Groove and Flow is a specially blended style of embodied movement where participants explore and experience the joy of movement and freedom of expression within a supportive, creative environment, regardless of experience and/or abilities. This class is balanced with movement, tranquility and meditation and participants can be on a mat or in a chair. All abilities welcomed for this one of a kind experience.
Get creative! Build connections! Create community!
Playlist for G&F 10-19-2020
Garth in a tux in the snow.
Garth Stevenson (All songs are from his album Flying. I highly recommend buying this album. It’s truly magnificent, made even more special if you order a hard copy, as you will receive a beautiful hand made CD envelope. Both of his albums are glorious!)
Flying Paintings The Zhou Brothers: A Story of Revolution and Art by Amy Alznauer; paintings by ShanZuo Zhou & DaHuang Zhou
Art is powerful and its transformational power takes center stage in this historic tale of the Zhou brothers whose lives and art were shaped largely by the Cultural Revolution in China. This is a heavy theme for a children’s picture book but with the author’s gentle touch of the subject, accompanied by dynamic ink-and-watercolor paintings by the subjects themselves, readers are immersed in the bold artistic style and the courageous spirit of the Zhou brothers. The book focuses not only on the historical moment in time but also on the difficulties that arise in families and those that relate to art, country, and humankind. The book is magnificently illustrated with art by the Zhou brothers themselves, enlivening the tale with a sense of a first hand narrative. This is a wonderful early non-fiction book that introduces two contemporary Chinese artists who were confronted with much suffering and many roadblocks but were still able to rise up and be true to who they really were.
Grow: Secrets of Our DNA by Nicola Davies; illustrated by Emily Sutton
Knowledge is magnificent and this book is armed to the gills with it. From the beautifully drawn helices on the end pages to the realistic illustrations that bring life to the fascinating world of DNA, this book is a STEAM book for all ages. One of the best takeaways from this book is that although our DNA makes us unique, the fact that uniqueness is a constant for all living creations, only proves that we are all just one giant community. All the same, yet all different. All things grow, all things change.
The cover drew me right in. The illustrator’s use of a variety of mediums, such as pastels, colored pencils, ink and watercolors are a beautiful blend of the simple and the complex. Although the illustrations are cartoon-like, they craftily capture important details using design elements such as texture, color and line. The illustrations wonderfully carry the science of the subject matter. The characters are diverse, the information is highly accessible and interesting and will surely kick off a larger quest for knowledge. I highly recommend this wonderful introduction to life science.
Jabari Tries by Gaia Cornwall
Jabari is at it again! He does not let failure get him down. He uses creative thought to problem solve and just has a total CAN DO attitude! The book has a great non-fiction element that celebrates black scientists and doctors who help to fire up Jabari’s determination to figure things out. Jabari is honest and he gets frustrated, but his dad brings in the mindfulness aspect that scientists really need and after a few calming breaths, Jabari is ready to give it another try. Through his efforts, Jabari learns compromise and cooperation and through just enough action and rest time, he learns how to be successful and how to have fun!
The illustrations are fun and I just love the Rube Goldberg machines they come up with and the happy way a family interacts and relies on each other for support and love. Very sweet STEAM focused book and an inspirational story of perseverance, problem solving and creativity.
Love Is Powerful by Heather Dean Brewer; illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Just like the disco song expresses, Love is the message! Love is, love is the message that I sing to you; Love is the message that I bring to you; Love is the message for a song…. Love is the message for us all! This book shows how a small child, who might be wondering how they can make an impact on the world, that one small gesture can have a much larger effect. This book is a great gateway into the world of activism and brings to light the invisible roots of our global connection. This book gives hope and highlights acceptance and shows how important it is to stand up for human rights for all peoples of the world. This story recounts a true story of the power to unify through love and positivity and how you’re never too young to be an inspiration. The march of diverse characters pulls you right in. They are so endearing with their shining eyes and smiles and pink “cat” hats, the 100’s of hearts floating all around the pages and the beautiful affirmations decorating the signs. This is what the world needs now! I see it right alongside Julian Is A Mermaid, by Jessica Love, as books that will become anthems for the ages.
Norman: One Amazing Goldfish! By Kelly Bennett; illustrated by Noah Z. Jones
Filled with bright bold colors, this amusing story highlights overcoming fear, the power of the true friendship that one can have with a pet, and a trust in one’s own self-worth. This is a fun read and will keep the attention of young readers who will be able to relate to overcoming shyness when introduced to something new. People might try to douse your inner spirit with negativity but if you are true to yourself, whatever the final result, you will gain confidence, knowledge and above all, self- respect! Three cheers for Norman the amazing goldfish. This is a delightful story with a positive message!
Will You Be My Friend by Sam McBratney; Illustrated by Anita Jeram
We’ve been waiting a lifetime for this sequel. This book just feels like home. The characters are so familiar and with each illustration of their expressive faces, you fall deeper and deeper in love with them. I just want to stroke the new bunnies sweet pink nose-enough it is cartoon-like, it has an element of realness that just makes them so cuddly. I love the hopping bunnies on the end sheets that just led you into this story about the joys of discovering a new fiend. This is a warm and wonderful tale that leaves ample space for children to illustrate the tale for themselves, is a loving portrayal of a young child’s growing independence and the deep seated happiness of finding a new friend.
Thank you to Candlewick Press for all of these amazing books. All opinions expressed are my own.
Alphamaniacs: Builders of 26 Wonders of the Word by Paul Fleischman. Art by Melissa Sweet
This is a Junior Library Guild award winner, and I can see why! This collection of mini-biographies of daring linguists who saw language through shapes and sound and then dissected and reconstructed it into awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping, wacky and wonderful verbal curiosities of the most marvelous kind. These creators took nothing at face value-instead they were able to see language on many planes.I am inspired by the sheer creativity and found each story so interesting. This is the perfect book for a budding linguist or coder! This is nonfiction for the junior and mid grade reader that is delivered in a very creative and engaging way.I so appreciate the great variety of words used-it was really run rolling them off my tongue, and I enjoyed the interesting illustrations and the diverse fonts.
Incredible Jobs You’ve (Probably) Never Heard Of by Natalie Labarre
This book puts a capital C in creative careers. The fact that we can put a name to this plethora of the innumerable opportunities there are for you to find the one-two-three man many paths you might like to follow-or even forge a new one to add to the second edition! This book does a great job of disseminating facts by keeping them so interesting and interactive. There are questions posed of direction to ponder through each two-page spread. This book opens up the world of possibilities for finding fulfillment in life! Love it!
I’m sure the first thing noticed is the totally cool large size presentation of the book that will be a great addition to any coffee table; young and old will be immediately drawn to this book! The illustrations are a clever depiction of realistic items seasoned with a bit of fantasy and whimsy.
This Or That? What will you choose at the British Museum? By Pippa Goodhart
This book has created such a marketable concept for bringing art alive from all the museums in the world! This opens the doors of museums far and wide to everyone. I am enamored with this simple but thought provoking book that does a great job of creating texture, style and color ideas that just pop off the pages of the book. You might choose this or you might choose that but more importantly, your answers can lead to more curiosity and greater imagination. This is a book for all ages! Children and grown ups can enjoy it together and travel many roads to discovery.
Thank you to Candlewick Press for these books. All opinions expressed are my own.
Eve Costarelli, Always Be Dancing
Striking the #EachForEqual Pose!
Have you ever heard of a “Yoga Snack”? Well, if you’re interested in finding out more, join us March 8th for our International Women’s Day Event where our friend Eve will be leading her Yoga Snack!
Eve is passionate about bringing dance to all-bodies. She facilitates mindful movement experiences that increase positive vibrations and is on a mission to open people’s hearts and minds and will use all means necessary.
Learn more about Eve and Always Be Dancing by clicking here!
International Women’s Day (IWD) is March 8th!
Sunday, March 8th, 3:30 pm, W Gallery, 57 Andrew Ave, Wayland, MA
One of the best things about International Women’s Day, besides the fact that it’s a special day for women all around the globe, is that YOU can celebrate in wherever you are! You can celebrate BIG or SMALL! The key is to gather with a friend, or two or a hundred (!) and talk about the issues facing women and girls in YOUR community!
An equal world is an enabled world.
Individually, we’re all responsible for our own thoughts and actions – all day, every day.
We can actively choose to challenge stereotypes, fight bias, broaden perceptions, improve situations and celebrate women’s achievements.
Collectively, each one of us can help create a gender equal world.
Let’s all be #EachforEqual.
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Tickets for our 3rd Annual International Women’s Day are going fast and they are available in advance only.
If you want to join us and haven’t already reserved a spot or purchased your ticket, please send me an email so that I can include you! Also, please feel free to forward this email to others who you think would like to join us for the event.
Thank You, Crow by Michael Minkovitz; Illustrated by Jose D. Medina
I love the sweet green child and the doe-eyed crow. They make a beautiful couple creating art together. The child is kind-hearted and helps the hurt crow, who in turn brings joy and wonderment to the boy. This is a creative page turner that will elicit many giggles and ooh’s and aah’s.
Thank you to Penny Candy Books for sending me this book as part of a giveaway. All opinions expressed are my own.
Neon The Ninja: Activity Book For Children Who Struggle With Sleep and Nightmares by Dr. Karen Treisman
This book is immediately likable because of Neon, the lovable and trustworthy main character who embodies a heroic persona to bring children struggling with sleep and nightmares a sense of control. Neon is highly engaging and interactive and allows children to feel empowered to be their own super inner-ninja. Neon is the story of a superhero who is emboldened with the power to rid fear, worry and anxiety. This story/activity book is a treasure box of shareable applied practices such as coloring pages, worksheets, art activities, breathing exercises and sentence completion activities. The actives are all very creative and reflective.
Dr. Treisman on accessible creative trauma informed practices for and about children are highly engaging and accessible. I highly recommend this book.
¡Olé Namaste! Eve Costarelli
Thank you to Jessica Kingsley Publishing for sending me this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
For more information, please visit alwaysbedancing dot com
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I Am Uniquely Eve 