schools, residency, teaching artist, teaching artists, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Drawing Upon the Power of Community

April 17, 2024 By Cindy Sherwood


Drawing Upon the Power of Community
Roberta Lea is both a performing artist at Arts for Learning and a teaching artist. She’s specially trained as one of our Coastal Virginia Wolf Trap Teaching Artists who works in the classroom with young learners. Her performing career has hit high notes recently, both as an individual singer/songwriter and as part of the Black Opry, which was recently featured  in this Washington Post article. Our partner, Wolf Trap Education, sat down with Roberta and talked with her about her interest in music education and her artistic inspirations.

 

Roberta Lea Discusses the Intersection Between Music and Education

There is an African proverb that neo-pop-country singer/songwriter Roberta Lea lives by: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Roberta, who was named one of Country Music Television’s Next Women in Country in 2023, chooses to surround herself with people who nurture her creativity and give her a strong sense of belonging. She believes that the support she has experienced from her community has helped shape her life’s work. Community, she says, is “the key to success.”

Like most artists, Roberta, who grew up in Norfolk, fell in love with music early on, but she also felt a calling to work with young people. After spending several years as a high school Spanish teacher, she recorded her first country-pop project in 2021 and committed to a full-time country music career. But she never forgot her love of teaching. It’s what led her to sign on as a teaching artist with Coastal Virginia Wolf Trap, a program of Arts for Learning Virginia, and today, she shares her love of music both on stage and in Norfolk-area classrooms.

Roberta performed with Black Opry Revue at The Barns at Wolf Trap on March 29. Below, Roberta discusses why the connection between an artist and their community is vital, and how she combines her love of music with her talent for working with children and teachers in the classroom.

Wolf Trap (WT): Share a little about your background. Who are your artistic inspirations?

Roberta Lea (RL): I grew up with a very diverse musical palate. My parents were heavy on smooth jazz and R&B and my mom [loved] to play Gospel music on Sunday mornings. My sisters’ music tastes were on two completely different ends of the spectrum with one leaning heavily into the likes of Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morrissette, and Jewel, while the other was a big fan of ’90s Hip Hop like Tupac and Foxy Brown. I found myself drowning in the soup of all that influence.

My biggest inspirations are Bill Withers, Tina Turner, Shania Twain, and Tracy Chapman. They all represent the idea of pursuing music on one’s own terms and defining success for themselves. As songwriters, their catalogs are completely timeless. That’s the kind of legacy I want to leave behind: good, timeless music.

WT: What made you want to return to education as a teaching artist with Coastal Virginia Wolf Trap, after transitioning full-time to music during the pandemic?

RL: I enjoy being able to inspire the younger generation because creativity is just as important as core curriculum like math and sciences. When the opportunity to teach my passion in a classroom setting was presented, it was a no-brainer.

I also feel this need to stay connected to my local community as much as possible. Traveling the world and walking red carpets can create a disconnect between artists and the communities they’re serving with their music. I’m very intentional about keeping my feet on the local ground.

Roberta Lea

WT: Why is it important to you to be a member of Black Opry?

RL: The Black Opry represents a movement in the arts for [marginalized] communities to reclaim their space, wherever it may be. To be a member is to be a part of that conversation and a positive change in that narrative.

The synergy and encouragement that Black Opry has provided for me have been pivotal to my growth and success. Being a part of this collective gave me some much-needed confidence to step forward with my gift, grow at my own pace, and gain experience without pressure, debt, or signing my life away. The Black Opry simply said I was enough.

WT: Part of Black Opry’s mission is to bring visibility to Black country musicians, professionals, and fans. Do you think themes like identity are important to bring into classrooms?

RL: The role of the classroom—as well as parents—is to equip each child with the education, principles, and tools they need to become productive citizens of any given community. In general, most of those elements are extremely uniform. All children are going to learn the same basic lessons and be expected to follow the same rules. Their identity is the only unique aspect they get to bring to the table, and each child should be equipped with the confidence that their unique perspective plays a critical role in the functioning of society.

WT: How do you honor the local community in your work?

RL: My identity as a Black artist, a Virginian, a wife, a mother, and a sister color my songwriting. If there was one aspect of my life that was different, the songs I write would probably sing a different tune. I’ve learned to take pride in those aspects of my identity and honor those in my work. The first track on my new album is called “Somewhere in the Tide.” It is an ode to Virginia’s geographic, historic, political, and social diversity. History and humanity can be complicated but I’ll always be proud of who I am and where I’m from, and it will always show up in a song.

To learn more about Roberta Lea and the programs she offers for Arts for Learning, visit https://arts4learningva.org/artist/roberta-lea/. Her personal website can be found at iamrobertalea.com/.

Filed Under: Artist Spotlight, Wolf Trap Teaching Artists Tagged With: Black Opry, Roberta Lea, teaching artist, Wolf Trap, Wolf Trap teaching artist

Rhythm and Me: An Adaptive Dance Residency

December 19, 2021 By Cindy Sherwood

After twelve weeks filled with growth and exploration, students in a Rhythm and Me residency in Virginia Beach shared what they learned in a special performance for family and friends, choreographing the presentation by themselves. The adaptive dance program is a partnership between Arts for Learning and Families of Autistic Children in Tidewater (FACT). The residency was designed for students to join with their peers and learn new skills in a supportive environment.

https://arts4learningva.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/FACT_CE_2.mp4

Starting in September, the students met twice a week with A4L teaching artist Angela Taylor, a certified yoga instructor. In each class, she led students in a particular dance style—ballet, hip hop, jazz, party dances and more—with each dance paired with discussion about a different life skill. The curriculum was specially formulated for middle and high school students with autism.

“We were looking at the social emotional aspects of learning, of togetherness, community, social justice, understanding each other, and being okay with who we are in our bodies,” Angela says. As the program progressed, she witnessed growth in students from week to week. One student, for example, had difficulty speaking and let her aide speak for her, but by week three, Angela saw that the girl had become confident enough to communicate by herself. “That was truly amazing to watch her grow.”

“Overall, I think that a lot of them came out of their shells and they’re just free with their dancing, free with their movements. Even some of the parents would say, ‘Oh, my child can’t do ballet.’ And I’ve always said that it’s not about the dancing. It’s about coming together and creating a community and enjoying life and having a great time. I don’t mind if the moves aren’t perfect because I’m not perfect. I just want everybody to have a good time and have a positive experience in the class, and I feel like we accomplished that.”

Parents provided overwhelmingly positive feedback about the residency. But Kara Rothman, mother to 13-year-old Jesse Elia, says she didn’t initially have high hopes for the program.

“We’ve signed up  and paid for so many things that I’ve had to drag him to, but he wants to go to [Rhythm and Me], which is the first time ever. For me, it was huge because I’ve taken him to so many different places where I have to preface who we are and his quirks, and [at Rhythm and Me] he’s allowed to be quirky. It’s okay. In other places he has to be quiet or follow directions—it’s very structured—and he was always getting kicked out of stuff. Nothing ever worked, ever. Every time I’m just so grateful that he wants to be there.”

Jesse calls the program “fun, interactive, and entertaining,” and says he especially likes being with other students on the spectrum. He also says he finds the yoga portion “calming,” and the program less stressful than others.

“If I say I don’t want to do something, it’s not like I have to do it,” he says. “But I usually like doing the stuff, and it’s fun.”

Angela says her approach as a teaching artist is to “honor each person for who they are and where they stand in this world. And I think so many people pressure children like, you have to do it, you have to do it. With Jesse, I always gave him the option. I would say, ‘Would you like to join in?’ And if he said no, we just kind of moved on because I think it’s so important to be honored by your choices.”

Jesse is an only child who is homeschooled. His mother says the socialization portion of Arts Adventures was “huge.” After his first time going to the program, Jesse told his mom he had “gone in expecting the worst, but I ended up getting the best.” As for Kara’s reaction when Jesse said that:

I cannot tell you what those simple words meant to me. Well, yes, I can. It meant the world!”

https://arts4learningva.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/FACT-clapping-girl-hat-MP4.mp4

Another parent, Lori Beatty, says her 13-year-old daughter, Calli Laundre, always became excited when she heard she was going to dance class.

“When I pick her up, she’s full of energy. If we get there early, she grabs her mat and she’s just ready to go. I think the whole program is great. It’s been really good for her.”

Rhythm and Me class

The Rhythm and Me residency was the first year of a three-year Arts Adventures partnership between FACT and Arts for Learning, with funding provided by the Hampton Roads Community Foundation.  The focus of the second year will be music and the third year will be visual art.

“We’re delighted to partner with FACT because the population they serve overlaps with a group of students that we prioritize reaching with our programming,” says Chris Everly, CEO of Arts for Learning. “We’re excited to be planning future collaborations.”

https://arts4learningva.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/FACT-kids-hats-MP4.mp4

Filed Under: Artist Spotlight, ArtsEd, ArtsED for Exceptional Students, Program Spotlight Tagged With: adaptive dance, Arts Adventure, Arts Ed, arts education, autism, ballet, residency, Rhythm and Me, teaching artist

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Main Office
Arts for Learning
420 North Center Drive
Suite 239
Norfolk, Virginia 23502

Phone: 757-466-7555

Main Office

Arts for Learning
420 North Center Drive
Suite 239
Norfolk, Virginia 23502
Phone:
757-466-7555

Arts for Learning Virginia Names New CEO to Lead Arts-in-Education Nonprofit

The Board of Directors of Arts for Learning, the Virginia Affiliate of Young Audiences, voted at its annual meeting to name Anna Heywood Green as CEO of the organization. Heywood Green has served as Interim CEO since January 1, following the retirement of former CEO Christine Everly. Prior to January, Heywood Green worked as the organization’s […]

Join the A4L Mailing List!

Sign up to receive the latest news on arts integration from Arts for Learning! Thank you for supporting arts-in-education.

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At Arts for Learning Virginia, we’re proud to be part of the Virginia Commission for the Arts’ Passport Program. While Passport holders typically receive free admission and 50% off classes at participating organizations, all our programming is always free—no discount needed. To learn more about our public events, check out our calendar of events page here.

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