The journey to inspire students with performing arts

15 November 2018

“I’m here to make sure that our students receive the most from our shared resources and our collaboration. We expect our students to be creative, facing problems and solving them, not just in dancing class but also in real life”, said Salla Saarikangas, Juilliard Dance Curriculum Specialist. She had a two-day visit to BVIS Hanoi as part of The Juilliard/Nord Anglia Education Performing Arts Programme.

On November 9^th and 11^th, BVIS Hanoi welcomed Ms. Salla Saarikangas, Juilliard Dance Curriculum Specialist, in her two-day visit to Hanoi. The objective of the visit was to ensure that all shared materials in The Juilliard Creative Classroom are applied in the fullest and most appropriate way in all NAE schools. Ms. Salla observed and shared in the teaching of several Dance lessons in the purpose-built Dance Studio in the BVIS Hanoi Primary school.

“The Juilliard Creative Classroom has hundreds of pages about 100 classroom activities. We maintain our working visit to NAE schools to make sure that our materials really help”, said Salla.

Learning how to dance with Ms. Salla, our students also learnt how to respect the differences between people, in performing arts and in real life. We listened, respected and collaborated with other members in a group to make a very successful performance. Performing arts are ideal environments for children to have positive dialogues. Many students, who were very shy at the beginning and hardly made any movement, became much more confident and freer with movement with music backgrounds.

One of my favourite experiences is to see how a child transform after studying performing arts, from one who hardly makes any movement to a totally different person, who dares to challenge him/herself with difficult movements and actions. I love the moment when children realize that: “Yes, I can do this. It used to be impossible to me, but not anymore!” Salla Saarikangas, Juilliard Dance Curriculum Specialist

In the collaboration with Juilliard School, Nord Anglia Education (NAE) is passionate about all three performing arts. The performing arts are creative components that unlock a child’s imagination and significantly transform their education. Several studies show that students who participate in the performing arts achieve more academically, paying dividends in the classroom and preparing them for success now and in the future.